Award-winning Aldi, Co-op, Asda, Sainsbury's and Tesco wines
Shoppers can find some of the world's best wines in their local supermarket, according to the results of the 2025 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC).
From a £7 Portuguese red to a £22 vintage Champagne, UK supermarkets picked up dozens of top medals for their own-brand bottles, with wines from Aldi, Tesco, Sainsbury's, M&S, Co-op, Asda and Waitrose going head-to-head with fine wine producers from around the globe.
In one of the most competitive judging seasons yet, wines from major UK grocers earned Gold, Silver and Bronze medals across every style, from English sparkling to Barolo, Rioja, and Sauternes – many at everyday prices.
@uktoday_ Are there benefits to drinking red wine? I happily found out. 🍷 #uknews #redwine #winetimе #uknewsheadlines ♬ original sound - UKToday 🇬🇧 Newsquest
Top medal winners from the IWSC 2025
Pop these award-winners in your trolley this weekend
Aldi Animus Douro Reserva 2022 – Silver (94 points), £6.99
A full-bodied Portuguese red, praised for its richness and structure. One of the best-value medallists of the year.
Asda Extra Special Rioja Reserva 2019 – Silver (94 points), £8
Classic vanilla, spice, and red fruit Rioja profile, praised for structure and ageing potential.
M&S Collection Picpoul de Pinet 2023 – Silver (91 points), £9
A crisp, coastal white from the Languedoc – ideal summer drinking.
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference English Bacchus 2023 – Silver (92 points), £9.50
A fresh, zesty white made in England, earning high praise in a competitive aromatic white category.
Tesco Finest Sauternes (37.5cl) – Gold (92 points), £12
A classic French dessert wine, offering luscious, honeyed fruit for under half the price of château equivalents.
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Barolo 2019 – Silver (90 points), £14
An accessible expression of Italy's king of wines, delivering dark cherry and rose petal notes.
Co-op Les Pionniers Vintage Champagne 2013 – Gold (95 points), £22
The only supermarket Champagne to win Gold. A standout vintage with complex brioche and citrus notes.
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2022 – Gold (95 points), £16
A bold southern Rhône red made in partnership with top estates, described by judges as 'impressively elegant.'
M&S Collection Saint Gall Premier Cru Champagne NV – Gold (95 points), £28
Elegant, chalky, and finely textured – made in partnership with a historic grower in Épernay.
Waitrose No.1 English Sparkling Brut NV – Silver (91 points), £22.99
One of the UK's most awarded sparkling wines, holding its own against Champagne.
David Kermode, IWSC judge and broadcaster, says: "These results are a wake-up call for anyone who still associates great wine with high prices.
"The best supermarket own-label ranges are now being made by some of the most respected producers in the world and the blind tasting at IWSC proves just how well they perform."
Christelle Guibert, CEO of the IWSC, added: "At the IWSC, every wine is judged blind by a panel of experts from across the globe. What makes this year especially exciting is the number of affordable supermarket wines standing out alongside premium bottles. It's proof that great winemaking doesn't have to come with a luxury price tag."
The International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) is widely regarded as the gold standard for wine and spirit quality.
With entries judged blind by Masters of Wine, sommeliers, buyers and producers, its rigorous methodology ensures medals are awarded purely on taste and quality – with judges never seeing the bottle or label, eliminating all bias or visual influence.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
14 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
British man survives Gatwick-bound Ahmedabad plane crash
The Hindustan Times said 40-year-old British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh survived the crash, telling the newspaper: 'Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.' A video of the crash circulating online showed the aircraft flying over a residential area before disappearing behind trees, followed by a huge explosion and large plumes of black smoke. The public should be prepared for a significant loss of British lives, Downing Street said. Images of the aftermath of the crash showed parts of the plane embedded into BJ Medical College as firefighters continued to tackle the smoke. Pieces of the aircraft's landing gear, fuselage and tail could all be seen protruding from the building. Officials said the flight was departing from Ahmedabad Airport with 242 people on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Air India said on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals. We are deeply anguished by the tragic event involving Air India Flight 171. No words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones, and with those who have been injured. Tata Group will… — Tata Group (@TataCompanies) June 12, 2025 Tata Group, the parent company of Air India, said it would provide 10 million rupees (around £86,000) to the families of those who were killed in the crash. The company said it would also cover the medical costs of those injured and provide support in the 'building up' of the medical college the plane crashed into. Divyansh Singh, vice president of the Federation of All India Medical Association, told AP at least five medical students had been killed and around 50 were injured after the plane collided with the college. Campbell Wilson, the chief executive of Air India, expressed his 'deep sorrow' after the incident, adding: 'This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones.' (PA Graphics) UK officials are being deployed to India to support the investigation, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said. The King said he was 'desperately shocked' by the incident and Buckingham Palace said he was being kept updated on the developing situation. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the crash was 'devastating', while his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi said it was 'heartbreaking beyond words'. Asked if people should prepare for a significant loss of life, a Downing Street spokesman told reporters: 'Yes. 'As the PM said this morning, the scenes emerging of the London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city at Ahmedabad are devastating. 'Clearly this is a deeply distressing time for families. The situation is still unfolding.' Air India chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran described the incident as a 'tragic accident' and a 'devastating event', and said emergency response teams are at the site. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has stood up a crisis team in India and the UK, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. Search and rescue teams attended the scene in Ahmedabad (Ajit Solanki/AP) The Reuters news agency reported 217 adults and 11 children were on board the flight. Gatwick said a reception centre was being set up for relatives of passengers on board the Air India flight. It is the first crash involving a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. Flightradar24 said flight tracking data shows after taking off, the plane reached a maximum altitude of 625ft, which is about 425ft above the airport. It then started to descend at a rate of 475 feet per minute. A message from His Majesty The King following this morning's tragic incident in Ahmedabad. — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) June 12, 2025 Air India was acquired by Tata Group from the Indian government in January 2022 after racking up billions of pounds of losses. The airline's UK operations are at Birmingham, Gatwick and Heathrow, with routes to a number of Indian cities such as Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. It started operating flights to Gatwick in March 2023, with 12 weekly departures and five weekly departures to Ahmedabad. Gatwick said there was no impact on wider flight operations at the airport, but a Thursday evening flight to Goa had been cancelled. Recent analysis by the PA news agency found it was the worst airline for delays to flights from UK airports last year, with planes taking off by an average of more than 45 minutes later than scheduled. The Reuters news agency reported 217 adults and 11 children were on board the flight (Ajit Solanki/AP) The airline has gained a poor reputation for delays and cancellations in recent years, partly caused by a lack of funds to purchase spare aircraft parts, which led to some of its fleet being grounded. The first flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft involved in the crash was in December 2013. The plane was delivered to Air India during the following month. The FCDO said any British nationals requiring consular assistance, or who have concerns about family or friends, should call 020 7008 5000.
Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Owners of Air India reveal the amount they will pay families of plane crash victims
The owners of Air India have revealed how much they will pay the families for each person who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash tragedy. Tata Sons, which owns Air India, will offer around £86,000 - or 10 million rupees - to the families of those who were killed after the Boeing 787 plane destined for London Gatwick crashed just minutes after take off. Authorities previously said they feared all of the 242 people onboard, made up of passengers and crew, had died after the plane crash-landed and burst into flames after smashing into offices and a doctors' hostel. But miraculous footage has since emerged of one survivor, believed to be British, named as 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, walking away from the wreckage. So far, rescue teams supported by the military have recovered 204 bodies, with casualties from the plane and the area surrounding the crash. The passengers included 159 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and a Canadian. Eleven of those on board were children, including two newborns. In total there were 130 passengers, two pilots and ten crew members on the plane. Aviation experts say that Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, may have suddenly lost power 'at the most critical phase of flight' after takeoff. The possible causes are believed to include a rapid change in wind or a bird strike leading to a double engine stall. A video posted to social media appeared to show the plane descending in a controlled manner with a high nose angle and landing gear deployed Some six hours after the crash Tata Group, the parent company of Air India, said it would also cover the medical costs of those injured and provide support in the 'building up' of the medical college the plane crashed into. In a statement a spokesperson said: 'We are deeply anguished by the tragic event involving Air India Flight 171. 'No words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones, and with those who have been injured. 'Tata Group will provide ₹1 crore to the families of each person who has lost their life in this tragedy. We will also cover the medical expenses of those injured and ensure that they receive all necessary care and support. 'Additionally, we will provide support in the building up of the B J Medical's hostel. We remain steadfast in standing with the affected families and communities during this unimaginable time.' Air India has also announced it is organising two relief flights to Ahmedabad for families of the passengers involved in the plane crash and airline staff. The airline is sending return flights from Delhi and Mumbai that will arrive at 11pm local time and depart shortly after 1am on Friday. The airline said: 'Next of kin of passengers and staff in Delhi and Mumbai wanting to travel on these flights can call our hotline on 1800 5691 444. The plane momentarily disappeared from view behind trees and buildings before a massive fireball erupted on the horizon in this horrifying clip A family member cries upon hearing the news of her brother who died when the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane crashed in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025 'Additionally, those coming in from international destinations and wanting to travel can call our hotline on +91 8062779200.' A video of the incident circulating online shows the Air India aircraft flying over a residential area before crashing, creating what appears to be a huge fireball followed by large plumes of black smoke. The nose of the plane was up as it descended rapidly, and its landing gear appeared to be deployed. Images of the aftermath of the crash showed parts of the plane embedded into a residential building as firefighters continued to tackle the smoke. Pieces of the aircraft's landing gear, fuselage and tail could all be seen protruding from the building. Officials now face the challenging task of recovering the aircraft's black box and piecing together what happened in the moments before the crash. The King said he was 'desperately shocked' by the incident and Buckingham Palace said he was being kept updated on the developing situation. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the crash was 'devastating', while his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi said it was 'heartbreaking beyond words'. Air India chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran described the incident as a 'tragic accident' and a 'devastating event', and said emergency response teams are at the site. