In early April 2025, I was invited to Lidl’s press wine tasting event in London, where they showcased a selection of wines set to be released as part of their upcoming Wine Tour series for May, June and a few from July. In addition to these limited-time wines, several offerings from Lidl’s core range were also available for tasting.
Lidl’s Wine Tours typically run for around two months, giving customers a limited window to purchase these wines while stocks last. Many of the most popular selections tend to sell out more quickly, which is part of the strategy to keep the wine offering fresh and dynamic.
The rotation encourages customers to return regularly in search of new favourites. These tours also allow Lidl to test customer preferences, with the possibility of successful wines being added to the permanent range.
Wines That Stood Out for me:
Orange Sunset Vin de France 2023 (11.5%, £7.99), produced and bottled by Les Vins du Littoral in Languedoc, is made with skin contact, a method that usually results in tannins. However, in this case, a medium sweetness, clearly stated on the label, softens and hides the tannic edge. Unusually, not only does ‘orange’ describe the wine’s colour, but it also fittingly captures its flavour, which features notes of candied orange peel. This is a more accessible orange wine, designed to appeal to a broader audience due to its very low tannin content. It was part of the April wine tour but didn’t appear and is instead now part of the May Wine Tour, launching on 24 April 2025.
Müller Rosé Loss & Schotter 2024 (12.5%, £7.49) from Austria, produced by Müller, is aromatic with a strong presence of red berry fruit flavours. While online sources describe it as dry, I found it to be sweeter, though in a refined and well-balanced way. It feels like a wine that can pair well with food. This will also be released in the May Wine Tour on 24 April 2025.
Sem Reservas 2024 (12.5%, £7.49), produced and bottled by Casa Santos Lima in Vinho, Portugal, is another standout rosé. It delivers bright red fruit notes, particularly redcurrant, along with a great mouthfeel. It manages to distinguish itself from the many mass-market rosés by offering depth and a more pronounced flavour profile. It is available as part of the May Wine Tour launching on 24 April 2025.
Pinot Grigio Sparkling Rosé Extra Dry 2023 (11%, £5.99), part of Lidl’s core range, showcases the typical lemon, lime and apple flavours expected of pinot grigio but in sparkling form. Some might not see it as complex or refined, but it’s extremely drinkable and delivers remarkable value for money, especially at this price point. Part of Lidl’s core range.
Premium Organic Prosecco Spumante Extra Dry 2023 (10.5%, £6.99), produced by Vinicola Enoitalia Bardolino, comes from a winery known for its organic wines. This prosecco has notes of apples and white peaches, lifted by an unusually pleasant slightly musky undertone that adds character and sets it apart from more conventional examples. This wine is also part of Lidl’s core range.
Haraszthy Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (12.5%, £8.99) is a Hungarian wine that offers a unique interpretation of the grape. Rather than imitating the more widely known French or New Zealand styles, it finds a middle ground. The tropical and citrus notes are more restrained than a typical New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, while the wine maintains a rounder mouthfeel and lower acidity. The result is a soft texture with a fruity finish. This will feature in the June Wine Tour launching on 29 May 2025.
Domaine Philippon Frères Chablis (12%, £13.99), part of Lidl’s core line, offers impressive aromas of pear and golden delicious apple. The palate is dry yet honeyed, fresh and smooth, with developing flavours of peach and apricot that lead to a medium finish. Having reviewed the same vintage before, it continues to be a consistent and reliable choice.
Cassato dei Medici Riccardi Chianti DOCG Montalbano 2023 (13%, £8.99) stands out for its aromatic red fruit character, which follows through on the palate. With low to medium tannins, it would make a particularly good match for pizza. Given the DOCG status, it represents good value and will be released as part of the June Wine Tour on 29 May 2025.
Nero d’Avola Sicilia 2023 (14.5%, £7.99) has aromas that lean towards black fruit, and a richer depth of flavour than is typical for this grape. The grapes used are ‘Leggermente Appassite’, that is slightly wilted, to concentrate the flavour. The result is a wine that is richer but still soft, round and low in tannins. I tried this with snacks provided by Aldi and found it paired well with food. This is also part of the June Wine Tour, launching 29 May 2025.
Update 9 April 2025: This wine is already in store and popular by the look of the few remaining at the Guildford store.
Prosecco Spumante Valdobbiadene 2023 (11%, £7.99), part of the core range, has improved since I tried it in previous tastings. Though it’s a DOCG Prosecco, see a previous tasting, which generally signals a step up in quality, past versions had underwhelmed. This one showed noticeable improvement, possibly due to a change in supplier or vintage. While the aroma still wasn’t quite as expressive as I expected, the taste had nice depth, with notes of apricot and pear standing out more clearly.
Overall, there were some particularly interesting rosés on show, a category that often suffers from blandness and imitation. It was also notable that most of the wines I highlighted here were not bulk bottled which is unusual at this price level. Also, Lidl’s willingness to explore a few varietals from regions outside the usual mainstream allows them to offer interesting wines with genuine character at excellent prices.
Prices are estimated and subject to change.
