THE DRINKER
EAT - DRINK - BE MERRY
SAINSBURY'S 2020/21 TOP WINES IN PRICE CATEGORY
SUMMARY
Really good Taste The Difference range - if in doubt plump for one of these. Also really good in the £7 to £9 price bracket across the board and top value fizz. Some prices may be temporary offer prices and are subject to change.
KEY
The reds are written up in this colour
The whites in this colour
Pink in this colour
The fizz in this colour
Up to £10
Taste The Difference Bordeaux Rosé £8.00 rating 89
Hint of rose petal on nose, good body, fruity and fresh
Taste the Difference Cotes de Provence Rosé £9.00 rating 89
Lovely loloking light pink, nice bottlle, zippy and fresh, redcurrant and raspberry
Taste the Difference Touraine Rosé £6.00 rating 89
Nice raspberry scent, good fresh acidity, decent red fruit palate
Silver Moki Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Blush £7.00 rating 89
Interesting blend, gives strawberry and gooseberry, could be really popular
Alvorado Vinho Verde £5.25 /89
Green, fresh, hedgerow, hint of sweetness brings out the perfume
Laughing Llama Sauvignon Blanc £5.00 rating 88
Another one for the BBQ, gooseberry freshness, zippy acidity
Taste the Difference Coolwater Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (NZ) £8.00 rating 89
Top stuff at the prices, classic Marlborough style, big and expressive
Taste the Difference Albarino (Por) £8.50 rating 88
Ripe elegant wine, white blossom and white stone fruit,hint of minerality
Taste the Difference German Pinot Blanc £7.75 rating 90
Melon and fruit salad nose, good body, fresh fruit palate, lovely refreshing
Taste the Difference Muscadet Sevre et Maine £7.50 rating 90
Very precise muscadet, floral and zesty, very easy drinking, balanced
Taste the Difference Jurancon Sec £9.00 rating 90
Vibrant grass and apple nose, spicy notes on palate, lovely stuff
Taste the Difference Gruner Veltliner £9.00 rating 89
Everyone’s doing a Gruner at the moment and why not? White peach aromatics, touch of white pepper
Taste the Difference Languedoc Blanc (Fra) £7.50 rating 90
Grassy minerality, good mouth - feel, love it, nice acidity
Taste the Difference Austrian Riesling 2017 £8.75 rating 88
Classy looking, pear & apple nose, delightful aromatics, little hit of apricot on palate, dry, pleasing
Plaimont Cotes de Gascoigne 2017 £8.00 rating 90
Aromatic, elderflower and hedgerow nose, gooseberry palate, if you like Kiwi Sauvignon this is for you
Taste the Difference Macon Villages 2017 £8.00 rating 89
Lots of wine for the money, blossom aromatics, good body and weight, great value
Taste the Difference Cotes du Rhone White 2017 £7.00 rating 88
Reassuringly grapey, lime zest and white pepper spice, amazing value (I’d buy this)
Taste the Difference Barrihuelo Rioja Blanco £6.50 rating 88
White flowers and spied white pepper, elegant and fresh
Taste the Difference Pecorino £7.00 rating 89
Lovely floral nose, blossom and peach, light palate, uncomplex but very pleasing
Taste the Difference Casablanca Chilean Sauvignon Blanc 2018 £7.50 rating 88
Ripe grapefruit and a touch of asparagus on the nose, big and expressive sauvignon, great price
Oyster Bay Pinot Gris £8.50 rating 89
Peach and apricot nose, lovely peppery spice and full body, great wine at the price
Elegant Frog Viognier (FRA) £7.00 rating 88
Apples and freshly cut grass, soft oaky notes, good value
Taste the Difference Alsace Gewrtztraminer £9.00 rating 89
Really pleasing wine,open perfumed nose, tropical flowers and fruit, off dry
Stellenrust Chenin Blanc £8.50
Toasty oak nose, white peach and pear nose, tidy
Les Calcaires Pinot Noir £7.00 rating 89
Great value pinot nior, fruit driven with a touch of spice and black pepper
Taste the Difference Fairtrade Pinotage (SA) £7.50 rating 90
Hint of burnt rubber, soft sweet fruit, ripe blackcurrant, well made
Taste the Difference Saint Chinian Syrah Grenache £9.00 rating 89
Wonderful pencil lead/shaving nose, good oak backbone, great stuff
Taste the Difference Fairtrade South African Shiraz £7.50 rating 90
Big mouthful of soft ripe black stewed fruit, deep and rewarding. Amazing value!
