"THE LlST" AUGUST 2025

My top recommendations from each of the major supermarkets and beyond.

Hello and welcome to “The List”

How I choose the wines is based on:

Systematic analysis / Value for money / Competition / Drinkability / Authenticity / Reviews and Comments / X-Factor.

"The List" is the result of hours of tastings, curation, and writing. Your support means everything to this independent journey. 🍷✨

• NEW No.1 Castillo Perelada Cava Brut, Spain (S) amazing winery, lovely balance, bright fruit meets slight toastiness

• STAR BUY Altos de Torona, Albariño, Spain (W)(V) benchmark, citrus and slightly saline, beautiful

• STAR BUY Vento'z Alvarinho, Portugal (W) peach, lemon, super sipper!

• NEW Heaphy Hill Riesling, New Zealand (W)(V) zesty, ginger, citrus, small winery, wonderful

• NEW Esprit de Buganay Côtes de Provence Rosé, France (Ro) top price, perfectly Provence, bright fruit

• NEW Rustenberg John X Merriman, Stellenbosch, South Africa (R) yes please!, Bordeaux blend, top wine

• NEW Cune Rioja Reserva, Spain (R)(V) super price, oak meets red fruit, top example

• NEW Loved & Found Sousao, Portugal (R) spice, oak, good complexity

• NEW Forchir Ribolla Gialla Spumante Brut, Fruili DOC, Italy (S)(V) super price, fresh and lively, fun and enjoyable

• NEW Devaux 'Oeil de Perdrix' Brut Rosé Champagne, France (S)(V) bloody brilliant at this price, beautiful red fruit, fantastic balance

• NEW Indomita ‘Initials’ Viognier Gran Reserva, Biobío Valley, Chile (W)(V) stone fruit, flavoursome, good representation

• TOP PICK- Château La Sauvageonne 'Grand Vin Blanc', AOP Languedoc, France (W) awesome, creamy, rich, complex

• NEW Gérard Bertrand 'Côte des Roses' Rosé, Languedoc, France (Ro) elegant, soft red fruit, light, sumptuous

• NEW Pagos del Rey ‘409’ Ribera del Duero, Spain (R) dark fruit, serious, good structure

• TOP PICK Ramos Reserva, Alentejano, Portugal (R) tremendous, super value, black fruit in harmony

• NEW Alain Grignon Reserve Carignan Vieilles Vignes, France (R)(V) super value, a Majestic classic, grippy, black fruit

CC = Clubcard offer

• *PRICE DROP Finest 1531 Blanquette De Limoux, France CC(S)(V) beauty of a price, richness, can’t beat it!

• Plaimont Saint Mont Grande Cuvee, France (W)(V) tropical, freshness, a little bit of bite

• NEW Mount Pleasant Blue Label Cellar Aged Semillon, Australia (W)(V) waxy, weighty, texture, citrus fruit

• NEW Castillo De Ibiza Rosé, Spain CC(Ro) popular, plump raspberries, well balanced

• Kanonkop Kadette, Cape Blend, South Africa CC(R) top producer, bold black fruit, medium to full

• NEW Tesco Finest Ribera Del Duero, Spain CC(R) strong price, medal-winning, ripe black fruit, good representation

• NEW Mascota Unanime Gran Vino Tinto, Argentina CC(R) rich, big on the black fruit, spice

• Journey's End Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, South Africa (R) great expression, black fruit, great value

• NEW Tesco Finest 10 Year Old Tawny Port, Portugal (Fo) hint of sweetness, nutty, dried red fruit

• NEW Cremant De Bordeaux Blanc Brut, France (S)(V) good price, ripe apple, well balanced

• NEW Found Scheurebe, Germany (W)(V) fresh, vibrant, aromatic, think Riesling but more rounded

• NEW Found, Encruzado, Portugal (W)(V) top grape!, good level of flavour intensity, rounded

• Cotes Du Rhone Rose, France (Ro)(V) surprising, balanced, good level of soft red fruit, top pick

