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The recent news about Morrisons’ stores closing has hit me hard, anyone else?
Only last week I was invited to their wine tasting, where I sampled 100 of their spring/summer drinks. And let me tell you, they didn’t disappoint. More on that in a minute.
Meanwhile, let me quickly catch you up on the backstory: 16 Morrisons stores have closed with immediate effect this month, and one more is due to close next month. Over the next few months, they’ll be closing 52 cafés, 18 Market Kitchens, 17 convenience stores, 13 florists, 35 meat counters, 35 fish counters and four pharmacies.
It’s not that I do much of my shopping at Morrisons (West London isn’t exactly the supermarket’s stronghold), I couldn’t even tell you where our local branch is, if I’m completely honest, but it’s always a sad state of affairs when so many risk redundancy.
On a more positive note, their wine selection is going from strength to strength.
They’ve noticeably fleshed out the value side of their French wine offering at the £7 to £10 mark, which is where we like our wines to be. The retailer is also offering more premium wines in the £12 to £15 bracket and up to £20 for regions like the more spendy Châteauneuf du Pape.
Their ‘Best’ range has become even better, basically allowing them to complete with the likes of Aldi’s ‘Specially Selected’ range, and I’m here for it. It’s a vehicle to discover new regions and grapes on a day to day basis.
Here they are, then, the top 10 wines I put three stars against when I sampled them. These represent the best value for money, and I reckon we should make a beeline for them in case of anymore store closures…
Daybreak Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand, £7, Coming Soon…
This extremely good value white, for £7, isn’t available quite yet. Sorry to tease, but you know what they say about good things. I mean, nothing about it is going to redefine your very existence, but it’s a perfectly lovely herbaceous, nettley, zesty Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand which you’ll love, if you like that kind of thing.
The Best Cotes de Gascogne, France, £7.50, www.morrisons.com
You know those electric daisies that make your mouth tingle like it’s been plugged into the mains? Well, this wine isn’t far off that, in a good way. It has the most refreshing acidity, giving it boundless lime-like energy and a pineapple sherbet finish. A zesty blend of Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc and Gros Manseng that’s ripe for summer sipping.
Nectar and Nature Rosé, France, £7.25, www.morrisons.com
Hands up if you’re sick of paying through the nose for Provence rosé? You can’t see, but mine’s also in the air. Because there’s so much value to be had elsewhere, and IGP Mediterranée is a relatively new region that covers Provence, the southern Rhône Valley and all the way down to Corsica. Rosé country, basically. It produces wines like this, a juicy, dry rosé with flavours of watermelon and peach. Whispering, who?
The Best Vinho Verde Rosé, Portugal, £8, www.morrisons.com
Portugal is a great choice for anyone who likes super dry, yet fruity rosé. Specifically, Vinho Verde rosé from the region of the same name in northern Portugal. They’re typically light in colour, crisp with a dry fruitiness and even a slight bubbly tingle going on. Great case in point here, you’ll get a mouthful of cherries, blood orange and candied rose petal and you can thank me later.
The Best Crémant de Limoux Rosé, France, £12.75, www.morrisons.com
Journalists were effervescing with excitement about this wine at the Morrisons press tasting, which is appropriate, given it’s a sparkling. I can see why, it’s a cacophony of creamy rose petal, wild strawberry and red apple flavours, in a dry style. A blend of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and a whisper of Pinot Noir for colour, this would be an elegant fizz at double the price.
35 South Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile, £7.50, coming soon…
Don’t drink this wine without a lit barbecue somewhere in the background. I don’t make the rules, it’s the law. Why? Because this is everything a grilled hamburger-matching Chilean red should be, bright and bursting with black cherry and red liquorice flavours. It’s made by the VSPT Group, one of the world’s top 20 wine producers, and the undisputed leading producer of Chilean value wines.
The Best Marques de los Rios Garnacha, Spain, £8.75, www.morrisons.com
I’ve written, “mouthfillingly plush with a voluptuous fruitiness” in my notes, with three stars by it. Must have been a good one, then. This is an example of Morrisons partnering with top-end wine producers across the world for their ‘Best’ range. Here, we have Bodegas Aroa based in Navarra, specialists in the Garnacha grape, so they know what they’re doing and it shows.
The Best Chianti Superiore, Italy, £9.50, www.morrisons.com
This red should be in a category called ‘pizza wine’, as it’s practically made to go with that disk of cheese and tomato with a meaty topping. Did I just mansplain pizza to you? I think so. Anyhoo, this wine has light but concentrated flavours of cherries, plums and caramel, and don’t forget to fridge chill it for twenty minutes before sipping.
Relais du Roi Principauté d’Orange, France, £13, ww.morrisons.com
A medium-bodied, chillable red from the Southern Rhône? You mean, not far from where the robust Chateauneuf du Pâpe reds come from? Exactly. Le Principauté d’Orange lies between Côtes du Rhône Villages and Chateauneuf du Pâpe producing jolly decent wines that won’t break the bank. The vineyards are nestled in the town of Orange, where they specialise in Grenache and Syrah, which happens to be the exact blend of this wine.
The Best Block Series Godelho, Portugal, £12, launching in May 2025
I love that Morrisons is launching the experimental ‘Block Series’ range, limited edition wines from desirable regions like Washington State, Margaret River, the Douro, you get the picture. It’s a ‘when they’re gone, they’re gone’ type situation, so you’ve got to be agile. Speaking of the Douro, this is from high-altitude vineyards in the Douro Superior, with a citrussy flavour profile that reminds me of digging into a key lime pie.
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