Wine with Leslie: My top picks for bargain wines from supermarket sale season
Pic: iStock
It’s September, the bad news is that summer is over but the good news is that there are wine sales, lots and lots of wine sales. All the big players have reductions or new bargain wines launching this month.
SuperQuinn began the tradition of September French Wine Sales years ago and Dunnes Stores was first in with 20% off all French wine and Champagne until mic-October.Â
The reduction applies across the board so now is a good time to buy that bottle of Cristal or Dom PĂ©rignon you have always wanted.
For bargain fizz look to the Metz Crémant d’Alsace in SuperValu (€20), M. Richard Crémant de Limoux (€15.80) in Dunnes Stores and Langlois-Chaâteau Crémant Loire in O’Briens (€20.45)
At the other end of the scale there is particularly good value from French-Irish producers Laurent Miquel in Dunnes with most priced around €8 or €9, and their excellent Cazal Viel Saint Chinian for just €10 — I’ll be buying some for my cellar.
SuperValu began their French sale on Thursday last and you will find reductions on classic regions like Sancerre and Burgundy.Â
Last week I wrote about Beaujolais and SuperValu have the ripe red-fruited Goichot Fleurie for just a tenner (normally €18). In O’Briens meanwhile the excellent Château de Fleurie is just €19.
O’Briens have a sale across all regions but it is France that has some of the best bargains including Piper Heidsieck Champagne for the unbelievably low price of €42.50 (cheapest I’ve ever seen it), and Bollinger for €68 (normally €80).Â
Also watch for the fab Begude Chardonnay for just €13, Norton Malbec for €10 and Dauny Sancerre for €20.
Lidl doesn’t have a sale but launched a new French Wine Cellar whose highlights include new whites from Alsace and reds from the Rhône, Languedoc and Bordeaux (see below).
I adore the wines of Laurent Miquel so had to feature this new Alaina Blanc in its snazzy recycled bottle. A blend of Chardonnay and Viognier, I loved its floral peachy fruit aromas, the ripe pears on the palate and the balancing freshness. A steal, as is the full LM range, buy them all to see which you like best!
This Bordeaux is new to Lidl as part of their recently launched French Wine Cellar. Blackcurrant aromas, dark plum and ripe blackberries on the palate and balancing acidity and grip. You could also try the softer Ch. de Landiras Graves (€13.99) meanwhile has lush fruit flavours a touch of structure on the finish to hold it together.
I called in a sample of this to see if it was possible to make drinkable Bordeaux for this price and it turns out you can. While not very complex this has plenty of ripe soft dark fruits with blackcurrant and blackberry to the fore plus some texture and balance. Bargain of the week in SuperValu along with the €10 Goichot Fleurie.
In the core range from West Cork Distillers (WCD) for 18 months now so about time it featured here. I’ve long been a fan of WCD who founded 21 years ago in beautiful (and famous) Skibbereen.
From 100% local Irish grain, this is matured in Oloroso casks for 4 years and then further aged in first-fill Bourbon casks for 3 years. Green apple and marzipan aromas, sweet on the palate with honey and spice notes and lingering caramel. Delicious.
