THE DRINKER
EAT - DRINK - BE MERRY
WAITROSE CELLAR 2021 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
Maree d'Ione Organic Fiano 2.25l £20.79 89
Classy wine at the price, light and easy drinking, lovely tropical palate, mango and pineapple
Waitrose Vibrant and Grassy Chilean White 2.25l £14.99 89
Lovely easy floral sauvignon, delicate nose, touch of gooseberry, fresh
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
De Bortoli 17 Trees Pinot Grigio (Aus) £9.99 91
Beautifully made Pinot Grigio with an artful dash of Riesling and lees ageing to add body, classy
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
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
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 £8.79 90
Beautiful zesty wine, lively citrus, touch of apricot white stone fruit, mineral finish
Cuvee Pecheur (Fra) £5.49 87
Simple, uncomplex, gooseberry notes, good price, easy drinker
Tuna Club Verdejo Sauvignon Blanc £6.99 89
The first rule of Tuna Club.... Seaside and ozone nose, bright, fresh wine
The Waterfront Chardonnay, South Africa £7.99 88
Great value fresh white, green apple and citrus, zippy acidity, smasher
Climbing Chardonnay (Aus) £9.99 93
Really multi-dimensional wine, keeps on giving as you drink, astonishing at the price
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) £8.99 89
Good, well priced, floral nose, tropical fruit palate, beauty
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
Cowrie Bay Sauvignon Blanc NZ £7.99 88
Big Kiwi sauvignon, grapefruit, elderflower, refreshing acidity, great typicity
Boekenhoutskloof Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc (SA) £8.49 88
Fresh zest sauvignon, not too floral but the right amount of fruit to acidity
Waitrose Blueprint Gavi (Ita) £7.99 89
Good fresh acidity sitting under lovely citrus fruit notes, hint of melon
Waitrose Californian Blueprint Chardonnay (USA) £6.99 92
Soft peachy nose, creamy palate, lovely citrus finish, classy
De Bortoli 17 Trees Shiraz (Aus) £9.99 90
A proper Aussie whopper 14.8% alcohol, deep inky, forward fruit, ripe blackcurrant
Albert Road Pinot Noir (SA) £9.49 90
Beautiful pale looking pinot noir, elegant, supple, subtle. Light red fruit and an earthy undercurrant.
Cowrie Bay Merlot, Hawke's Bay NZ £8.99 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
Heredad del Rey Monastrell/Syrah Seleccion Reservada, Yecla £6.99 88
Soft spiced bramble nose, good fruit driven red, well priced, mouthwatering finish
Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon, California £8.69 89
Spiced cinamon and pepper, light violet, big but refined, hot finish
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
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 £8.99 90
Dry, floral, stone fruit to the fore, smashing wine
Le Grand Ballon Rose (Fra) £8.99 89
Easy drinking rose, hint of redcurrant, refreshing acidity
Vendages Nocturne Cinsault/Syrah Rose £6.69 88
Good open nose, bright red cherry, light and refreshing
Waitrose Blueprint Prosecco £6.99 88
Soft and interesting, light peach, fresh acidity, great value
Up to £15
Motemajone Chianti Classico £11.99 89
Lots of spice and oak, balanced with forward fruit, lovely wine
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
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 Syrah, Hawkes Bay £12.29 90
Very classy, lots of oak but not over-dominant, black fruit, complex and balanced
Reyneke Organic Cab/Merlot, Stellenbosch (SA) £10.99 90
Classy Bordeaux nose, green pepper, black pepper, spice, forward fruit, integrated tannins
The Ned Pinacle, Sauvignon Blanc (NZ) £12.99 91
Really top drop, Marlborough Sauvignon but with restraint, elegant, fruity, elevated wine
Loius Latour White Burgundy £14.99 91
Classic white Burgundy, ripe citrus, fresh acidity and a long creamy finish
Ara Single Vineyard Pinot Gris, Marlborough £10.99 90
Beautiful delicate wine, hoeyed peach and lime peel, fresh and very classy
Boschendal Chardonnay SA £10.99 93
Heavy, classy bottle, nice use of oak, vanilla and flint, good fruit, super wine
Pere Ventura Primer Reserva NV Cava £12.99 90
Light sherbet nose, lovely green apple aspect, refreshing, quality Cava
Cava L'Atzar Brut Reserva £11.99 89
Beautiful yeasty nose, good drinking, green apple, Cava is back!
San Leo Rosato (ita) £10.49 90
Light raspberry nose, persistent mousse, soft in mouth, great value
Over £15
Montecrasto Ribera Reserva £26.99 91
Classy looking bottle, intense and concentrated, power and expression, great wine
Orovela Saperavi (Geo) £16.99 88
Big damson and plum, heavyweight wine in heavyweight bottle
Blason du Rhone Chateauneuf du Pape £24.99 90
Generous spice, black pepper and cedar, subtle fruit but powerful, mouthwatering stuff
Blason du Rhone Gigondas £23.99 90
Ripe blueberry and hot tar on the nose, inky, deep, warming, mouthwatering stuff
Domaine Gerard Thomas St Aubin Premier Cru (Fra) £26.99 92
Depth on nose, mineral and fruit, green touch on palate, melon and apple, classy
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
Jansz Premium Cuvee Pipers River, Tasmania £17.99 91
Grassy and green apple nose, classy very well made wine, great value