Waitrose Fine Wines at £10 promotion: Tasted and rated

It’s arguably become a tradition in itself: Waitrose’s Fine Wines at £10 campaign, running through December each year, is always a much-anticipated opportunity to stock up on a selection of great wines for a mere tenner per bottle.

Many if not all the wines in this year’s line up are already very good value when not discounted – delivering quality and a point of difference at prices ranging from £14.99 to £16.99 – making the promotion all the more appealing.

Affordable classics

The selection covers an interesting array of styles and regions, with a classic leaning. As the wine world grapples with sky-rocketing Burgundy prices, Cave de Lugny’s Les Charmes will make for a particularly budget-friendly addition to your festive cellar – and makes the case for the enduring relevance of quality-driven cooperatives. Montecillo’s Reserva, on the other hand, shows how Rioja remains a reliable source of classical elegance at reasonable prices.

Likewise Doña Paula’s El Alto Malbec – a truly beautiful, nuanced take on Argentina’s flagship variety, hailing from high-altitude vineyards. Winemaker Cristóbal Undurraga is doing such fantastic work producing refined expressions of the estate’s vines, while keeping them approachable and affordable.

The only fortified wine in the line up, Warre’s King’s Tawny Port, is another example of an enduring classic delivered consistently, without breaking the bank.

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Opportunities for discovery

But the Fine Wines at £10 campaign is also an opportunity to step beyond one’s comfort zone and explore alternatives to the ‘usual suspects’.

A case in point is Bijou’s Éminence, a food-friendly pink from Languedoc-Roussillon, challenging you to consider French rosé outside Provence. Or Louis Jadot’s Beaujoulais-Quincié, a smooth Gamay, exclusive to Waitrose, that reflects a trend for ‘Burgundy adjacents’ that evoke the drinkability and affordability of the Pinot Noirs of yore.

An unoaked Bordeaux? That’s Croix des Coteaux’s proposition with its Saint-Émilion AOC – another example from a region having to somewhat reinvent itself in the face of economic challenges and changing consumer demand.

Another wine that defies expectations, Wirra Wirra’s Church Block combines the power of an Australian red with very ‘Old World’ refinement and detail.

Restraint and focus is also the hallmark of the Stich Sauvignon Blanc; it might disappoint lovers of overtly aromatic exuberant Marlborough Sauvignon but will delight those who appreciate purer, more terroir-expressive takes on both the variety and the region.

At the crossroads of classic and offbeat, Prince Alexandre’s Crémant de Loire is among a host of traditional method sparkling wines that offer intriguing alternatives to Champagne at appealing prices. This Chenin Blanc-based blend, with splashes of Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc, will not disappoint – creamy, textural and with fine mousse it makes for both a great aperitif and great companion for food.

Explore further

It’s well worth looking beyond these 11 wines though; Waitrose’s winter selection is looking very strong indeed, particularly on the fortified front. And the retailer’s own No.1 and Loved & Found ranges remain a source of well-priced, interesting discoveries, many of which produced in partnership with renowned winemakers.

Waitrose’s Fine Wines at £10

All wines tasted 21 November 2023. Prices shown here are the full retail prices, and do not reflect this, or any other, special offer.

Some wines might only be available in selected stores.

Wines grouped by style and ordered by score, in descending order.

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• Waitrose – Best buys the season ahead