As per thread title. Looking for a good (and cheap) red wine as the stuff I've been drinking recently has been ... well ... hard work. Looking for something around £10 I can enjoy during my culinary adventures in the kitchen. Now I've gone out and bought any old stuff, but it's been hit and miss. More miss than hit. So, looking for suggestion on a good type red wine acquirable in any major supermarket.
In need of a good red wine
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I won't advise any specifics as there's such a large variety out there, but I'd say try and find a local wine cellar/shop rather than the supermarket. In my experience they stock much better wine in general, and you get a lot better for your money than you would at the supermarket. Some places will also let you try some first to see if they're to your liking.
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I don't think you need to spend that much to get a bottle you'll enjoy at the moment.
Have a look at any of the organic or Fairtrade reds in Sainsburys. There are a bunch of Shiraz, Merlots and Cabernets from about £5.50 to £6 and they are unbeatable for that price. Certainly a lot better than the non organic ones at that price. There's a particularly nice Taste The Difference organic Shiraz with no sulphites, which is rare, but it's a very honest tasting wine and it'll leave you with no hangover
Basic rule is to avoid anything in Sainsburys on "offer". They are deliberately overpriced so they can go on "half price" but they are usually crap.
Have a look at any of the organic or Fairtrade reds in Sainsburys. There are a bunch of Shiraz, Merlots and Cabernets from about £5.50 to £6 and they are unbeatable for that price. Certainly a lot better than the non organic ones at that price. There's a particularly nice Taste The Difference organic Shiraz with no sulphites, which is rare, but it's a very honest tasting wine and it'll leave you with no hangover
Basic rule is to avoid anything in Sainsburys on "offer". They are deliberately overpriced so they can go on "half price" but they are usually crap.
Seconded
Or, rather, don't try a heavily discounted wine. No reason not to snap up a favourite if you see it on offer
I don't think you need to spend that much to get a bottle you'll enjoy at the moment.
Have a look at any of the organic or Fairtrade reds in Sainsburys. There are a bunch of Shiraz, Merlots and Cabernets from about £5.50 to £6 and they are unbeatable for that price. Certainly a lot better than the non organic ones at that price. There's a particularly nice Taste The Difference organic Shiraz with no sulphites, which is rare, but it's a very honest tasting wine and it'll leave you with no hangover
Basic rule is to avoid anything in Sainsburys on "offer". They are deliberately overpriced so they can go on "half price" but they are usually crap.
Good advice there.
Get the orange campo viejo if it's a tenner budget.
Otherwise raise said budget and buy yourself a decent Burgundy (matches your preference from what I see here): £15-30 should be adequate.
Otherwise I'd have a look at acquiring some second label bordeaux or cheap(er) Pomerol. [Edit: which sadly won't be available in most supermarkets, however for £45 alter ego de Palmer is a bargain; strongly recommend it at this price]
In fact £30ish can get a delicious Pomerol. [Edit: unlikely to find any in a supermarket frankly]
Ok so I know I've suggested a bit above your remit, but it really is worth it. And, can you really put a price on pleasure? You'll enjoy it a lot.
However, RE: non-sulphite Sainsbury's Shiraz etc. I'd personally buy that if there were no others on the aisle that you think you could drink (for instance in my local one the Organics are probably the best bet for £6 and I have to say that they aren't all that bad at all!)
You could I guess get one of those Devil wine reserves... Casillero del Diablo or something I think they're called. If its under £8 have a go with that. Not ideal mind.
Otherwise, if I had £10 to spend, I would go with the Orange Label Rioja (presumably you're going to a supermarket) or see what the French selection is like (don't know but if your local is like mine, then it's poor).
I agree with the comment regarding wine on offer. Lussac is sassy to say the least. Avoid. However, if you want to get bashed for £7 (used to be 3 for £10 mind) get some
Otherwise raise said budget and buy yourself a decent Burgundy (matches your preference from what I see here): £15-30 should be adequate.
Otherwise I'd have a look at acquiring some second label bordeaux or cheap(er) Pomerol. [Edit: which sadly won't be available in most supermarkets, however for £45 alter ego de Palmer is a bargain; strongly recommend it at this price]
In fact £30ish can get a delicious Pomerol. [Edit: unlikely to find any in a supermarket frankly]
Ok so I know I've suggested a bit above your remit, but it really is worth it. And, can you really put a price on pleasure? You'll enjoy it a lot.
However, RE: non-sulphite Sainsbury's Shiraz etc. I'd personally buy that if there were no others on the aisle that you think you could drink (for instance in my local one the Organics are probably the best bet for £6 and I have to say that they aren't all that bad at all!)
You could I guess get one of those Devil wine reserves... Casillero del Diablo or something I think they're called. If its under £8 have a go with that. Not ideal mind.
Otherwise, if I had £10 to spend, I would go with the Orange Label Rioja (presumably you're going to a supermarket) or see what the French selection is like (don't know but if your local is like mine, then it's poor).
I agree with the comment regarding wine on offer. Lussac is sassy to say the least. Avoid. However, if you want to get bashed for £7 (used to be 3 for £10 mind) get some
Cheers for the suggestions Voltar, I can stretch for one or two bottles of good stuff now and again and £30 is within that elasticity, but on a weekly basis I wouldn't want to spend that much on wine. Will pick up a bottle of Rioja tomorrow as it's been the 5th time it was recommended to me today from various sources.
No worries at all.
If you live near Basingstoke, I would forget all the advice in here and get into the Berry Brothers outlet store. 25% off on a lot of excellent wine and a MASSIVE selection. The staff are really really nice in there too so they can help you out a great deal. For £10 you'll have a large selection of wines and for up to £50 the world's your oyster and you can get some outstanding wine. £30 in there will get excellent wine. Last time I was in there the £20-45 range was superb to say the least.
I also did some tasting in there and the guy opened up a £12 bottle which was delicious and would most certainly be in your preferred taste bracket. It was a Bel-Air of sorts (not the Chateau though).
Otherwise if you're in a reasonably sized town I'd have a look in the wine merchants. Oddbins and Majestic you can get a mixed set of wines which will be a lot better than what you can normally buy in a supermarket. Plus I seem to remember some Volnay on in Oddbins which is about £15 on the bottle and matches exactly what you want. (Young Volnay that is. As slightly older stuff won't quite go with fish)
Its not sickly sweet sweet but I find Australian red wines have a tendance to have a slightly sweet, deep, well textured taste. My current drinking when it comes to wines is Cabernet Sauvignons like wolf blass (yellow label) and Banrock Station Shiraz - not too expensive and a satisfying taste if you just enjoy drinking rather than have some fantasy of being a connoisseur.
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This is true. Some of the Aussie and South Americans tend to have a certain sweetness to them. I'm more experienced with the South American wines, including fine wines, and would say that there is an inherent sweetness therein. However, they tend to have high tannins and be rather full-bodied which would put them outside of the OP's taste remit. Personally spending anything more than a tenner on a south american would be better invested in French. (up to £20 on South American can be good, however recently with a friend we had three bottles of Argie wine average £50 a piece and I'd have spent that any day of the week on a Bordeaux.)
I might try the Penfolds Koonunga (sp?) as it's £8 in Sainsbury's at the moment.
Italians could also fit the bill. A decent Sangiovese for up to a tenner is a safe bet to say the least. (It would fit your bill too OP.)
