Discovering the best wines at Asda at the supermarket’s recent tasting made for a fascinating afternoon. Generally, Asda is renowned as a big supermarket majoring on value for money via a large cross-section of wines, sitting somewhere in the mid-zone between entry-level and premium on the high street.
The 140-bottle selection was largely seasonally focused, with white and sparkling wine dominant, along with a sizable, revamped rosé offering. Providing more of the pink is clearly a focus this summer for Asda and it’s available in almost all shades, forms and guises. There were 19 expressions available to taste on the day, showing there is a rosé at Asda for most occasions and preferences.
While there were few truly big thrills, the best wines at Asda deliver impressive value for money
The biggest news, however, is the revitalised own-label sub-range of Asda’s The Wine Atlas, which consists of six expressions covering a range of uncommon grape varieties and regions. Vividly labelled with a fun and contemporary style, Mediterranean influence is the theme, and all wines deliver good value for money while introducing consumers to varieties and regions well outside of the mainstream. It’s a strategic move to be applauded, and one which I imagine will involve tweaks and additions over the coming years. The affordable price points of the currently small but diverse range encourages adventure and the slick colourful branding makes Asda’s The Wine Atlas feel less like supermarket own-label than some of the other supermarket’s in-house ranges. The Wine Atlas is a genuinely independent small-scale array of the more weird and wonderful grapes within the vinous universe – it’s worth trying the next time you find yourself in a branch and fancy trying something new without breaking the bank.
Outside of The Wine Atlas range, the Asda own-label and exclusive products are solid, and tick boxes for typicity and, once again, value for money. While there are few truly big thrills to be had from the range, the wines deliver impressive value for money, with price points falling below the average for similar wines on the high street.
There seems to be great excitement, ambition and enthusiasm amongst the wine team at Asda. I’m pretty sure that the portfolio will grow in strength, depth and quality in years to come. For the moment, however, here are 12 of the best wines at Asda today.
What are the IWSC Drinks Supermarket of the Year Awards?
The IWSC Drinks Supermarket of the Year Awards were introduced to provide consumers with an in-depth evaluation of supermarkets’ alcoholic beverage offerings, inclusive of non-alcoholic alternatives. A panel of judges spend months evaluating the biggest UK retailers. Attending supermarket tastings forms part of this process, offering judges the chance to taste many of the wines available in-store and see how buyers are responding to trends and consumer demand.
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12 of the best wines at Asda in 2024
