The buyers for the German-owned supermarket, which established itself in the UK in 1994, do a great job of sourcing small quantities of interesting and well-priced wines for the Wine Tour line-up. Between this and the core range, it offers a comprehensive selection of Old and New World wines across a range of styles.
Lidl Wine Tour
Lidl has made an important change to the frequency of its ‘Wine Tour’ schedule, which until recently changed the focus of its in-store range every two months.
Now, Lidl’s wine range (other than its core wines, which are a permanent fixture on the shelves) will be refreshed every month, meaning that if you like the look of a particular wine featured below, you’d best act quickly!
The Christmas Wine Tour begins on 30 November 2023. Top picks include Alte Vogtei Zu Ravensburg’s Spätburgunder (£9.99), a German Pinot Noir which offers fresh, tangy red fruits, and Santa Rita’s Medalla Real Cabernet Sauvignon (£9.99), a ripe, creamy, dark-fruited red from Chile.
Also worth picking up is Walter Skoff’s Sauvignon Blanc (£11.99) from Austria, which is full of green fruits, peach and white pepper – a marked difference to your typical New Zealand Sauvignon (see below), and Corte Allodola’s Lugana (£8.99), an Italian white which offers yellow fruit aromas with a peach and herb finish.
You’ll also find more typical festive fare, such as Château les Tuileries Bordeaux (£6.99) and Les Paroisses Châteauneuf-du-Pape. And if you’re after a good value sweet wine, look no further than the Sárga Borház, Késői Szüret Late Harvest Hárslevelü, Tokaji.
I have to admit to not being blown away by the small range of Champagnes available at Lidl – if you’re after some fizz without breaking the bank, instead try the Amorany Cava (£7.99), which offers some funky orange peel and stone fruit aromas and flavours.
Surprise the wine connoisseur in your life this Christmas!
Deluxe wine range
Earlier this year Lidl launched a Deluxe wine range, a logical step, since the Deluxe branding has been on the shelves in UK stores since 2008 in other food and drink lines, and has won a loyal following.
The Deluxe collection is part of the core range but the wines are geared towards those looking to take the next step in their wine journey: the Deluxe New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from Awatere in Marlborough (£7.99) is a good pick for new world Sauvignon fans.