I went to the Morrisons Autumn/Winter Press Tasting in London in October 2024, an event that showcased a great selection of 127 wines, curated with the festive season in mind. A pianist provided a touch of elegance, enhancing the ambiance as we explored the wines on offer.
There has been a refresh of Morrisons’ The Best range of French wines under £10, which is designed to offer exceptional quality at an affordable price point. There was also a noticeable expansion in the selection of premium French wines, particularly from smaller producers.
Here are the wines that stood out most for me:
Charles Clement Champagne Brut NV, with 12.5% ABV and priced at £25, offers excellent value for money. Made from a blend of 70% Pinot Noir, 18% Chardonnay and 12% Pinot Meunier, it has a delightful brioche aroma that is inviting. This champagne has a great mouthfeel, with fine bubbles that add to its overall balance and richness. On the palate, it delivers fresh and crisp notes of Cox apples, providing a refreshing fruitiness alongside its biscuity character. In a back to back comparison with Bollinger, which was predictably also excellent, there was marginal difference in quality. In fact, the Charles Clement came across as slightly sweeter, even though it contains less residual sugar. At less than half the price of Bollinger, this champagne is an great option, offering superb taste and quality at a fraction of the cost.
Bolney Estate Classic Cuvée Brut NV , with 12% ABV and priced at £30, is a great English sparkling wine. Made from a blend of 58% Pinot Noir, 24% Chardonnay and 18% Pinot Meunier, it opens with an enticing nose of fresh melon and deep brioche aromas, which immediately draw you in. The wine is full-bodied, offering a rich and satisfying mouthfeel. On the palate, it features a strong mid-taste of ripe apples, delivering a refreshing and vibrant fruitiness. This is balanced perfectly with a honeyed finish, adding a touch of sweetness that lingers.
English Sparkling Grand Reserve NV, with 14% ABV and priced at £24, is an impressive offering produced by the anonymous producer ‘Rolling Green Hills’. Composed of 54% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir, and 9% Pinot Meunier, this sparkling wine carries a hint of intrigue, as rumour has it, according to Fiona Beckett, that it might come from Nyetimber. It does have a shared director overseeing both companies. While it offers slightly less aroma than the Bolney Estate Classic Cuvée, it still delivers enough fragrance to be inviting. The wine features a deep mid-palate taste reminiscent of freshly baked pastry, complemented by flavours of apple, butter and a touch of citrus. This creates a balanced, creamy complexity that lingers on the palate. English Sparkling Grand Reserve NV arguably surpasses the Charles Clement Champagne in terms of value, offering a slightly more sophisticated and rich, English, drinking experience for slightly less money.
Veluti Prosecco Extra Dry NV, 10.5%, priced at an incredible £5.47, is a standout for its value. Made from 85% Glera and 15% other varieties, it defied the experience of feeling flabby after drinking the previous Champagne and English Sparkling. This one holds its own, offering a great taste and mouthfeel that could almost be mistaken for Cava. While the label suggests notes of pear and peach, I found it to have a more complex profile with slightly musky undertones, complemented by apricot and orange notes. This depth of flavour is atypical for prosecco, providing more taste than expected at this price point.
Louis Jadot Couvent Des Jacobins Bourgogne Chardonnay 2022, priced at £20, is a refined white wine that showcases the elegance possible with 100% Chardonnay. Aged for six months in oak, it presents a beautifully floral nose that draws you in with its intense aromas. On the palate, the wine offers a harmonious blend of honey, vanilla, oak and almond, all balanced perfectly without any single note overpowering the others. Its creamy texture adds to the richness and the wine has an impressive length that lingers pleasantly. While it may be relatively expensive for Morrisons, the quality more than justifies the price, making it a worthy indulgence.
The Best Chenin Blanc 2024, priced at £8.50, 13%, comes from the Swartland region of South Africa and is produced by Riebeek Valley Wine Co. Made from 100% Chenin Blanc, this wine offers good value for its price. It starts with a strong apricot aroma that is both enticing and vibrant. On the palate, it delivers deep flavours of ripe melon and honey, creating a rich and fruity profile. While the residual sugar suggests a drier wine, the fruitiness gives it an almost sweeter impression, adding to its appeal. With good length and a highly flavoursome character, this Chenin Blanc is a great, affordable option packed with flavour.
Las Dos Caras Ribera Del Duero 2020, with 14% ABV and priced at £10.50, remains an great choice. Made from 100% Tempranillo, this wine continues to impress, just as it did when I previously reviewed it.
Marques de Los Rios Rioja Gran Reserva 2014, with 14% ABV and priced at £14, was also previously reviewed and continues to be one of my picks. Composed of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Graciano, this wine delivers an exceptional depth and complexity. I thought it was the best wine of the tasting, standing out for its rich flavours. Although the price has slightly increased recently, it still offers great value for the quality.
The Best Chilean Pinot Noir 2023, with 13.5% ABV and priced at £8.50, is a 100% Pinot Noir produced by Vina Indomita from the Casablanca Valley. It opens with a floral and earthy aroma, which carries through to the palate. Initially, I wasn’t entirely sure about this one, but as I revisited it a few times during the tasting, the subtle herbaceous notes began to grow on me. Its complexity and distinctive character make it a wine that evolves with each sip.
Huaso Red Blend 2023, with 11% ABV and priced at £8, is a blend of 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Shiraz, 20% Alicante and 10% Merlot. It has an inky colour, giving it a rich and inviting appearance. The deeply aromatic blackberry nose is one of its standout features, immediately drawing you in. On the palate, the wine is quite sweet, which may not appeal to everyone. Personally, I found it a bit too sweet for my taste. However, its sweetness will likely make it a crowd-pleaser. A smoky aftertaste adds a nice layer of depth, balancing the sweetness with a touch of savouriness.
Ravenswood Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel 2022, with 14.5% ABV and priced at £15.50, remains as excellent as I remember from my previous review. This wine consistently delivers with its bold flavours and rich complexity, showcasing the depth and character expected from old vine Zinfandel. It’s a reliable choice for those who enjoy a robust, tasty red.
The Best 10 Year Old Tawny Port, with 20% ABV and priced at £15, is produced by the Fladgate Partnership, who also own the impressive Porto World of Wine, which I recently had the enjoyed visiting. The company is related to well-known port houses Croft and Taylor’s and this port likely comes from one of them. Unlike some supermarket own-brand Tawny Ports, which can often feel a bit thin, this one stands out with its rich and full-bodied character. At the tasting, I tried it back to back with Taylor’s 10 Year Old Tawny, which retails at £25, and was pleasantly surprised by how little difference there was between the two. At £15, this port is a great find.
This tasting highlighted two excellent English sparkling wines, both showing the impressive quality coming out of England’s vineyards. Nevertheless, the value Champagne was a great find, offering superb taste at a very reasonable price. I also took the opportunity to revisit some previous favourites, confirming their consistency and discovered a few new gems along the way.
As always, a quick disclaimer, prices can and likely will change, and not all wines may be available in every store.
