Early May marked the final supermarket tasting of the spring/summer tasting season, with Asda’s showcase in London closing things out. With 128 wines available to try, this event offered a few new additions and some much-loved favourites presented as newer vintages. As expected for the Spring/Summer, there was a strong emphasis on refreshing whites, rosés and lighter reds, along with a handful of more robust reds ideal for barbecue weather.
Asda’s Wine Atlas range, relaunched last year, continues to evolve and impress. It now has a dedicated hotspot in stores (see photo, left, I previously took in-store) and is seeing changes roughly every six months, offering more unusual grape varieties, wine styles and lesser-known regions. A notable highlight is the arrival of the first sparkling wine, Garda, in the Wine Atlas range, which I’ve picked out below.
Meanwhile, the more premium own-label wines is transitioning from the familiar ‘Extra Special’ branding to the new ‘Exceptional’ range. The quality of Asda’ wines has certainly been recognised as Asda wines picked up 350 awards in 2024, marking the fourth consecutive year of increasing medal totals.
Here are the wines that stood out for me:
Champagne Berthelot Piot Tradition NV, 12.5%, £26.96
A long-standing favourite of mine, this blend of 90% Pinot Meunier and 10% Chardonnay offers a slightly sweeter style than most Champagnes, with a honeyed finish. There’s a burst of apple and pear on the first sip, with layers of toastiness, mineral freshness and hints of tropical fruit. Awarded a Silver Medal at the IWSC 2024.
Blondel Champagne Premier Cru NV, 12%, £27.96
Made by the same producer as the Berthelot Piot, this is a 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay blend. With more, over 24 months of, bottle ageing, it delivers a slightly more intense profile and is noticeably less sweet, something I personally prefer. Commended at the IWC 2024.
Wine Atlas Garda Sparkling NV, 11%, £6.97
This is the first sparkling wine in the Wine Atlas range, from Lake Garda in Italy and made by Cantina di Soave using 100% Garganega. With lemony aromas and fresh apple and citrus on the taste, it’s lively and slightly sweet, offering a novel and tastier alternative to Prosecco at a great price.
Exceptional by Asda Grüner Veltliner 2024, 11.5%, £8.12
An Austrian white from Niederösterreich by winemaker Markus Huber. It offers ripe pear aromas and deep flavours of green apple, peach and guava. While it seems sweet, that sweetness mainly comes from the fruit rather than residual sugar. There’s a slight peppery finish. It paired well with the food served at the event.
Kakapo White Wine NV, 12%, £6.50
Still one of my favourite affordable whites, this version is now non-vintage with a new blend of 59% Riesling, 8% Semillon, 9% Chardonnay, 12% Sauvignon Blanc and 11% Pinot Gris. It’s aromatic and juicy with tropical and stone fruit, a great option for those who like Riesling but want something a bit more adventurous. It’s also dropped in price since last year.
Palacio Di Vivero Rueda 2024, 13%, £6.75
Made by Cuatro Rayas using 100% Verdejo, this dry, citrusy white is consistently refreshing and award-winning. I previously reviewed it separately. It has previously taken home medals from IWSC, IWC, and Decanter.
Feteasca Regala NV, 11.5%, £5.98
From Romania and made with the traditional Feteasca Regala grape, this remains a reliable pick in the Wine Atlas range. In the past, I included it in a wine tasting and people compared to a lighter Sauvignon Blanc with a touch of peach, but I find it leans more towards tropical fruit. Another example of great value.
Extra Special Chenin Blanc 2024, 13.5%, £6.57
Coming from old, dry-farmed bush vines in Paarl, South Africa, this 100% Chenin Blanc offers apricot fruit and subtle oak on the aroma, with a peachy, honeyed taste and a round, generous mouth feel. Excellent, especially for the price.
Sancerre Rosé 2024, 12.5%, £14.24
From Léon Vatan in the Loire, this 100% Pinot Noir rosé brings vivid red fruit aromas and a slightly rounder feel than usual for Rosé, with relatively low residual sugar allowing the fruit to shine.
Exceptional by Asda Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, 14%, £6.98
From Australia, this blend is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a bit of Merlot and Petit Verdot, matured in French oak for a year. It has leathery and fruity aromas, black fruit flavours and not too much residual sugar, delivering for a wine under £7.
Extra Special Pinotage 2022, 14%, £5.98
A long-standing favourite of mine, previously reviewed separately, from South Africa’s Western Cape, this is still the same 2022 vintage and has dropped in price. At just under £6, it still feels even more like a hidden gem. Very enjoyable and I’ll definitely be buying more.
North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2023, 13.5%, £9.33
Another favourite that keeps improving. This latest vintage seems even more savoury than before. I still have some 2020 vintage and plan to compare the vintages soon. The price drop from £11.25 makes it even more appealing.
Extra Special Carmenère 2022, 13.5%, £6.98
Previously reviewed and consistently enjoyable across vintages. I’ll need to try this 2022 against 2021 for a proper comparison, but it still seems strong.
Extra Special Uco Valley Malbec 2021, 14.5%, £9.24
This 100% Malbec from Argentina has floral and liquorice aromas, rich blackberry fruit and a touch of spice. Aged in French oak, it’s smooth, full-bodied and incredibly good value at this price.
It was reassuring to find that many of my favourite wines have kept their quality, and in many cases, prices have even come down, a welcome surprise, especially given recent duty changes. While I’d have liked to see more new additions, it’s hard to argue with the strategy of sticking to what works when it’s this good. Some prices genuinely seem too low to be believed and with occasional 25% off promotions, many of these wines become absolute bargains.
Availability will vary by store and prices are subject to change
Me in the background, Pete Turner in the foreground
Taken by the Asda PR team:
