Best red Bordeaux wine from supermarkets for under £20, including Lidl and Aldi

Bordeaux wine is available from Lidl and Aldi supermarkets for less than £20 a bottle – and here we review the best of them

Despite the sun that’s streaming in the window, it’s still very much winter time in Scotland. And with the cold, dark weather, comes an opportunity to try some new – or should I say old – red wine.

While I enjoy wine, and have my favourites, I don’t count myself as an expert and have, since the days of lockdown, been taking part in virtual tastings with Edinburgh company Wine Events Scotland. These online, hour-long meetings involve a bring-your-own-bottle policy and have opened my eyes to some brilliant supermarket buys and wine producing areas.

They’ve also changed my perspective on old world wine, particularly those from Bordeaux. I’ve written in the past about my love for 1990s sitcom Frasier. I put these types of wines in the camp of “something for those in the know, and with money to spend” – much like the namesake main character of this once hit TV programme, with his eccentricities, wine club and excitement over a rare bottle of Château Pétrus.

Try an old world red wine thig winter

But my journey into wine has changed these perceptions and I now find myself seeking out Bordeaux wines on my weekly shop. A favourite is now the Saint Emilion Grand Cru, £15.49, from Lidl. Based on the Merlot grape, this is a high-quality Bordeaux vintage and the name Grand Cru indicates it is better than the average Saint Emilion. Full-bodied, it is the perfect accompaniment for steak and grilled meats. The wine also went down very well at Christmas. A cheaper bottle is the Bordeaux Supérieur, £5.99. These weighty, but not too heavy, wines are ideal for cosying up with.

Master of Wine and The Scotsman wine columnist, Rose Murray Brown had this to say about Bordeaux: “The best value clarets [red Bordeaux] tend to be found in Fronsac, Cotes de Castillon, Cotes de Francs, Lalande de Pomerol and Montagne St Emilion. In these regions you will find a wealth of artisanal producers making wines with charm and character. These more affordable reds are often Merlot-dominant with rich succulent fruits and soft supple tannins.”

But it is also possible to find great value Cabernet Sauvignon blends in Cotes de Blaye, Cotes de Bourg, Medoc and Haut Medoc. She also recommends Chateau Lary Tagot, Bordeaux 2020, £7.95 from The Wine Society; Chateau Les Trois Manoirs, Medoc Cru Bourgeois 2019, £7.99 from Aldi; and Clos Fontaine, Cotes de Francs 2018, £15.99 from Raeburn Wines, Edinburgh.

Diana Thompson, from Wine Events Scotland, said: “Red Bordeaux has always, and will always, be seen as the benchmark style and has a well earned reputation for producing some incredible and age worthy wines. They do command a high price. Much of this is down to their reputation, wine-making skills, but also the price of land and the demand for these prestigious wines. For this reason and because of the classification system, which can often confuse people, they look to other regions and countries. However, there are some excellent and interesting wines to be found around and under £15 a bottle which are well worth seeking out.”

As we, slowly, come out of winter, why not try Crement, a dry white which also comes from Bordeaux? Nothing says spring or the start of summer like a glass of fizz enjoyed outside. I’m sure Frasier would approve.