When I first took an interest in wine in the late 1990s, I had just finished university and consequently my budget was minuscule. Even so, I hoped that, by the age I am now (late 40s), I’d be drinking Château Latour at least a couple of times a year. Sadly, my pay never kept pace with the increasing cost of the best wines.
Actually, it’s much worse than that: many wines I used to enjoy regularly in my 20s are now prohibitively expensive and, with two young children in tow, I can’t really justify spending more than £20 on a bottle unless it’s for a very special occasion. But this isn’t a woe-is-me column (or not just a woe-is-me column), because my lack of funds combined with my keen interest in wine means that I have become rather good at finding bottles that offer a taste of first class at Ryanair prices. These might be from up-and-coming regions that haven’t yet been discovered, or cheaper wines from well-known producers, or that, for some baffling reason, just aren’t very expensive.
A case in point is Tahbilk Marsanne from Victoria, an Australian classic that has been produced since the 1950s. Though made mainly from marsanne, a Rhône variety, it was originally sold as chablis and, when drunk young, it has an undoubtedly crisp and not entirely un-chablis-like quality. Keep it for a few years, however, and it starts to burst with exotic honeysuckle, vanilla and almond flavours. For those without patience or a proper cellar – so most of us, then – Tahbilk also offers what it calls “museum releases”. Strictly Wine currently has the excellent 2017 for an absurd £16.79, which is just beginning to develop that marsanne magic, especially after a couple of days open in the fridge.
Rioja is another region where you can get the unmistakable mellow taste of a long-aged wine even if you’re on a freelance writer’s pay (I promise this whole column isn’t an unsubtle attempt to get the Guardian to pay me more). I’ve picked a bargain red below, and the whites are increasingly good, too. Try Viña Real Barrel-Fermented White Rioja 2021 for £11.90 from Field & Fawcett, which, with its cooked apple and hazelnut notes, is reminiscent of white burgundy.
Other happy hunting grounds for the Poundland connoisseur are Portugal, Chile, South Africa, Spain and Lebanon, but don’t overlook our old friends the French. Outside the most famous regions such as Burgundy, the country produces an amazing array of distinctive wines, from the fragrance of beaujolais to meaty Rhône reds, and often at unbeatable prices. I’m especially keen on Languedoc reds from Faugères up in the hills above Pézenas, and Majestic has Château La Liquière Terre du Sud AOP Faugères for a ridiculous £11.99 when you buy a mixed case of six. With its heady rosemary and dark cherry aromas, it’s the next best thing to a pay rise.
Six bargain bottles for connoisseurs
Mimo Moutinho Dão 2021 £5.99, Aldi (in-store only), 13%. Dão produces hugely distinctive reds from varieties including touriga nacional. This one offers fresh, crunchy, dark fruit and a floral, spicy quality.
Asda Extra Special Marques del Norte Rioja Reserva 2019 £9, 14%. If you love the cooked strawberry, coconut and tobacco taste of traditional rioja, this is the wine for you.
Morrisons The Best Cahors Malbec 2020 £9.75, 12.5%. A proper Sunday lunch wine, with its aroma of violets and firm, leathery tannins that are crying out for a nice piece of roast beef.
Ameal Loureiro Vinho Verde 2023 £13.95 Eton Vintners, 12%. Forget the light, frothy stuff that is most vinho verde; this is serious stuff, with a pithy lime intensity that would be remarkably good with fish and chips.
Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2022 £8.99 (on mix-six, down from £13.99) Majestic, 13%. I’ve been drinking this wine for years, and it just gets better and better. This vintage delivers intense citrus on the palate, is lively and fun, and has a very creamy finish.
Joostenberg Family Blend Red 2021 £15.25 Corney & Barrow, 13.5%. A syrah-dominated South African blend that majors on fragrance and a savoury, rocky character. I couldn’t quite believe the price.