• NEW Folc Dry English Rose, England (Ro)(V) go English!, balanced, good level of freshness, tart red fruit

• NEW Collection Ebenezer & Seppeltsfield, Australia (R)(V) worth the step up, attractive red fruit, pepper, full and round

• NEW Found Marzemino, Italy (R)(V) medium bodied, bright red fruit, plum

• Susana Balbo Tradicion Cabernet Sauvignon, Argentina (R) ripe black fruit, good producer, good expression

NC = Nectar card offer

• NEW TTD, Crémant De Loire, France (S)(V) apple, fresh, classic style of the region

• PRICE DROP TTD, Chardonnay, South Africa (W)(V) excellent, buttery oak, tropical fruit

• NEW TTD Picpoul De Pinet, France (W)(V) super dry, zippy, green fruit, might fine expression

• TOP PICK TTD Souvignier Gris, France (W)(V) wonderful, super fruit intensity, fresh

• NEW La Terrasse Rosé Pays d'Oc, France (Ro)(V) fun, good intensity, soft

• NEW TTD, Côtes Du Ventoux, France (R)(V) dark fruit, good level of complexity, dark fruit, full bodied, good balance

• Château de Pierreux Brouilly, France (R)(V) rich but not too heavy, plenty of complexity, strong expression

• NEW TTD Marselan, France (R)(V) deep, dark, broody, just holds it together

• TOP PICK The Best Côtes du Rhône Villages Blanc, France (W)(V) stone fruit, citrus, creamy + nutty, full but fresh

• NEW The Best Block Series Dillons Point Sauvignon Blanc, NZ (W)(V) fresh green fruit, good intensity, level up expression

• The Best Block Series 006 Paarl Chenin Blanc, South Africa (W)(V) great texture, lovely weight, creamy + nutty with beautiful intensity of fruit

• NEW The Best Block Series 005 Douro Godelho, Portugal (W)(V) fantastic intensity, ripe orchard fruit, great representation of the region

• The Best Vinho Verde Rose, Portugal (Ro)(V) touch of sweetness, soft red fruit, fresh, easy to take down

• The Best Côtes du Rhône Villages, Sablet, France (R)(V) dark cherry, pepper, plum, spice, firm, great value

• The Best Block Series 009 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, USA (R)(V) exciting addition, very full style of Pinot, great flavour intensity, worth going for

• STAR BUY Ramos Family Reserva, Alentejo, Portugal 2023 (R)(V) red fruit, spice, touch of oak, dinner party sorted

• Journey's End Spekboom Syrah, South Africa 2023 (R) Rhône/Aussie hybrid, lush fruit, spice, great purity

Only available in-store

• NEW Argentinian Viognier (W) aromatic, stone fruit, good intensity, fair expression

• NEW Unearthed, Picpoul de Pinet, France (W) zesty, lacking a bit of intensity, fair price

• New Atlantique, Rosé, France (Ro) Provence style, soft red fruit, very easy drinking

• New Sancerre, Rosé, France (Ro) nice juicy lift, can’t argue with the price

• Unearthed, Zweigelt Rosé, Austria (Ro) can’t go wrong, real burst of red berry, fresh

• PRICE DROP Unearthed, Macedonian Kratosija (R) good complexity, red fruit, good balance

• Animus, Douro, Reserva, Portugal (R) plump, ripe, dark fruit

• NEW Pfalz, Pinot Noir, Germany (R) light, bright, fair expression, nothing more

• Mimo Moutinho Dao, Portugal (R) good expression of the region, super value, red fruit with good complexity

• NEW Zweigelt Shiraz, Australia (R) interesting blend, lightness and crunchiness of Zweigelt against the fuller Shiraz, jury is still out

• GREAT PRICE Henri Cachet Champagne Brut, France (S) award-winning, top price, fresh with a hint of brioche

• STAR BUY Azul Marinho Alvarinho, Portugal (W) brilliant wine for the price, fresh, vibrant, balanced

