THE DRINKER
EAT - DRINK - BE MERRY
WAITROSE CELLAR 2019 TOP WINES IN PRICE CATEGORY
SUMMARY
Far more wines recommended here than any of the other major retailers, partly due to the huge number of wines at their tasting and partly due to the brilliance of their wine team in selecting so many great quality and good value wines. This list really has everything including some new Bag in Box wines from Italy, which might look pricey but contain the same amount as three bottles. Also look out for their newly branded and expanding Blueprint range which are pretty much all tip-top.
Please bear in mind that not all of these wines are available in every store - but they can all be found here at Waitrose Cellar where you can do a next day click and collect from any UK store. Prices are subject to variation.
KEY
The reds are written up in this colour
The whites in this colour
Pink in this colour
The fizz in this colour
Fortifieds in this colour
BAG IN BOX WINES remember that you're getting the equivalent of 3 bottles in these and that works out at £8.60 per bottle
When In Rome Nero d'Avola £24.99 90
Bags of primary black fruit, nicely made, easy drinking, soft tannins, food wine
When In Rome Organic Passerina £22.99 90
Brilliant Wednesday night fridge wine, god fresh acidity, fresh citrus, some floral notes
Up to £5
Waitrose Vibrant and Grassy Chilean White £4.99 89
Lovely easy floral sauvignon, delicate nose, touch of gooseberry, fresh
Waitrose Mellow and Fruity Spanish Red £4.99 88
Simple, easy drinking summer BBQ wine, very approachable, great value
Up to £10
Vom Loes Pinot Blanc (Ger) £7.99 89
Elegant floral nose, white flowers, dry, really well made, top wine at the price
Voyage au Sud Vermentino Pays d'Oc £5.99 89
A perfect summer wine, light and fresh, zippy acidity, good citrus notes, value
Maree d'Ione Organic Fiano £8.79 89
Classy wine at the price, light and easy drinking, lovely tropical palate, mango and pineapple
Fenaroli Pecorino Superiore £9.99 89
Beautiful, fruity number, full and giving, citrus and summer meadow, cracker
Cowrie Bay Sauvignon Blanc NZ £7.49 88
Big Kiwi sauvignon, grapefruit, elderflower, refreshing acidity, great typicity
Waitrose Blueprint Chilean Sauvignon Blanc £7.49 88
Soft and fruity, some light sauvignon aromatics, floral and fresh
Waitrose Blueprint Sauvignon Blanc, Touraine £7.99 90
Really on the money, grassy and lime peel, real typicity, proper Touraine SB
Mont Gras Reserva Chardonnay £9.39 88
Lovely nutty, creamy nose, grassy chardonnay, apple and custard, too oaky?
Swartland Private Collection Chenin Blanc £8.29 90
A very generous wine, all mango, lime and peach, great value, top stuff
Waitrose Vina Taboexa Albarino £8.49 90
Beautiful zesty wine, lively citrus, touch of apricot white stone fruit, mineral finish
Baily and Baily Riesling Aus £8.49 88
Lovely aromtic, floral nose, mineral palate balanced with tropical fruit and flowers
Cuvee Pecheur (Fra) £5.49 87
Simple, uncomplex, gooseberry notes, good price, easy drinker
Thorn-Clarke Pinot Grigio (Aus) £8.99 89
Classy P. Grigio, white flowers and stone fruit, has real character
Tuna Club Verdejo Sauvignon Blanc £6.99 89
The first rule of Tuna Club.... Seaside and ozone nose, bright, fresh wine
The Waterfront Chardonnay/Viognier, South Africa £7.99 88
Great value fresh white, green apple and citrus, zippy acidity, smasher
Corbello Cataratto/Inzolia (Ita) £7.99 90
Only 11.5% alcohol, soft and easy drinking style, light white fruit, lovely
Waitrose Dry German Riesling £7.99 88
Good aromatic wine, floral, perfumed, solid acidity on palate, white blossom
Domaine de Sainte Rose Coquille d'Oc Blanc (Fra) £7.99 89
Lovely peachy nose, fresh acidity, good forward green fruit palate
Sous le Soleil du Midi Chardonnay Vin de France £5.99 88
Very approachable, easy drinking party wine, good straightforward white
Yalumba Organic Viognier (Aus) £9.99 92
Hint of blossom, floral nose, good minerality, clean lines, crisp, great value
Secret Cellar Pinot Grigio Western Cape (SA) £7.79 89
Good, well priced, floral nose, tropical fruit palate, beauty
Le Grand Ballon Sauvignon Blanc (Fra) £8.99 89
Lime and minerality, grassy and green apple, lovely fresh acidity
Calvet Limited Release Sauvignon Blanc (Fra) £6.99 88