Taste the Difference Barbera D'Asti (ita) £8.00 rating 91
Deep intense black fruit nose, soft tannin, fruit compote, winter wine
Taste the Difference Fairtrade Morador Malbec £8.50 rating 89
Lovely intense, inky malbec, full on black fruit, mouthwatering
Taste the Difference Primitivo IGT Salento £7.00 rating 89
Lovely soft easy fruit, blackberry and balckcurrant, easy integrated tannins
Taste the Difference Chilean Pinot Noir £8.50 rating 90
Good light new leather, soft redcurrant nice use of oak
Taste the Difference Pic St Loup £10.00 /89
Oak, tobacco and smoke, good light fruit, beautiful
Taste the Difference Fairtrade Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot (SA) £7.50 rating 90
Ripe cherry and blackcurrant nose, full on body and intense fruit, Bordeaux on steroids
Taste the Difference Chianti Classico £9.00 rating 89
Savoury development on the nose, jam and tar on the palate, good stuff
Bruce Jack Shiraz 2018 £7.00
Very pleasing big old shiraz, concentrated blackberry and blueberry, uncomplex, sound
Taste the Difference Prosecco Conegliano £10.00 /89 offer price
Frothy sherbet, just enough sweetness, light peach, good price
Taste the Difference Pignoletto £9.00
Apricot aroma and fruit salad palate, dry, well made, lovely wine at the price
Taste the Difference Cremant de Loire (Fra) £9.50 rating 90
Approachable, soft and easy cremant, good fruit and tight yeasty notes
Over £10
Bellingham The Bernard Series Roussanne (SA) £10.25 rating 91
Good ripe fruit and coconut nose, fresh, full on, body, balanced
Taste the Difference Petit Chablis 2017 £10.50 rating 90
Flinty mineral to the fore supported by citrus and apple and racy acidity
Taste the Difference Chablis £12.00 rating 89
Apples and flint, zesty acidity,lovely floral finish
Ara Select Blocks Organic Sauvignon Blanc £12.00 rating 92
Lime and blossom nose, very classy sauvignon, subtle and fragrant
Ascheri Gavi di Gavi £16.00 rating 90
Very good example of Gavi and a great price, depth, perfume, fruit
Diabolo Dark Red (Chi) £10.00 rating 91
Deep and inky, powerful, smoky, intense full on wine, perfect for a BBQ
Ara Select Blocks Pinot Noir £14.00 rating 89
Lovely combination of red fruit and leather on the nose, forest floor and redcurrant palate
Taste the Difference Barbaresco £13.50 rating 90
Light brick red, black cherry, tar and tobacco, lovely
Taste the Difference Chateauneuf du Pape £18.00
Big, powerful wine, plum and bramble, spice, cedar, lots here, good example of the wine at the price
Bellingham Bernard Series Syrah £14.25 rating 89
Light black pepper nose, concentrated black fruit palate, tobacco and smoke, long finish
Freixinet Prosecco £12.00 rating 89
Beautiful bottle, looks great, lovely wine, fresh, peachy and light
Landric Champagne Brut £25.00 rating 91
Very classy looking and backed up on the nose and palate, complex and rich
Sainsbury’s Blanc de Noirs Brut NV £21.00 /89 (offer price limited time only)
Toasty pinot noir nose, red apple, really classy wine, well packaged and priced
SUMMARY
Really good Taste The Difference range - if in doubt plump for one of these. Also really good in the £7 to £9 price bracket across the board and top value fizz. Some prices may be temporary offer prices and are subject to change.