• NEW Lugana, Italy (W) multi-award-winning, very well-balanced, attractive citrus fruit

• NEW Le Cellier de Saint Louis Coteaux Varois en Provence, France (Ro) award-winning, textured, attractive red fruit

• NEW Via Vincini Gran Rosso Appassimento, Italy (R) sweet red fruit, juicy, rounded, just holds it together

• Beaujolais Villages, La Camensarde, France (R) light, a match with chicken, red fruit, can be chilled

• NEW La P'tite Pierre, France (R) dark fruit, medium fair expression and balance, good price

• PRICE DROP Fairtrade Tilimuqui Sparkling Brut, Argentina (S) floral fizz, tropical, soft texture, fun + bright

• NEW Cape Point, Fairtrade, Sauvignon/Semillon, South Africa (W)(V) top producer, fresh meets waxy, good balance and enticing

• NEW Schlumberger Pinot Blanc, France (W) just quality, great producer, floral and peach

• Coeur De Cardeline Rosé, France (Ro) red berry, dry + crisp, Provence style,

• NEW La Petite Laurette du Midi Rosé, France (Ro)(V) elegant, Provence style, critics rate it

• NEW in store only Collin Bourisset Fleurie, Beaujolais 2023 (R) red apple, wild strawberry, floral, silky + joyful

• NEW Réserve des Vignerons Saumur Red, Loire (R) light red fruit, herbal, soft red fruit, try chilled

• Vergelegen Cabernet Merlot Fairtrade, South Africa (R) star buy, strong price, Bordeaux style

• NEW Baron de Ley Rioja Reserva, Spain (R) classic style, dark fruit meets slightly sweet oak, let it breathe

In-store only

• Crémant de Loire Brut Rosé, France (S) citrus, strawberry, good balance

• NEW Cuvée de Brieu Sauvignon, France (W) expressive green fruit, zesty, fair for the price

• NEW Vinho Verde Rose, Portugal (Ro) fresh, zingy, safe, slight spritz

• NEW Brindisi DOP Rosso Wine, Italy (R) deep dark fruit, rich, fair expression

• Agramont Garnacha Old Vine (R) fair expression, red fruits, lightish

• NEW Chianti, Riserva, Italy (R) oak meets red fruit, sour edge, fantastic quality/price ratio

• NEW Mas d'Anglade Montpeyroux, France (R) herbal, liquorice, marmite wine

• Faustino Rivero Ulecia, Albariño, Spain (W) fresh, citrus, good expression

• Kirkland Signature Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, USA (R) medium, vanilla, dark fruit, fair

• Cantina Zaccagnini Tralcetto Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Italy (R) crowd pleaser, young fruits, slight spice

• Vallone Special Selection Appassimento Salento, Italy (R) top pick, sweet fruits, bold, rounded

• Castello Banfi, Brunello di Montalcino, Italy (R) big winery, big wine, delicious

• Moderato Alcohol Free Colombard - Cuvée Originale Sparkling Wine (Sp) sweetness, almond, freshness

• Thomson & Scott, Noughty, Organic Sparkling Chardonnay, Spain (S)(V) fair, not too sweet, good alternative

• Thomson & Scott Noughty Sparkling Rosé (S) hit of sweetness, red fruit, decent

• Community.Co zero alcohol sparkling white NV (S) used to serve this at my events, not too sweet, does the job!

• Real Peony Blush Non Alcoholic Sparkling Tea (S) fresh, cranberry

• M&S Alcohol Free Fizzero, Rose (S) tea, light sparkling, not trying to be wine

• *NEW Zero Regrets Pinot Grigio 0% Alcohol Free (W) just about no regrets, fruity, good for a glass!

• Wednesday’s Domaine, Rosé Still + Sparkling bundle (Ro) plenty of fruit

• *NEW Zero Regrets Primitivo 0% Alcohol Free (R) just about no regrets, fruity, good for a glass!