Stockist/Retailer: Sainsbury's

(2026) It's fairly common in South Africa to blend Pinotage with Bordeaux varieties, but Malbec doesn't usually feature so prominently as in this 70/30 blend of the two grapes. There's a definite floral aspect to this, a touch of violet and rose petal that is attractive, over dark cherry fruit. In the mouth the tannin and acid combine to make quite a fresh style, some spice and more of that red fruit character spanning cherry to raspberry, with a bit of crunch to the finish. Watch the video for more information and food matching ideas. £7 in Asda at time of review.

(2026) Bruce Jack the man has been a renowned Cape winemaker for decades now, though today his company is global. This Chenin blanc fits the bill for the current trend towards moderate alcohol at 11% abv. It is sourced from vineyards in the Western Cape and has a clear apple and pear fruitiness, with a stripe of lemon rind. In the mouth it is light but has a bit of presence with juicy orchard fruits and that citrus freshness. Yes, there is a little sense of dilution here so avoid it you want full-body and concentration, but it's a useful, well-balance and lower alcohol all-rounder. The RRP on this is £8, but at time of review it is £7 in Asda. Look out for deals in Asda or Sainsbury's.

(2026) Some might wonder if there is any point in reviewing this wine, or indeed, making it my Wine of the Week. So ubiquitous is Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon that it would be more of a challenge to find a multiple retailer who does not stock it, than one who does. That also means fierce competition on pricing and though the headline here might be £10.50, it is easy to find for £8.00 or so on a deal - and there will almost always be one. Though ownership of Villa Maria has changed, the style here delivers what fans expect with lots of tropical and pea-shoot notes, gooseberry and elderflower all quite vivacious, though the wine is perhaps a touch more breezy and light than in the past. Solidly done Marlborough Sauvignon for fans of the style. Watch the video for more information.

(2025) This is a Wine of Argentina, so not from a single viticultural region, with fruit sourced from both San Juan and Mendoza. Made by Graffigna, who have celebrated 150 years of winemaking, it is a zest, fruity, well-made sipper with just 12.5% alcohol. If we have a bit of an Indian summer, the watermelon, Asian pear and lemon brightness of this will slip down a treat. Dry and with a little more punch than some supermarket Pinot Grigio's from Italy's bulk producers. Buy it for £7.50 in Sainsbury's until 29th September 2025. Watch the video for more information.

(2025) Before I publish a review of a wine I also check to see who the current stockists are, and who has the best price. I was fascinated to see the customer reviews for this wine on the Waitrose site: almost equally split between 1 star reviews and 5 star reviews. Comments included: "Disgusting! I had to pour the whole bottle down the sink," to "An Outstanding Pinot Noir. Velvety and smooth, with delicious flavours." Was one right and one wrong? Well, I think this is a perfectly nice and quite typical Pinot with its pale colour, leafy and soft, pulpy red berry fruit and light mouthfeel. The opinions reinforce my belief that people used to drinking Argentine Malbec or Australian Shiraz will simply not get Pinot Noir made in this style; it's not for them. Is it for you? Well, it's an Australian brand that you may well find discounted in Waitrose or Sainsbury's, but will let you find out :) Watch the video for more information.

(2025) Sourced from several South Australian wine-growing regions and made with wild fermentation plus ageing on the lees, aromatically this has excellent typicity and clarity, with apricot and almond, a touch of honeysuckle and spice. In the mouth the fruit is full and sweet, a creaminess to the texture fills the mid-palate, and the limey zest of the pithy acidity in the finish offers excellent balance. An honest and delicious wine that you might also find on promotional pricing occasionally.

(2025) The unusual, stumpy little bottle for this has a certain solidity to it, and that suits the wine perfectly. Sourced from vineyards across the Barossa, it was fermented in steel then transferred to used, large format French and American oak barrels for nine months maturation. It has a vivid purple colour and the nose has masses of everything really: chocolate and eucalyptus, plums and blackcurrants, and a whole cupboard full of spices. This is old-fashioned, no-holds-barred Barossa Shiraz with 14.5% alcohol, but thankfully it is balanced too. The palate is sweet and full, the velvet richness flooding the mouth, but the chocolate and spice of the tannins and barrel component, plus a perky little lift of cherry-fresh acidity, means it finishes really nicely too. Watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas.

(2024) The first release of an organic certified Malbec from this producer, the wine aged in oak barrels for 12 months. A proportion was kept in tank to enhance fruit freshness. It's a vivid purple, aromatic Malbec, violet, caraway and and almost strawberry-like lift to the fruit aromas, oak in the background. The palate is dry and savoury, the tannins have enough sandy grip and texture, acidity is moderate but present and the black fruit sits nicely in the long, spicy finish. Watch the video for more information.

(2024) From equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir, thus is aged on the lees for between three and five years. The modest mousse subsides to leave aromas that are sweet and rich, suggesting biscuit and ripe, rosy apples perhaps. The dosage is presumably at the high end of Brut, as there seems to be plenty of sweetness. It's perhaps a little too sweet for my palate, but the acid balance in the finish is good for a more approachable style.

(2024) A Syrah and Grenache blend, unoaked but given some time to mature in the cellar before release, this comes from the Unions des Vignerons des Côtes du Rhône co-operative. It has lift and vibrancy on the nose, kirsch and violet edging black fruits that are ripe and immediately suggest a juicy pastille quality. In the mouth there robust, sweet and chunky fruit, though the finish does tail off slightly into a slightly sharp astringency that just detracts from an otherwise enjoyable CdR.