In early October 2026, I was invited to London for Sainsbury’s Autumn Winter Drinks Tasting, where they showcased their latest wine and drinks range for the colder months ahead.
Sainsbury’s presented more than 130 bottles, including 87 new additions, making this a larger tasting than usual. There was also a noticeable shift in emphasis. While previous press tastings concentrated heavily on promoting Sainsbury’s own-label, this time there was a larger presence of branded wines.
Here are my picks:
Taste the Difference Champagne Brut NV 12% £24.24
Produced by Champagne Louis Kremer, Champenoise des Grands Vins, this Champagne is a blend of 20% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir and 47% Pinot Meunier. Pale lemon in colour with fine bubbles, it has inviting aromas of green apple, lemon and pear, complemented by brioche and biscuit notes from ageing on the lees. Crisp citrus and orchard fruits are balanced by lovely bready complexity. Brut in style, with a light to medium body, high acidity and a long, refreshing finish. An excellent Champagne that won a Silver Medal at the 2025 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC).
Taste the Difference Champagne Brut Rosé NV 12% £24.24
The rosé counterpart to the previous Champagne, made with 9% Chardonnay, 26% Pinot Noir and 65% Pinot Meunier. A delicate salmon-pink colour with fine, persistent bubbles. Aromas of wild strawberries, redcurrants and citrus are beautifully complemented by subtle pastry notes. Fresh red berry flavours sit alongside a chalky, citrus character, with high acidity and a light to medium body. The finish is elegant, dry and distinctly red-fruited. What particularly impresses is how it retains that classic Champagne pastry complexity, something often missing from other rosé Champagnes.
Domaine Evremond Classic Cuvée NV 12% £55
A premium English sparkling wine from Chilham in Kent, combining 25% Chardonnay, 65% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier. Pale lemon with a fine stream of bubbles, it has wonderfully intense lemon aromas alongside green apple, delicate pastry and chalky minerality. Vibrant citrus and apple flavours are supported by pronounced acidity, with elegant brioche notes and a touch of creaminess adding depth. Brut in style and medium-bodied, this is a beautifully balanced and thoroughly enjoyable sparkling wine. New to Sainsbury’s and a great addition to their range.
Taste the Difference Discovery Beaujolais Villages Blanc 2024 12.5% £14
Another addition to Sainsbury’s range, this white Beaujolais is made entirely from 100% Chardonnay. Pale lemon in colour, with delicate floral aromas, fresh apples and just the slightest suggestion of brioche. Citrus and crisp green apple flavours give it a lively, refreshing character, while the medium body provides a pleasing balance. Dry in style, with a long finish that remains wonderfully clean and fresh.
Tripero Vinhos Verdes NV 10% £9
Produced by Quinta dos Arcas from a blend of Loureiro, Arinto and Trajadura grapes, this new addition to Sainsbury’s is a wonderfully refreshing Portuguese white. Pale lemon with a delicate spritz, it offers bright aromas of citrus, green apple and floral notes. Light-bodied and zesty, with lively lemon and apple flavours, a gentle sparkle and high acidity. Slightly off-dry, but certainly not too sweet, the refreshing, medium-length finish has a pleasant apple character. At just 10% alcohol, this is an excellent lighter option without sacrificing freshness or flavour.
Yealands Reserve Albariño 2025 12.5% £14
From Yealands, one of my favourite producers of Sauvignon Blanc, comes this excellent interpretation of Albariño. Wonderfully intense aromas of ripe apricot, peach and citrus are complemented by a subtle hint of oak. The fruit flavours are equally expressive, with generous apricot and peach balanced by bright citrus acidity that brings a lovely freshness to the finish. A delicious and impressive wine and one of my favourites of the tasting. Perhaps a little expensive at £14, but well worth considering during one of Sainsbury’s 25% off Mix Six promotions.
Leap Point Sauvignon Blanc 2025 11% £5.95
Produced by Indevin, this Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is made from 96% Sauvignon Blanc and 4% other grape varieties. Pale lemon in colour, with classic aromas of gooseberry, passionfruit, red capsicum, freshly cut grass and citrus. Crisp citrus and tropical fruit flavours combine with a distinctive musky character, high acidity and a zesty, pungent finish. The slightly sweeter impression than my preferred style of Sauvignon Blanc and the muskiness isn’t what I personally look for. I was initially hesitant about including it, but that would be unfair. At just £5.95, this new arrival at Sainsbury’s represents exceptional value for a very drinkable Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.
