Today I bring you two distinctive wines at £7 to £8 that offer a (surely welcome) nod towards normality as Christmas fever builds.
Both make either sound everyday choices or wallet-friendly party options over the festive period – yet each involves something genuinely different.
The red adds slightly unusual vegetable influences to its underpinning fruit flavours, while the white represents a fresh direction for a traditional fortified wine grape.
These aren’t typical supermarket wines, but they won’t stretch the budget either—practical discoveries for those seeking a bit of character without extravagance.
In the usual way, pictures and, where possible, hyperlinks are used to help you locate the bottle in question.
Starting in Chile
2022 Extra Special Carmenere (£6.98 at Asda and 13.5% abv):
Although its stocks seem to be dwindling, do seek out this excellent example of Chile’s signature grape – as I always feel that carmenere is unusual.
Its fruit-based flavours are supplemented by savoury, vegetable influences that give it an important extra dimension.
Chile consistently produces fine examples of this variety – typically, like this one, with a deep crimson colour and inviting coffee aromas.
The palate here offers rich prune and dried fruit notes, alongside distinctive green pepper touches and firm tannin.
Subtle hints of mocha, vanilla and paprika provide complexity, while rounded acidity keeps the entire package in balance.
Something usually associated with fortified wine
2024 Taste the Difference Sicilia Grillo (£8 – down from £9.25 until 9 December with a Nectar Card – at Sainsbury’s and 13%):
As fortified wine popularity declines, this Sicilian white provides a different outlet for grillo – traditionally a mainstay of marsala production.
The result is pale yellow in appearance and attractively crisp with appealing textured fruit flavours of apple, pear and greengage.
While it has a gentle background sweetness, contrasting savoury notes add interest and remove any chance of the wine becoming cloying.
The balance between these sweeter and more savoury elements creates a versatile wine suitable for various food pairings.
So, all-in-all, a neat pivot by winemakers in Sicily – given a helping hand by Sainsbury’s current 13% discount.
See you again on Thursday when we look at first or main course reds and whites for Christmas.
8 responses
I’m a big fan of Carménère. My favourite at present is the organic Koyle Alto Colchagua Reserva Carmenère 2022 from the Wine Society, £9.95. Koyle do other Carménères up to £49.95/bot, which I would love to try but can’t afford!
Meant to mention – Sainsburys are doing buy 6, save 25% at present (or were on Saturday, anyway!) which makes the Grillo £6/bot!
My experience of an attractive easy-drinking Sicilian Grillo recently was at granddaughter’s baptism party – Feudo Arancio Grillo, The Wine Society £8.95 although currently out of stock (due in from 13 December)
Hello Keith,
I tasted your Grillo at a previous TWS Event in Chester and thought it was the white wine of the evening.The Feudo Arancio Nero d’Avola was the best red.Not surprised it gained Wine Champion status.Hopefully both back in stock soon.I might be partly responsible for both wines being sold out!
Hi Brian,
I see that, from this Thursday, Lidl are discounting their Deluxe wines by 30% – if you buy 3. A number of these wines have been recommended on this site.
But if you want to have an amusing summary of their range, search YouTube for “Tom Gilby Lidl”.
We are all probably familiar with the universal 100 point scoring range (which Richard Bampfield, MW uses), and perhaps with Jancis’s 20 point scale.
At tastings, my wife has a simplified 3 point scale – comprising “YUK”, “OK”, “YUM”. Occasionally with an insightful, but usually dismissive, additional comment such as “Too Young!!” She accepts that, when re-reading her notes, YUM & YUK are too similar, and can lead to bad buying decisions, but she hasn’t come up with different terms.
Tom Gilby also uses a 3 point scoring system, but with rather more colourful descriptions.
Just been to the Co-op and taken advantage of their wine offers, 3 x bottles of wine for £15 (you can mix and match), £4.80 discount on the bill, plus we bought a 4th bottle and got £7.55 on their 25% cash back offer! £12.35 overall saving on £32.45!
The offers are on until mid Jan but you do need to take your Co-op card.
Thanks John – Christmas 2025 really is deal time for wine and I am glad you have taken full advantage of it. With so many good wines on their list, the Co-op is an excellent place for wine shopping.
For all the Carmenere fans out there, Aldi are currently doing a Carmenere Appassimento from Chile, at £8.99. Lots of figs and dried fruit flavours, and the classic mulberry aromas of Carmenere