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has stood up a crisis team in India and the UK, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. The Reuters news agency reported 217 adults and 11 children were on board the flight. So far only one survivor has been identified, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh who was seated in seat 11A. The passenger, who was in his seat when the plane came down in a residential area, recalled: 'Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.' 'When I got up, there were bodies all around me,' he told local media. 'I was scared. I stood up and ran. 'There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital.' Mr Ramesh, who has lived in London for 20 years, said his brother was seated in a different aisle on the same flight. Astonishing footage showed the passenger walking away from the scene with some visible injuries to his face. Vishwash was returning home to London after visiting family in India Authorities had said earlier they believed there were no survivors on the Gatwick-bound flight that crashed in Gujarat carrying 242 passengers, including 53 Britons Police said they had found a lone survivor who had been sitting in seat 11A when Flight 171 crashed shortly after takeoff in India this morning Gatwick said a reception centre was being set up for relatives of passengers on board the Air India flight. The Boeing jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport in Gujarat at around 1:40pm (0810 GMT), officials said. India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation said the plane sent a mayday call moments before the tragedy unfolded. Ahmedabad, the main city of India's Gujarat state, is home to around eight million people, and the busy airport is surrounded by densely packed residential areas. 'When we reached the spot there were several bodies lying around and firefighters were dousing the flames,' resident Poonam Patni said. 'Many of the bodies were burned,' she added. 'Our office is near the building where the plane crashed. We saw people from the building jumping from the second and third floor to save themselves. The plane was in flames,' said one resident, who declined to be named. It is the first crash involving a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. Flightradar24 said flight tracking data shows after taking off, the plane reached a maximum altitude of 625ft, which is about 425ft above the airport. It then started to descend at a rate of 475 feet per minute. Air India was acquired by Tata Group from the Indian government in January 2022 after racking up billions of pounds of losses. The airline's UK operations are at Birmingham, Gatwick and Heathrow, with routes to a number of Indian cities such as Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. It started operating flights to Gatwick in March 2023, with 12 weekly departures and five weekly departures to Ahmedabad. Gatwick said there was no impact on wider flight operations at the airport, but a Thursday evening flight to Goa had been cancelled. Recent analysis by the PA news agency found it was the worst airline for delays to flights from UK airports last year, with planes taking off by an average of more than 45 minutes later than scheduled. The airline has gained a poor reputation for delays and cancellations in recent years, partly caused by a lack of funds to purchase spare aircraft parts, which led to some of its fleet being grounded. The first flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft involved in the crash was in December 2013. The plane was delivered to Air India during the following month.
NBC News
2 hours ago
- NBC News
Starbucks' CEO looks to snap sales slump with prices and protein
Despite price pressures from tariffs and an extended sales slump, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said he is optimistic the company is on the comeback trail. 'I'm genuinely excited about the opportunity for our company,' Niccol told NBC News' Hallie Jackson in an exclusive interview. Niccol is known as a turnaround expert, given his experience running Chipotle, which thrived under his watch. He's looking to replicate that success at Starbucks, the biggest coffee company in the world with 32,000 locations and $36 billion in annual revenue as of the last fiscal year. Competition from the likes of Dunkin', McDonald's and Dutch Bros. has taken a toll on Starbucks, as has consumers' weariness of stubborn inflation and rising prices. The company's same-store sales have fallen for five straight quarters, and it announced in April that its profit was cut in half compared to a year earlier. Since taking over in September, though, Niccol has rolled out changes to Starbucks' business model — cutting 30% of its menu, requiring customers buy a menu item to sit in its stores and introducing a new 'green apron' service model which uses an algorithm to help baristas sequence orders. Starbucks' stock is on the upswing since the company's lackluster earnings report in late April. Its growth this year has outpaced gains in the broad S&P 500 stock index. Niccol pinned the company's recent struggles on a lack of focus on customers' experience. 'We veered away from, I think, owning the idea of the third place, the coffeehouse experience, making sure that the customer was front and center,' Niccol said. Prices are a big part of his proposition to customers, as well. 'That was our commitment. For this fiscal year we're not moving on prices. What I can't commit to is where the future goes,' Niccol said. Starbucks' fiscal year concludes at the end of September. 'But what I definitely can commit to,' he added, 'is we're gonna give people a great experience so that what you get for what they pay, they feel like they got a great value.' Starbucks is introducing some targeted new products, including a new protein vanilla latte this week in select stores. There's also a chance, according to Niccol, that Starbucks may roll out trendy mushroom-infused coffees in future. Niccol acknowledged the company will continue to deal with external challenges — especially from Washington. President Donald Trump's uniform 10% tariff on all imports will likely raise the cost of Starbucks' raw coffee beans, which Niccol said 'frankly cannot be grown in the United States.' But Niccol is confident Starbucks can withstand any additional costs. 'The thing that's great about Starbucks is we're a global company. We're an iconic brand,' Niccol said. 'We have the flexibility and scale to navigate wherever these policy changes go.'