Taste the Difference Pinot Grigio Dolomiti Rosé 2025 12% £8.75
A blend of 85% Pinot Grigio and 15% Chardonnay, this attractive Italian rosé offers delicate floral aromas alongside citrus and fresh strawberries. Dry in style, with lovely strawberry flavours and a pleasing medium-bodied texture. The fruit is nicely balanced, leading to a softer, gentle finish that makes it particularly easy to enjoy. A very appealing wine and a value-for-money choice for rosé.
Saint Clair Family Estate Reverend Sloane Pinot Noir 13% £15.50
From Marlborough, New Zealand, this 100% Pinot Noir is produced by Saint Clair, another of my favourite Sauvignon Blanc producers. Pale in colour, with attractive aromas of red cherry, cranberry and thyme, accompanied by distinctly savoury, earthy notes. Delicate red fruit flavours are complemented by a lovely herbal and savoury edge, giving the wine an elegant, refined character. Dry and medium-bodied, with low to medium tannins and a long, lingering finish. A great new addition to Sainsbury’s range.
Taste the Difference Languedoc Rouge 2025 13.5% £9.50
Produced by Paul Mas in southern France, this generous red combines 45% Grenache, 45% Syrah and 10% Carignan. Medium in colour, with appealing aromas of ripe red and black berries, dark cherries, cocoa and Mediterranean herbs. Rich fruit flavours are complemented by warming herbal spice, creating a wine with plenty of character. Dry, medium to full-bodied, with medium tannins and a pleasantly spiced, dry finish. A satisfying Languedoc red with plenty of flavour for the price.
Croix Saint-Paul Pomerol 2023 13.5% £25
Produced by Antoine Moueix, this Pomerol is made entirely from Merlot grapes. Deep red in colour, with a truly wonderful aroma of ripe plums, black cherries, cocoa, truffle and cedar. The flavours are equally appealing, delivering generous black cherry, plum and blackberry fruit in a full-bodied, beautifully velvety style. Medium tannins add structure without overwhelming the rich fruit. An impressive and enticing Bordeaux, and an exciting new addition to Sainsbury’s.
Taste the Difference Discovery Xinomavro 2025 13.5% £12
A distinctive Greek red from Naoussa in Macedonia, produced by Vaeni Naoussa using 100% Xinomavro grapes. Pale in colour, with intriguing aromas of sour cherry, tomato leaf, olives and savoury spice. Dry and medium-bodied, it has a fascinating savoury character, with vibrant acidity and relatively low tannins. The finish is long, aromatic and wonderfully savoury. An interesting and characterful new addition to Sainsbury’s Discovery range, although I would have preferred just a little more tannic structure.
Stamford Brook Merlot 2025 11% £4.95
Produced by Kingsland Drinks using grapes from South Eastern Australia, this remarkably inexpensive red is a blend of 89% Merlot and 11% other varieties. With red fruit aromas, it delivers plenty of juicy berry flavour alongside attractive mocha notes. Dry and very drinkable, although a little thinner in body than the ‘bold’ description on the back label might suggest. At just 11% alcohol, it is lighter in strength than many Merlot. Nevertheless, at an almost unbelievable £4.95, this offers tremendous value and is an enjoyable everyday red.
Overall, I found this a much more interesting and varied range than in previous years. There was greater diversity in wine styles, a wider spread of prices and more to explore beyond the familiar own-label offerings.
One of the key messages was the continued growth of premium wine. Sainsbury’s reported that its super-premium wine collection has grown by 44% this year, suggesting that there is still considerable appetite for trading up, despite ongoing pressures on household budgets. Sainsbury’s is also seeing an increase in customers buying white wines for Autumn and Winter, challenging the traditional assumption that colder weather automatically means a switch to reds.
Another interesting trend is the growing consumer appetite for discovery. According to Sainsbury’s, searches relating to ‘Discovery’ wines have increased by 200% year on year, pointing towards greater curiosity about unfamiliar grapes, regions and wine styles. This comes at a time when Aldi and Lidl are reducing their more adventurous and limited-availability wine ranges. It raises an interesting question. Is this simply unfortunate timing for the discounters or is there an element of cause and effect, with shoppers turning to supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s to find the variety and sense of discovery they can no longer get elsewhere? Either way, it suggests that offering something beyond the predictable supermarket wine selection could be increasingly important in attracting curious wine drinkers.
