Tesco’s press tasting, held twice a year in the Menier Penthouse, with sweeping views over London’s skyline, is a highlight in the calendar – and not only for the view. It’s always fascinating to see what’s on offer at the UK’s largest supermarket, and although inevitably there are dull, commercial wines in the line-up, there are always enough impressive bottles to keep any supermarket wine shopper happy.
The Tesco wine buyers are excellent at sourcing bottles across all styles that offer personality, interest and quality. And the company’s purchasing power means that they are often keenly priced too – and that’s before any discounts for Tesco Clubcard holders or ‘25% off when you buy six bottles’ promotions (which seem to be happening with increasing regularity – indeed there’s one on right now, ending 1 July).
Scroll down for scores and tasting notes of the best Tesco wines
The latest press tasting of the spring/summer 2024 range showcased 139 wines. We saw some old favourites in the line-up, as well as new vintages of existing lines, and 23 wines that are brand new to the range – including the retailer’s first ever orange wine.
Own-labels & beyond
As usual, Tesco’s own-label Finest wines, made in partnership with a variety of respected producers and cooperatives, feature prominently in our recommendations. The retailer works hard to ensure that these expressions of classic styles are priced competitively and show good typicity, and they’re a great way to explore different regional styles from both Old and New World, at all price levels.
But beyond the own-labels, Tesco’s range features many more wines from well-respected producers. Our picks this time include wines from famous names such as Famille Perrin in the Rhône, Luigi Bosca and Catena Zapata in Argentina, and Bonny Doon in California. There are many, many more top estates with a good reputation on the shelves at Tesco, so next time you’re in store set some time aside to browse the aisles and adventure beyond your usual choices.
Top wine buys at Tesco:
The recommendations that follow are mainly new wines and new vintages tasted by Natalie Earl and Amy Wislocki in May 2024 at Tesco’s Spring/Summer 2024 press tasting in London, as well as a few wines tasted by the Decanter tastings team at the previous press tasting that are still available. All bottle prices are correct at time of publication.