For those who value quality without paying premium prices, this week brings two encouraging discoveries from the supermarket shelves.
Both wines demonstrate how modern viticulture is quietly advancing—not just through marketing fanfare, but through thoughtful innovation and a focus on regional strengths.
The first introduces a relatively new grape variety bred for resilience but now, to me, heading towards consistent quality.
Meanwhile the second showcases how France’s Southwest continues to excel and, here, does so in a slightly unexpected way.
At under £8 each (with loyalty cards), they represent genuine value for money rather than gimmicky bargains.
First the white
2024 Tesco Finest Floreal (£7 – down from £8 until 1 December with a Tesco Clubcard and 11 % abv):
Last year saw the debut of wine from the floreal grape variety – a product of extensive crossbreeding designed to create disease resistant vines.
Not only would a good result help keep yields consistently high – but it should also avoid expensive and environmentally undesirable vineyard treatments.
This latest vintage version – with its bright, subdued but zesty flavours of lemon, limes and exotic fruits- hints broadly that the variety will have lasting appeal.
With fresh, balanced acidity and a certain gentleness, it has been likened by some to delicate examples of unoaked chardonnay.
And its red companion.
2024 Taste the Difference Gamay Comté Tolosan (£7.50 – down from £9 with a Nectar card at Sainsbury’s – but only until 18 November; 12% abv):
There must be something about that corner of France, as not only is Languedoc a hugely progressive wine region, but nearby Southwest France is hard on its heels.
As we know, the latter region excels with little known indigenous grapes but is also very successful with varieties like sauvignon blanc and, here, Beaujolais’s gamay
Medium bodied and soft the result brings delightfully ripe damson and bramble flavours to the party.
These are combined with touches of vanilla, violets and baking spice – all sitting within a base of lively acidity, but minimal tannin.
No post this Thursday so let’s rendezvous next Monday with our next look at the enjoyable world of Top Tips.
9 responses
Hi Brian,
The TtD Gamay is such a versatile wine, as it will probably be enjoyed by those who mostly drink rose, and possibly by those who are not that keen on red wines – and for regular red or white drinkers, like me.
The website shows, in addition to the discounted price, that it is part of the 25% off 6 deal. Double Dip! I think that works out at £5.63 a bottle! But the 25% offer ends tomorrow!
Two excellent looking wines/deals. The Finest Floreal – if it’s the same vintage – gets a good write-up from Decanter, too. What’s more the double-dip savings (giving a final price of £5.25) extend until December 1st so no need too rush. I would try the Gamay as well were it not for the fact that I’m getting a case of Dan Wickham’s 2025 Beaujolais Nouveau on Thursday and I reckon that will take care of any Gamay urge I may have in the immediate future.
Ah – just seen this is a new vintage, whereas Decanter reviewed the 2023 – but it still looks like a winner.
Hello David,
Very good choice.I too ,am awaiting 2 bottles of Wickhams Beaujolais Nouveau,which I bought at a pre order discount as a valued customer!
I also ordered the excellent La Loupe Grenache blanc and La Loupe Grenache Noir.To make up the six and free delivery, Connoisseur Le Cheval Martin and Picpoul de Pinet Soleil.
Wickhams have some classy wines at fair prices.
Anyone tried any other bottles of BJ Nouveau in last couple of days? We had bottles from The Wine Society (£9.95) and Asda (£7.47) and in our informal comparative tasting TWS just edged it (slightly deeper in colour and with noticeably more on the nose). But both were good examples of this early release ‘love it or loathe it’ wine. You have to give credit to Asda though for a drinkable bottle at a great price. Might see if I can source one more – Waitrose?
I was actually disappointed with both these wines.
I tried the 2023 Floreal back in April and it was underwhelming. It was too light, basic apple and pear flavours. But bland and a shirt finish.
I thought the Gamay was just average with barely any aromas. I prefer Sainsbury’s own Beaujolais Superieur. A light wine with more raspberries than cherries in terms of flavour but a longer finish.
It is good to get an alternative view on recommended wines – it helps MidWeekers make a balanced judgment, so thanks for sharing those thoughts. As ever, it is impossible to find wines that work for every palate and the “lightness” of the Floreal you describe will be seen as “delicacy” by others. Although I have not tried the Beaujolais you mention recently, I felt that the SW France option has more depth than many inexpensive Beaujolais but, again, it all comes down to individual tastes – which is one of the joys of wine.
You are so right about one person’s “lightness” being another person’s “delicacy”. My favourite pinot noirs tend to be those that many consider too light.
Yes it can be a major irritant when someone holds a carefully crafted pinot noir up to the light and says “It looks a bit thin”!