I’m a drinks expert – these bottles taste just like Whispering Angel or Moet at a QUARTER of the price
BEST-selling rosé Whispering Angel has a bevy of celebrity fans, including Adele and Victoria Beckham, but can sell at £20 plus.
So it’s no surprise buyers are seeking budget alternatives.
Here, wine expert Helena Nicklin, above, from , gives her tips and tricks for seeking out similar sips for less cash . . .
Original: Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc £29.99 ()
Dupe: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Awatere Valley, Lidl, £7.99
FANS of the Kiwi Savvy B love it for its ripe, tropical fruit and zesty, grassy notes. But it’s nearly £30 a bottle.
Sauvignon from the Awatere region in NZ tends to be a little greener, leaner and more concentrated, which is often more impressive in the glass.
This one from Lidl has all that and more. As good, if not better, than Cloudy Bay.
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Original: Whispering Angel Cotes de Provence Rosé £20+ ()
Dupe: Atlantique Rosé, Chassaux et Fils, Aldi £6.49
WHISPERING Angel has done so well in the Provencal rosé revolution. It’s a decent drop, with an evocative name and luxury allure.
For equally elegant pale pinks, look to French coastal wine regions such as the Atlantique.
This Aldi dupe has that “angelic” strawberries-and-cream note with a sea spray tang. It wins on all counts.
Dupe: Cremant de Bourgogne Brut NV, Asda, £13
FANCY fizz brand Moet sets the benchmark for non-vintage (NV) branded Champers with its classic brioche and baked apple vibes.
For a very similar profile try a “Cremant”, French fizz made in the same way and often using one or two of the same grapes, but not in Champagne. This one from Burgundy knocks it out of the park for bargain bubbles.
Original: Chateauneuf-du-Pape, £21+ ()
Dupe: Tesco Finest Saint-Chinian, £8
DEL BOY’S favourite French name to drop, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, from the Rhone Valley, tastes rich, spicy and spirity, like fruit cake packed with rum-soaked raisins.
But prices can hit hundreds of pounds for a bottle. A wine nerd’s top tip, head to Saint-Chinian for Rhone-a-like wines at a fraction of the price. Like this value glug from Tesco.
Original: Bollinger Classic Cuvée £43+ ()
Dupe: Veuve Monsigny Brut NV, Aldi, £14.99
Dupe: Monte Plogar Gran Reserva, Lidl, £5.49
BRITS love Rioja. It’s those flamboyant, wild strawberry, cinnamon spice and liquorice-leather notes that get more intense as you move up in age from Crianza to Reserva and Gran Reserva.
But you can get some bargain versions. For just over a fiver try this gorgeous Gran Reserva. It’s not a Rioja but the profile is similar. Unbelievable value.