(UK) Why does Supermarket Wine always tastes awful?
Posted by: naim_nymph on 19 November 2009
Twenty five years ago I read a story in a newspaper (The Telegraph I think) about wine producers/exporters in Europe who believed that us Brits were so useless at appreciating a good wine they could send us any old crap in a bottle with a fancy château-de-plonk looking label on it, and UK wine drinkers would buy and drink it quite happily without knowing they're getting ripped off.
If you ask me it's true, and nothing much has changed except now it’s the whole world that sends us all their horrid wine that no one else would be daft enough to drink.
A few years ago I used to cat-sit at a friends house while they holidayed in France. They were nice kind folk who would always come back home to give me a few bottles of Red for my loyal efforts of looking after their cat, which was always a pleasure.
However, the wine they gave me was always duty-free from France, and it always tasted superb, I never wasted a drop. This wine often came with the same recognisable labels on that one could buy here in Blighty, but whenever I did purchase from the local supermarket it would not taste anywhere near as nice as the wine they purchased in France, and often the local supermarket wine tasted so yuk i would pour it away down my kitchen sink plug hole.
I usually buy a bottle of wine that costs between £4 - £9, occasionally cheaper or dearer.
I’ve tried French, Italian, Spanish, Chilean, Californian, Argentinean, Australian, New Zealand, South African, and probably others I can’t remember right now.
But i’m always very disappointed : (
Nowadays the only wine I can drink without wincing is the Australian Hardys Merlot that costs about a fiver. But even this wine isn’t really that good.
How much (here in the UK) does a 'nice' bottle of Red cost?
Does one have to travel to another country to buy it?
Any recommendations would be very helpful please! : )
Debs
If you ask me it's true, and nothing much has changed except now it’s the whole world that sends us all their horrid wine that no one else would be daft enough to drink.
A few years ago I used to cat-sit at a friends house while they holidayed in France. They were nice kind folk who would always come back home to give me a few bottles of Red for my loyal efforts of looking after their cat, which was always a pleasure.
However, the wine they gave me was always duty-free from France, and it always tasted superb, I never wasted a drop. This wine often came with the same recognisable labels on that one could buy here in Blighty, but whenever I did purchase from the local supermarket it would not taste anywhere near as nice as the wine they purchased in France, and often the local supermarket wine tasted so yuk i would pour it away down my kitchen sink plug hole.
I usually buy a bottle of wine that costs between £4 - £9, occasionally cheaper or dearer.
I’ve tried French, Italian, Spanish, Chilean, Californian, Argentinean, Australian, New Zealand, South African, and probably others I can’t remember right now.
But i’m always very disappointed : (
Nowadays the only wine I can drink without wincing is the Australian Hardys Merlot that costs about a fiver. But even this wine isn’t really that good.
How much (here in the UK) does a 'nice' bottle of Red cost?
Does one have to travel to another country to buy it?
Any recommendations would be very helpful please! : )
Debs
Château Malbat Bordeaux 2006 | Bin CR05406Style: Medium-bodied
Drinking Time: Now
Grape Varieties: 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cab Franc
The Blurb...An excellent petit château from the south-east end of Bordeaux near Langon. This is the rural farming rather than 'grand châteaux' part of Bordeaux and the wine reflects this in its easy-going and soft fruit style.
This tasted undeniably horrid. Cheap bitter plonk with no body or soul, no fun at all.
But i persevered trying to justify the expense of it by actually drinking nearly half a bottle of this yuk before resolving to clean the kitchen sink waste with it.
(Someone in France is having a good laugh.)
~<>~
After the very disappointing Bordeaux, i opened another bottle of Concha y Toro Merlot from the 18 bottle order i received in January. This has well and truly settled now, and at room temp is very agreeable. So glad i've got a good supply! : )
Debs
Diego de Almagro Reserva Valdepeñas, 2003 | Bin SR00903Style: Medium-bodied
Drinking Time: Now
Grape Varieties: 100% Tempranillo
The Blurb... A mixture of spice, strawberry fruit and a dollop of vanilla on this mellow and mature Reserva from Valdepeñas. After two years in barrel it is supple to the taste, with complexity and length. A good wine for stews, casseroles and cheeses.
This is the last of my mixed red merlot sample group, and having lost faith in European offerings in this low price range i expected to struggle with this Spaniard...
But to my very pleasant surprise this was very enjoyable, very smooth to taste, slightly dry but nice to drink while cooking, no nasty after-taste either, just a fruity mellow delight that imho give the Concha y Toro a good run for it's money, although this Diego (at £7.80) is a couple of £ more expensive per bottle.
I notice it's presently 'out of stock', so obviously other people are liking this too! : )
Debs