Eight top Rhône wines to buy in the supermarket

I’m a big fan of two-tier drinking.

At the weekend, I drink the most exciting stuff I can afford. During the week however, I tend to drink relatively inexpensive wines and focus on value.

As a Decanter Premium member reading an article on supermarket wines, I’m wondering, do you entertain a similar strategy?

If you’re looking for the best Rhône wines from UK supermarkets, here are some suggestions.

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Rules of thumb

Shopping for the best value is not the same thing as shopping for the lowest price, but supermarkets can be a good place to do both of these things. However, you still need to know exactly what to buy, as there are plenty of wines which are best avoided.

At the cheaper end, going on appellation isn’t as reliable as it should be. For this article I tasted Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Rhône Villages that were better than some much grander appellation names.

If you’re looking for wines at very low prices, co-operative wineries can be a good source, such as the one from Asda for just £5.77.

Once you get to at least £10 per bottle, the quality becomes significantly more reliable. Of the eight wines I tasted under £10, only three were good enough to recommend, even taking low prices into account.

I was often disappointed with supermarket own-label wines. I was surprised by this, as their premium tiers used to be a good source of bargains.

As is often the case in wine, the best wines came from the most dependable producers. Though not the cheapest options, it was Famille Perrin, Chapoutier and Gabriel Meffre that stood out for sheer quality.

Finally, if organic viticulture is important to you, look elsewhere as there’s little to choose from in supermarkets.

Asda

Of the three Asda wines tasted, it was the Vignerons de l’Enclave Fief de Saint Paul Côtes du Rhône rouge 2023 that stood out.

I’m glad I tasted these wines blind, as the label isn’t terribly attractive – but for £5.77, the wine’s not bad at all. Vignerons de l’Enclave is a quality-minded co-operative in the northern reaches of the southern Rhône, and this is a well-balanced Côtes du Rhône with drinkability.

Buy this if…

…you’re looking for the best wine available for under £6.

It could also be a good option if you’re shopping for an inexpensive red for a party.

Co-op

The three Co-op wines tasted were all made by the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel, and they all perform well at their respective price points. The most basic Co-op Côtes du Rhône rouge 2023 for £6.25 is straightforward but decent for the price and the Grange St Martin Côtes du Rhône rouge 2023 at £11.15 is a significant step up in terms of depth and concentration. The Close Encounters Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge 2022 at £26.75, however, was the wine of the tasting – it has genuine Châteauneuf class, unlike some of the other inexpensive ones I tasted.

Buy this if…

…you’re looking for the best supermarket Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Tesco

Of the five wines I tasted from Tesco, the Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône Villages rouge 2024 (£12.00) stood head and shoulders above the rest – in fact, in the £10-£15 bracket, this is one of the best wines currently available in UK supermarkets. It has impressive concentration and ripeness and would stand up to robust wintery food. Tasted blind, I assumed it was a more expensive wine from a more elevated appellation.

Buy this if…

…you’re looking for the very best quality/price ratio.

It’s also a good option if you’re looking for reds to go with wintery food.

Waitrose

Waitrose put forward four wines from the Rhône, and they were all good quality, scoring between 85 and 89 points. The most interesting was one of the very few white wines I encountered, Gabriel Meffre Saint-Vincent Côtes du Rhône blanc 2024 (£11.00). This was absolutely classic white Côtes du Rhône, it had a generous amount of fruit, good freshness and would be versatile with food.