KEY
The reds are written up in this colour
The whites in this colour
Pink in this colour
The fizz in this colour
Up to £10
Taste The Difference Bordeaux Rosé £8.00 rating 89
Hint of rose petal on nose, good body, fruity and fresh
Taste the Difference Cotes de Provence Rosé £9.00 rating 89
Lovely loloking light pink, nice bottlle, zippy and fresh, redcurrant and raspberry
Taste the Difference Touraine Rosé £6.00 rating 89
Nice raspberry scent, good fresh acidity, decent red fruit palate
Silver Moki Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Blush £7.00 rating 89
Interesting blend, gives strawberry and gooseberry, could be really popular
Alvorado Vinho Verde £5.25 /89
Green, fresh, hedgerow, hint of sweetness brings out the perfume
Laughing Llama Sauvignon Blanc £5.00 rating 88
Another one for the BBQ, gooseberry freshness, zippy acidity
Taste the Difference Coolwater Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (NZ) £8.00 rating 89
Top stuff at the prices, classic Marlborough style, big and expressive
Taste the Difference Albarino (Por) £8.50 rating 88
Ripe elegant wine, white blossom and white stone fruit,hint of minerality
Taste the Difference German Pinot Blanc £7.75 rating 90
Melon and fruit salad nose, good body, fresh fruit palate, lovely refreshing
Taste the Difference Muscadet Sevre et Maine £7.50 rating 90
Very precise muscadet, floral and zesty, very easy drinking, balanced
Taste the Difference Jurancon Sec £9.00 rating 90
Vibrant grass and apple nose, spicy notes on palate, lovely stuff
Taste the Difference Gruner Veltliner £9.00 rating 89
Everyone’s doing a Gruner at the moment and why not? White peach aromatics, touch of white pepper
Taste the Difference Languedoc Blanc (Fra) £7.50 rating 90
Grassy minerality, good mouth - feel, love it, nice acidity
Taste the Difference Austrian Riesling 2017 £8.75 rating 88
Classy looking, pear & apple nose, delightful aromatics, little hit of apricot on palate, dry, pleasing
Plaimont Cotes de Gascoigne 2017 £8.00 rating 90
Aromatic, elderflower and hedgerow nose, gooseberry palate, if you like Kiwi Sauvignon this is for you
Taste the Difference Macon Villages 2017 £8.00 rating 89
Lots of wine for the money, blossom aromatics, good body and weight, great value
Taste the Difference Cotes du Rhone White 2017 £7.00 rating 88
Reassuringly grapey, lime zest and white pepper spice, amazing value (I’d buy this)
Taste the Difference Barrihuelo Rioja Blanco £6.50 rating 88
White flowers and spied white pepper, elegant and fresh
Taste the Difference Pecorino £7.00 rating 89
Lovely floral nose, blossom and peach, light palate, uncomplex but very pleasing
Taste the Difference Casablanca Chilean Sauvignon Blanc 2018 £7.50 rating 88
Ripe grapefruit and a touch of asparagus on the nose, big and expressive sauvignon, great price
Oyster Bay Pinot Gris £8.50 rating 89
Peach and apricot nose, lovely peppery spice and full body, great wine at the price
Elegant Frog Viognier (FRA) £7.00 rating 88
Apples and freshly cut grass, soft oaky notes, good value
Taste the Difference Alsace Gewrtztraminer £9.00 rating 89
Really pleasing wine,open perfumed nose, tropical flowers and fruit, off dry
Stellenrust Chenin Blanc £8.50
Toasty oak nose, white peach and pear nose, tidy
Les Calcaires Pinot Noir £7.00 rating 89
Great value pinot nior, fruit driven with a touch of spice and black pepper
Taste the Difference Fairtrade Pinotage (SA) £7.50 rating 90
Hint of burnt rubber, soft sweet fruit, ripe blackcurrant, well made
Taste the Difference Saint Chinian Syrah Grenache £9.00 rating 89
Wonderful pencil lead/shaving nose, good oak backbone, great stuff
Taste the Difference Fairtrade South African Shiraz £7.50 rating 90
Big mouthful of soft ripe black stewed fruit, deep and rewarding. Amazing value!
