Our guide to the best Waitrose wines should help you make the most of a shopping trip, saving you time and energy in the drinks aisle by sending you straight to the top bottles. Waitrose has built a reputation as a supermarket with one of the best wine selections in the UK and Waitrose Cellar, its online shop dedicated to wine and spirits, provides an extra dimension to its offering. Here you can find a range of ‘Cellar exclusives’ and special-occasion wines that certainly rewards exploration: there are some real gems to be found.
With over 50 new launches on show at 2024’s spring tasting, there were plenty of exciting drinks to discover, many of which deserve to be sought out and added to the wine rack over the coming summer months. As well as some impressive new wines from familiar grapes and producers, there were also some great value bottles that may represent new discoveries for many drinkers.
A highlight of the current selection at Waitrose is the Loved & Found range, which showcases lesser-known grape varieties and has been refreshed with a number of new, limited volume parcels. The new parcels include such rarely encountered varietals as a Gelber Muskateller from Austria, a Cerceal from the Dão region in Portugal and an organic Susumaniello rosé from Puglia in Italy. Quality was consistently good across the range and, with retail prices all sitting under £10, Loved & Found certainly offers a great way for wine enthusiasts to try new and unusual grape varieties without taking a risk on a hefty price tag. Eco-conscious drinkers will also be pleased to note that Loved & Found wines are now presented without capsules – a conscious move by the Waitrose team to reduce excess packaging.
The Spanish wine range has also been reinvigorated with several truly excellent new additions that represent some of the best wines at Waitrose. As nearly 60% of all Spanish wine production is red, whites from this country can sometimes be overlooked. It was therefore gratifying to see Spanish white given such overt and well-deserved attention: three new white wines have been launched into the Spanish range, including an organic Garnatxa Blanca and two Albariños from CVNE’s Bodegas La Val. Two of these whites are parcel purchases, so they’re worth seeking out while stocks last. A highly accomplished 2016 Gran Reserva Rioja from Viña Arana was the final new Spanish wine on taste and it’s certainly a showstopper – a hallmark example of the traditional Rioja style.
The Spanish wine range at Waitrose has also been reinvigorated with several truly excellent new additions
New online exclusives for Waitrose Cellar in spring this year include fantastic wines from such prestigious producers as Laurent Perrier, Louis Guntrum and Yalumba, as well as a deliciously moreish Austrian sweet wine produced by Feiler-Artinger. The latter sits under the ‘On the QT’ range – a name worth remembering, as this Cellar-only brand is reserved for rare, one-off batches of wine that invariably offer interest and excitement for a wine lover.
Overall, Waitrose’s new spring launches have a lot to offer anyone looking to liven up their wine rack with new discoveries – there are rarely seen varietals at enticing, accessible prices, a selection of truly top-notch Spanish wines and a raft of excellent Cellar exclusives. The bottles below represent 10 of the best wines at Waitrose in 2024.
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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10 of the best wines at Waitrose in 2024
