I tested supermarket Merlot red wines – and budget buy for just £5.79 will have any connoisseur fooled
IF your tipple of choice at this time of year is a nice glass of red in front of a roaring fire then twist the cork with some sophisticated Merlots from your supermarket shelves.
A crowd-pleasing grape to suit everyone, Merlot is one of the most popular bottles of plonk.
Chevalier de Fauvert - Lidl, £5.79
A PLEASANT sur- prise for the price, this South of France version is an excellent exam- ple of the Merlot grape and offers up buckets of juicy red fruit and a smidgen of cedar.
It is classically French but open with it and a great all-rounder that looks and tastes much more expensive.
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Take it to a posh dinner and no one will guess from the bottle it is such a bargain.
RATING: 5/5
Smooth & Plummy - Morrisons, £4.69
WITH juicy, ripe plum and spice, this Aussie is described as smooth and plummy and it delivers exactly what it says on the label.
For the pound-stretching price (it was £4.99) it over delivers for taste and for under a fiver I don’t think you can do much better.
It would be banging with any beef or bangers and at 10.5 per cent ABV, it’s lower in booze than many.
Plain label a shame.
RATING: 3/5
Grapevine Merlot - Aldi £4.09
CHEAPEST of this lot but still a respectable drop for the price. It’s rustic and fruity and maybe a bit rough around the edges but it’s still fine if you’re softening it with a chunky meat stew or tangy Cheddar.
I’d suggest sipping this one with food.
It would also make the perfect base for a decent mulled wine as it has some nice and spicy elements.
RATING: 2/5
Des Tourelles Claret 2022 - Tesco, £5.49
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Australian Lime Tree Merlot - Co-op £6
ANOTHER awe- some Aussie packed full of ripe, bramble flavours along- side a cooling, minty note that keeps it fresh.
Bold and fruity, it’s the kind of red you want to enjoy by the glass in a cosy pub on a cold day, or just sip it snuggled up on your sofa.
Top value, the wine version of wrapping up in a cosy velvet blanket
RATING: 4/5
Yellowwood Mountain - Asda, £4.95
F you like your red big and bold, this moreish Merlot from South Africa is for you.
With lots of dark berry fruit you’ll get black cherry, plum and also a whiff of grilled meat as this very tasty tipple is full-bodied and smoky.
One to pair with winter grub such as hearty stews and sausage casseroles, as well as a spag-hetti Bolonese.
Really good value
RATING: 4/5
House Merlot - Sainsbury’s, £5
FANS of a cool climate red wine will like this tart number from South Africa with lots of crunchy cranberry.
Fine for a fiver, it’s one to splash into your chilli or stew and have a glug of yourself in the kitchen while doing it – but not much more than that.
The acidity feels a bit scratchy and high.
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But at a fiver it’s a useful standby to have to hand.
RATING: 2/5