I attended Asda’s Autumn/Winter Wine Showcase which took place in October 2023. The event highlighted Asda’s impressive achievements, with 91% of their own label and private label wines having won awards this year, a total of 350 awards. Asda continues to focus on maintaining high quality by blending their wines at the source whenever possible.
There is the upcoming rebranding of their premium products. Look out for the launch of ‘Exceptional by Asda,’ featuring a new rosette logo. The first wine release under this brand is the Exceptional Blanc de Noirs Champagne, with more wines to follow in the run-up to Christmas. Most of the new releases, however, are expected in the first half of 2025.
The tasting featured 128 wines, including several that I’ve previously reviewed or tasted. I took the opportunity to revisit these wines to ensure they’re still performing well, as wines can change over time, for the worse or better, either from aging in the bottle or due to new vintages.
First of all, these are the wines I re-tasted, which I’ve already covered in the past and still think they’re excellent for their price:
Taylors Pass Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Asda Extra Special Riesling 2022
Palacio Di Vivero Rueda 2023
The Wine Atlas Feteasca Regala 2023
Screaming Devil Côtes de Provence 2023
Wine Atlas Île-de-Beauté Rosé 2023
Extra Special Pinotage 2022
Extra Special Carménère 2022
Extra Special Uco Valley Malbec 2021
These are the new discoveries that I was very impressed with:
Champagne Berthelot Piot Tradition NV £26 12.5%
An intriguing blend with a high 90% Pinot Meunier and 10% Chardonnay, which is a more unusual combination. This Champagne recently won a Silver Medal at the IWSC 2024. It starts with aromatic notes of orchard apples and pears, complemented by a subtle hint of pastry. On the palate, you’ll find layers of toasty, mineral qualities, with tropical fruit nuances and more of those crisp apple flavours, rounded off by a hint of shortbread. The finish is savoury, intense and leaves a lasting impression.
Veuve Olivier & Fils Champagne Secret de Cave NV £28 12%
This Champagne is a blend of 40% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir. It’s a double award winner, having received Bronze at both the Decanter World Wine Awards 2024 and the IWSC 2024. Aged for a minimum of five years on the lees, it offers aromatic notes of fresh apples and almond. The palate is rich and creamy, with flavours of honey and brioche, making it a luxurious and indulgent Champagne to savour.
Graham Beck Chardonnay Pinot Noir Vintner’s Selection Brut NV £13.50 12%
Made using the Méthode Cap Classique, which is similar to the traditional Champagne method, this sparkling wine is a blend of 51% Chardonnay and 49% Pinot Noir. It starts with bready aromas and a hint of peach, followed by flavours of apple, lime, pear and a touch of honey, all underpinned by a yeasty complexity. It’s an excellent option, outperforming some cheaper Champagnes. A great choice when you’re looking for something superior to Prosecco but don’t want to stretch to the price of Champagne.
Extra Special Mas Miralda Cava Brut 2022 £7.50 12%
A blend of 30% Chardonnay and 25% Macabeo, this Cava offers excellent value for money. It opens with aromatic notes of lemon, peach, and pear, followed by a crisp grapefruit flavour and a biscuit finish, rather than the richer brioche notes found in Champagne. Very tasty at an even lower price point.
Kakapo White Wine 2023 £8.50 12%
This different blend consists of 85% Riesling, 11% Semillon, 3% Chardonnay and a touch of 1% Sauvignon Blanc. Named after the Kakapo, a large, nocturnal, flightless, and critically endangered parrot from New Zealand, which is possibly the world’s oldest living bird. The wine has earned a Silver Medal at the IWC 2024 and a Bronze at the IWSC 2024. It is highly aromatic, brimming with juicy, musky flavours of tropical and stone fruits. It’s a great choice if you’re a fan of Riesling but are looking for something a bit different and more intriguing. It will pair well with the same foods you’d enjoy with Riesling, particularly Asian dishes.
Extra Special Gewürztraminer Vin D’Alsace 2022 £9 13%
This Gewürztraminer from Alsace is a Bronze Medal winner at both the Decanter World Wine Awards 2024 and the IWSC 2024. It begins as a classic Gewürztraminer, with pronounced notes of lychee, passion fruit and rose petals. However, it evolves on the palate, offering a deeper, intriguing mouthfeel with unexpected but entertaining flavours of almonds and honey, reminiscent of sweet Tokaji.
Extra Special North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2020 £11.25 13.5%
This Pinot Noir from North Canterbury, located just north of Christchurch, is a Bronze Medal winner at the IWSC 2024. Aged for 18 months in French oak of various ages, the wine has a distinctive brown hue. It opens with cigar-like aromatics and a light mouthfeel at first, but soon reveals generous dark fruit and savoury spice. Hints of violets and herbs enhance its complexity. It feels warming, silky and smooth, but a touch of meaty depth. This is a special wine and for me and the best of the tasting.
Extra Special Marques Del Norte Rioja Gran Reserva 2019 £13.50 14%
This wine has gained many awards and is produced by El Coto. Made from 100% Tempranillo, it’s an aromatic wine with enticing notes of black fruits, chocolate and wood. On the palate, it delivers a purity of fruit with rich red plum flavours and a subtle smokiness. The wine is smooth, with toasted caramel nuances that add depth and complexity to its profile.
Extra Special Barossa Shiraz 2022 £9 14.5%
This Barossa Shiraz is something special for the price, having won both a Bronze Medal at the IWSC 2024 and the IWC 2024. The blend is made up of 90% Shiraz, 7% Petite Syrah, and 3% Cabernet. Aromatically, it has woody, earthy woodland notes, while on the palate it offers sweet, bramble fruit flavours with layers of earthy spice. The middle of the taste is particularly fascinating, with different, entertaining nuances likely brought by the additional varietals in the blend. This is an exceptional Shiraz with depth and character well beyond its price point. I aim to explore this further in a future review.
Penfolds Max’s Shiraz 2021 £19 14.5%
This wine is a tribute to Max Schubert, Penfolds’ legendary chief winemaker from 1948 to 1975. It pours a deep ruby red and starts with an inviting blackcurrant aroma. On the palate, it’s fruit-driven with rich, rounded fruit flavours, elegantly entwined with subtle notes of chocolate, coffee and a hint of vanilla. The long, smooth finish adds to its appeal. Although it may seem pricey at £19, I previously managed to pick up a bottle during a double discount sale for just £11.25. As it happens, prior to the Asda tasting, I had it waiting to be opened. Even at full price, it’s worth every penny, and I’m eagerly anticipating reviewing the full experience when I open my bottle.
Please note that prices can and will fluctuate, particularly during 25% off periods. Additionally, not all wines will be available in every store.
