Decanter's UK Supermarket of the Year 2017 has been crowned and the winner is Booths, a much-loved retailer in its northern England heartlands. Here, we recommend six of Booths wines to try...
Booths, a small supermarket chain operating in the north of the UK, was crowned Supermarket of the Year 2017 at the Decanter Retailer Awards ceremony held at the Connaught Hotel in London on 13 September.
Waitrose was the runner-up and you can find the Decanter tasting team’s favourite Waitrose wines here.
With 28 stores, Booths works mainly with small producers, and places an emphasis on introducing its customers to new styles, such as new-wave Spanish whites and low alcohol wines.
View the full results of Decanter’s Retailer Awards 2017
The supermarket runs weekend wine tastings in-store, supported by visiting winemakers.
Booths’ average bottle price of £7.17 is well above the UK 2017 average of £5.58, as reported by the Wine & Spirit Trade Association this week.
Here, Decanter tasting director Christelle Guibert recommends six Booths wines from a tasting held by the retailer earlier this summer.
Booths wine to try:
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Booths, English Sparkling Brut, England, United Kingdom
92
Produced by Ridgeview Estate for Booths, this is an excellent example of what English sparkling is all about: fresh and zesty with ripe white fruit aromas and a touch of brioche on the nose from the lees ageing. The Pinot Noir & Meunier bring texture, richness and complexity and it's balanced out by the finesse and elegance of the Chardonnay. Enjoy with canapés for the perfect aperitif now, but this will also cellar well for the next year or so.
Booths
Pazo Tizón, Extramundi, Ribeiro, Galicia, Spain, 2015
91
Another offering from the fashionable region of Galicia, Extramundi refers to the area's otherworldly nature. With the winemaker Oscar Aragón from Cillar De Silos in Ribera del Duero behind this label, expectation is high and indeed it delivers. This absolute winner is a fascinating blend of Treixadura, Albariño, Godello and Loureira, with a beautiful saline mouthfeel mixed with some apricot and peachy fruit characters. It is a stylish and sophisticated wine to enjoy with food.
2015
Pazo TizónRibeiro
Bodega Colomé, Torrontés, Salta, Argentina, 2016
91
Founded in 1831 and bought by Donald Hess in 2001, this is not only Argentina's oldest winery but also the owner of some exceptional high altitude vineyards - in fact the highest in the world at 3,111 metres above sea level. This wine is made from grapes grown at 1,700 metres, which lends a tangy and refreshing aroma with bright floral notes mixed with citrus and spice. This aromatic white is an absolutely cracker, more refreshing and vibrant than a Gewürztraminer and making it ideal as an aperitif or to pair with Asian food.
2016
Bodega Colomé
Booths, Finest Reserve Port, Port, Douro Valley, Portugal
91
You may wonder why a Port is featured here in September, but Port is just not for Christmas, especially when it is a lighter style such as this one and full of deliciously ripe cherry and macerated strawberry aromas. It has a very refreshing palate and is surprisingly light and easy drinking, with a smooth texture, pure and concentrated black fruit, and a nice spicy finish. This is made exclusively for Booths by a small family house, Quinta de la Rosa, and comes in a very smart 50cl bottle. One to enjoy with blue cheese or even dark chocolate.
BoothsPort
Booths, Gran Norte, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2011
89
Textbook Rioja with a sweet strawberry scent and vanilla and spice notes. Medium bodied and very smooth on the palate, it has a ripe and juicy fruit character. This is an elegant style of Rioja, very approachable and easy drinking.
2011
BoothsRioja
Alma de Blanco, Godello, Monterrei, Galicia, Spain, 2016
89
Located in Galicia on the Atlantic coast bordering Portugal, this is full of peachy flavours and a crisp apple aroma. The palate is refreshing, with a creamy mouthfeel and weighty finish. Enjoyable, perfect with snacks.
2016
Alma de BlancoMonterrei