Light hint of elderflower, green apple and zest, pleasing body, well priced
Waitrose Blueprint White Burgundy (Fra) £9.49 89
Green apple and peach blossom nose, light oak, buttery, lovely
Cowrie Bay Chardonnay (NZ) £6.99 89
Melon on nose, good body, tropical and citrus palate, lots of wine at great value
Boekenhoutskloof Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc (SA) £7.99 88
Fresh zest sauvignon, not too floral but the right amount of fruit to acidity
Waitrose Gavi (Ita) £8.49 89
Good fresh acidity sitting under lovely citrus fruit notes, hint of melon
Waitrose Californian Chardonnay (USA) £6.49 92
Soft peachy nose, creamy palate, lovely citrus finish, classy
Cowrie Bay Merlot, Hawke's Bay NZ £7.49 90
Open fruity nose, bramble and blueberry, soft on palate, easy drinking, value
Tempus Two Silver Series Cabernet Sauvignon Aus £7.99 90
Little hint of menthol, big wine, eucalyptus and blackcurrant, bold primary flavours
Storm Tree Shiraz (Aus) £5.49 90
Big fruit driven nose, plum and blackcurrant, menthol note, hot finish, lovely
Errazuriz Pinot Noir, Casablanca £9.99 90
Light red currant and spice, hit of pencil box, restrained oak, balanced
Mont Gras Reserva Pinot Noir (Chile) £9.39 89
Delicate light redcurrant nose, easy fruity Pinot Noir, bramble and cedar
Waitrose Blueprint Reserva Carmenere (Chile) £7.49 89
Lots of wine for your money, lots of black fruit, cherry and currant
Heredad del Rey Monastrell/Syrah Seleccion Reservada, Yecla £7.99 88
Soft spiced bramble nose, good fruit driven red, well priced, mouthwatering finish
Sandiford Road Pinot Noir, California £8.99 90
Ripe pinot noir, touch jammy in a good way, lots of American oak
Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon, California £8.59 89
Spiced cinamon and pepper, light violet, big but refined, hot finish
James Irvine Signature Selection Merlot (Aus) £7.99 91
Classy wine, great look and palate, intense damson, generous
Atkins Farm Shiraz (Aus) £9.99 90
Tobacco, spice and pepper nose, black fruit palate, big wine, very good
Triade Rosso Negroamaro/Primitivo/Nero di Troia (Ita) £8.99 90
Black cherry nose, ripe easy tannins, good full on fruit, really big and interesting wine
Maree d'Ione Nero di Trioa, Puglia £8.79 90
Generous black cherry palate and bold use of oak, mouthwatering stuff
Sous le Soleil du Midi Merlot (Fra) £5.99 89
Everyday drinking, forward fruit, soft tannin, make a great party wine
Anda Tempranillo/Syrah (Spa) £7.99 90
Soft, spicy wine, warming and generous, full on black fruit, spicy autumn wine
Vina Elena, Familia Pacheo Organinc Monastrell/Syrah £7.99 89
Red and black fruit nose, very approachable wine, integrated tannins, mouthwatering
Waitrose Blueprint Cotes du Rhone Villages £7.99 90
Lovely soft, sweet, ripe black fruit, floral notes, intense with lovely firm tannins
L'Arene des Agnes Costieres de Nimes £7.99 90
Big, full and generous wine, ripe black fruit, cedar, soft tannins, hot finish
Domaine de Sainte Rose Coquille d' Oc Rose (Fra) £7.49 89
Light raspberry on nose, young, fruity dry, party wine
Le Grand Ballon Rose (Fra) £8.99 89
Easy drinking rose, hint of redcurrant, refreshing acidity
Vignale Pinot Grigio Rose Blush (Ita) £6.29 88
Lovely fresh BBQ wine, light strawberry, zippy acidity, bring on the summer
Luis Felipe Edwards Cab Sauv/Merlot Rose (Chi) £6.99 90
Lovely open peachy nose, well balanced, very well priced, top stuff
Montgravet Cinsault Rose £5.99 88
Good open nose, bright red cherry, light and refreshing
Waitrose Prosecco £7.89 88
Soft and interesting, light peach, fresh acidity, great value
Up to £15
Chateau Panchille Graves de Vayre £13.49 90
Beautiful floral nose, green pepper and spice on palate, very approachable Bordeaux
La Calesa Privada Roble Campo de Borja £10.99 91
Wonderfully put together wine, forward juicy ripe black fruit, nice tannic structure, long spicy finish
Mote Majone Chianti Classico £11.99 89
Lots of spice and oak, balanced with forward fruit, lovely wine
La Sabbie dell' Etna Rosso £12.99 92
Very pretty bottle, deep ripe black fruit, integrated tannins, classy Sicilian
Norton Winemaker's Reserve Malbec, Mendoza £12.99 91
Complex nose, hay loft and baking bread, ripe and savoury, really intriguing wine