Taste the Difference Barbera D'Asti (ita) £8.00 rating 91
Deep intense black fruit nose, soft tannin, fruit compote, winter wine
Taste the Difference Fairtrade Morador Malbec £8.50 rating 89
Lovely intense, inky malbec, full on black fruit, mouthwatering
Taste the Difference Primitivo IGT Salento £7.00 rating 89
Lovely soft easy fruit, blackberry and balckcurrant, easy integrated tannins
Taste the Difference Chilean Pinot Noir £8.50 rating 90
Good light new leather, soft redcurrant nice use of oak
Taste the Difference Pic St Loup £10.00 /89
Oak, tobacco and smoke, good light fruit, beautiful
Taste the Difference Fairtrade Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot (SA) £7.50 rating 90
Ripe cherry and blackcurrant nose, full on body and intense fruit, Bordeaux on steroids
Taste the Difference Chianti Classico £9.00 rating 89
Savoury development on the nose, jam and tar on the palate, good stuff
Bruce Jack Shiraz 2018 £7.00
Very pleasing big old shiraz, concentrated blackberry and blueberry, uncomplex, sound
Taste the Difference Prosecco Conegliano £10.00 /89 offer price
Frothy sherbet, just enough sweetness, light peach, good price
Taste the Difference Pignoletto £9.00
Apricot aroma and fruit salad palate, dry, well made, lovely wine at the price
Taste the Difference Cremant de Loire (Fra) £9.50 rating 90
Approachable, soft and easy cremant, good fruit and tight yeasty notes
Over £10
Bellingham The Bernard Series Roussanne (SA) £10.25 rating 91
Good ripe fruit and coconut nose, fresh, full on, body, balanced
Taste the Difference Petit Chablis 2017 £10.50 rating 90
Flinty mineral to the fore supported by citrus and apple and racy acidity
Taste the Difference Chablis £12.00 rating 89
Apples and flint, zesty acidity,lovely floral finish
Ara Select Blocks Organic Sauvignon Blanc £12.00 rating 92
Lime and blossom nose, very classy sauvignon, subtle and fragrant
Ascheri Gavi di Gavi £16.00 rating 90
Very good example of Gavi and a great price, depth, perfume, fruit
Diabolo Dark Red (Chi) £10.00 rating 91
Deep and inky, powerful, smoky, intense full on wine, perfect for a BBQ
Ara Select Blocks Pinot Noir £14.00 rating 89
Lovely combination of red fruit and leather on the nose, forest floor and redcurrant palate
Taste the Difference Barbaresco £13.50 rating 90
Light brick red, black cherry, tar and tobacco, lovely
Taste the Difference Chateauneuf du Pape £18.00
Big, powerful wine, plum and bramble, spice, cedar, lots here, good example of the wine at the price
Bellingham Bernard Series Syrah £14.25 rating 89
Light black pepper nose, concentrated black fruit palate, tobacco and smoke, long finish
Freixinet Prosecco £12.00 rating 89
Beautiful bottle, looks great, lovely wine, fresh, peachy and light
Landric Champagne Brut £25.00 rating 91
Very classy looking and backed up on the nose and palate, complex and rich
Sainsbury’s Blanc de Noirs Brut NV £21.00 /89 (offer price limited time only)
Toasty pinot noir nose, red apple, really classy wine, well packaged and priced