CHEERS!
Surprising supermarket mulled wine named best in blind test – it’s not Aldi or Lidl & it’s a perfect fruit and spice mix
A panel of experts taste tested ten types of mulled wine
A SUPERMARKET'S mulled wine has been named better than more expensive rivals - which cost double the price.
New results from consumer website Which? has revealed the nation’s favourite mulled wine.
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A panel of 63 expert mulled wine drinkers blind-tasted ten of the tipple from supermarkets including Lidl, Asda and Aldi - as well as more expensive brands like M&S and Waitrose.
All the drinks were rated on their taste, aroma, mouthfeel and appearance to give an overall score out of 100%.
Flavour made up 50% of the score while 25% was aroma, 15% mouthfeel and 10% appearance.
One mulled wine stood out from all of the others and was the clear favourite of the tasting panel.
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Sainsbury’s mulled wine nabbed the top spot and costs just £3 for 750ml.
The supermarket’s mulled wine was awarded an impressive score of 73%, winning high marks for look, flavour and mouthfeel.
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Judges said the wine achieved that crucial balance between sweetness and bitterness.
Meanwhile, two thirds said the strength of the spice flavour was just right and nearly as many said the fruitiness hit the spot too.
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More than half enjoyed the strength of the alcohol flavour, which is 5% ABV. Although 29% said they wanted a stronger hit.
The Co-op and Three Mills trailed behind Sainsbury’s, scoring 68%.
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Both beverages cost £4.50 for 750ml.
The Co-op’s tipple lost marks on flavour when compared to Sainsbury’s but it was popular with judges who enjoyed its look and mouthfeel.
The alcohol flavour was enjoyed by 57% of the panel while a similar number enjoyed its bitterness and fruitiness.
Around half said the sweetness and spicy flavour were just right but a third said they would have enjoyed the drink more if it had a spicier kick.
How to save money buying alcohol
Alcohol can be pricey if you’re planning a party or hosting an event but there are ways to cut costs.
It’s always important to drink responsibly, here, Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements share some tips on getting booze for the best price.
Stocking up can mean big savings on drinks, especially if you want to buy wine or fizz.
The big supermarkets regularly offer discounts of 25% when you buy six or more bottles of wine. The promotions typically run in the lead up to occasions such as Bank Holidays, Christmas and Easter.
If you know you are going to need booze later in the year, it can be worth acting when you see offers.
Before buying your preferred drink make sure you shop around to find the best price – you can use a comparison site such as pricerunner.com or trolley.co.uk.
Don’t forget that loyalty cards can unlock better savings so make sure you factor that in too.
If you like your plonk, wine clubs can also be a good way to save money and try new varieties. You’ll usually have to pay a membership fee in return for cheaper price so work out if you will be buying enough to make the one off cost worthwhile.
The Three Mills mulled wine was on par with Co-op’s mulled wine for price and level of enjoyment.
Two thirds of the panel were fans of the sweet and bitter balance of the drink.
The panel praised its fruity flavour, which was enjoyed by 57% of the group, as was the alcohol taste.
But this wine is only 5% ABV and a third of judges said the boozy hit was somewhat lacking.
Extra spiciness would also have seen this wine awarded more points as less than half said it worked for them.
Aldi and Lidl usually score highly in these types of tests but both supermarkets failed to top the table this time.
Lidl’s Baywood mulled wine costs £2.79 for 750ml and scored 67% in the test.
Meanwhile, Aldi’s mulled wine was awarded the same score and has the same price.
At the bottom of the table was Tesco Vineyards mulled wine which was awarded a score of 62%.
The best mulled wine ranked by Which?
- Sainsbury's mulled wine - 73% - £3 for 750ml
- Co-op mulled wine - 68% - £4.50 for 750ml
- Three Mills mulled wine - 68% - £4.50 for 750ml
- Aldi mulled wine - 67% - £2.79 for 750ml
- Lidl Baywood mulled wine - 67% - £2.79 for 750ml
- Asda mulled wine - 66% - £3 for 750ml
- Waitrose mulled wine - 65% - £5.49 for 750ml
- M&S Red mulled wine - 64% - £6 for 750ml
- Morrisons Winter Warmer mulled wine - 64% - £4 for 750ml
- Tesco Vineyards mulled wine - 62% - £3 for 750ml
Judges said the beverage's good looks were the top feature of this otherwise disappointing drink.
Just 46% approved of the alcohol flavour and a further 41% found it too weak.
Only a third liked the spice levels and 46% said it was too bitter.
At £3 for 750ml it was beaten by much cheaper rivals.
The Morrisons Winter Warmer mulled wine also trailed behind other supermarkets.
It was awarded a score of 64% and three quarters of judges said that its colour was appealing.
But only 59% enjoyed its bitterness levels and a third said the alcohol flavour was right.
Half enjoyed its fruity sweetness but a similar number of judges said that they wanted a stronger spice flavour.
At £4 for 750ml it was one of the more expensive beverages in the test, despite having an ABV of 5%.
M&S Red mulled wine was the priciest bottle in the test but it was also the strongest at 11% ABV.
Judges awarded it a score of 64% but more than a third of them said the alcohol flavour was a bit much.
Around half said they were happy with the spiciness, fruitiness and bitterness of the drink.
Waitrose mulled wine was the second priciest in the test at £5.49 for 750ml but received a score of 65%.
Aside from the colour this wine struggled to win the approval of judges.
Around 46% said the alcohol flavour was too much, which was unsurprising given its 10% ABV.
Only a third were positive about the spice flavour while half found the wine lacked sweetness and was overly bitter.
Harry Rose, Editor of Which? Magazine said: “Mulled wine is a festive favourite and the perfect winter warmer.
“Sainsbury's mulled wine emerged as the panel's top pick. The strength of the spice flavour hit the right notes and it is a deserving Best Buy which is also affordable at just £3."
In other taste test news, The Sun tried supermarket mulled wines to find out which offered the best value for money.
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Plus we reveal the best supermarket for every part of your Christmas dinner.
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