Kilkanoon Grenache/Shiraz/Mataro £10.99 90
Open spice and bramble, touch medicinal, big, bold, open, menthol
Irvine Spring Hill Merlot, Barossa Valley £11.99 89
Menthol, eucalyptus on the nose, big powerful fruit driven wine, good solid chunky oak
Yalumba Galway Shriaz, Barossa Valley £12.99 90
Eucalyptus and black cherry, inky, black currant leaf, long hot finish
The Hedonist Shiraz (Aus) £14.49 91
Tobacco, spice and black pepper, full on powerful stuff but elegant with it
Saint Clair Gimblett Gravels Syrah, Hawkes Bay £12.99 90
Very classy, lots of oak but not over-dominant, black fruit, complex and balanced
Ara Single Vineyard Pinot Noir (NZ) £11.99 91
Red cherry and cinamon nose, earthy, deep, spiced oak, red currant finish
Waitrose Douro Valley Reserva Quinta da Rossa (Por) £11.49 89
Bottle looks so good, full ripe plum and damson, lovely hint of bitterness, classy
Loius Latour White Burgundy £14.99 91
Classic white Burgundy, ripe citrus, fresh acidity and a long creamy finish
Chateau Souverain Chardonnay, California £10.49 90
Good lees body and complexity, grass, vanilla, oak, fabulous wine at the price
Waitrose Chablis (FRA) £13.99 87
High standard Chablis for the price, good acidity and minerality
Terredora Greco di Tufo (Ita) £14.99 89
Lime and floral nose, good body and acidity, lovely generous fruit palate
Ara Single Vineyard Pinot Gris, Marlborough £10.99 90
Beautiful delicate wine, hoeyed peach and lime peel, fresh and very classy
Boschendal Chardonnay SA £10.49 93
Heavy, classy bottle, nice use of oak, vanilla and flint, good fruit, super wine
Cave des Grand Crus Pouilly-Loche £14.99 92
Mineral, peach and citrus nose, good body, lovely mouthfeel, lots of wine for the money
San Leo Rosato (ita) £10.49 90
Light raspberry nose, persistent mousse, soft in mouth, great value
Cava L'Atzar Brut Reserva £10.99 89
Beautiful yeasty nose, good drinking, green apple, Cava is back!
Over £15
Blason du Rhone Gigondas £22.49 90
Ripe blueberry and hot tar on the nose, inky, deep, warming, mouthwatering stuff
Domaine Deliance Givry 1er Cru 'clos de Marole' £21.99 92
Really precisie wine, delicate fruit supported by savoury complexity, very classy
Montecrasto Ribera Reserva £26.99 91
Classy looking bottle, intense and concentrated, power and expression, great wine
Orovela Saperavi (Geo) £16.79 88
Big damson and plum, heavyweight wine in heavyweight bottle
Coeur de Rochevine, Saint Joseph £29.99 93
Big heavy bottle, big heavy wine, spiced fruit and oak, forest floor development, proper wine
Domaine de la Pousse d' Or Chambolle Musigny £59.00 92
Lovely developing pinot noir nose, bramble and forest floor, nice structure, Christmas Day wine
Blason du Rhone Chateauneuf du Pape £22.99 90
Generous spice, black pepper and cedar, subtle fruit but powerful, mouthwatering stuff
Cave de Tain Grande Classique Crozes Hermitage £15.99 92
Deep and inky looking, complex blood, soil and gravel, full on fruit, wonderful
Moss Wood Semillion, Margaret River £16.99 91
Really very, very good, the full ticket, citrus, fig, orange blossom, complex, wonderful
Louis Guntrum Oppenheimer Sacktrager Riesling (Ger) £17.99 90
Fresh floral, white blossom aromatics, green stone fruit, dry but with good body
Domaine Gerard Thomas St Aubin Premier Cru (Fra) £25.99 92
Depth on nose, mineral and fruit, green touch on palate, melon and apple, classy
Chorley les Beaune, Domaine Maillard Pere et Fils (Fra) £21.49 92
First rate wine, my ideal for Christmas Day, generous palate, subtle and elegant, lovely hit of oak
Pegasus Bay Riesling, Waipara £16.99 90
Lovely floral perfumed nose, steely and aromatic, acidity and sweetness in balance (off dry)
Penfolds Max's Chardonnay £19.99 91
Wonderful peach and pear, good body, something pleasingly yeasty, top drop
Ridgeview Bloomsbury (ENG) £28.99 91
Serious yeasty nose, cooking apple and savoury palate, really complex
Breaky Bottom Brut Sussex (Eng) £26.99 91
Green apple and brioche nose, soft mouthfeel, world class fizz
Jansz Premium Cuvee Pipers River, Tasmania £17.99 91
Grassy and green apple nose, classy very well made wine, great value
Chandon Brut NV Mendoza Argentina £16.99 90
Wonderful wine, made by Moet & Chandon in Argentina, white pepper and spice
