I tasted 70 wines from Sainsbury's – here are the best (and worst)
Sainsbury's own-label Taste the Difference (TTD) range has long formed the most interesting part of the supermarket's wine aisles, regularly turning out some star buys. This season, the TTD selection has been expanded to 141 wines, a 6 per cent increase on last year, according to the retailer. Within this set sits the Discovery Collection – wines 'designed to encourage customers to try something different from their usual choices'. In other words, expect lesser-known grapes and/or surprising bottles from regions more associated with other styles. They are limited-edition releases so when they're gone, they're gone. Six new TTD Discovery Collection bottles launch on May 18 and include an Argentine fizz and a New Zealand albariño, plus two of my recommended buys (see below).
Good for Sainsbury's for pushing new styles (as, admittedly, most of the other major retailers are also doing). Its spring/summer press tasting got off to an impressive start with a particularly appealing set of light whites (as well as those tipped below, the Italian whites and French sauvignon blancs were almost all winners). I wasn't keen on many of the New World whites, with notable exceptions, and found the fizz, rosé and European reds rather hit and miss too. The New World reds fared better with a flurry of excellent bottles from Chile, Australia and South Africa and there was a decent showing of Portuguese reds.
Do watch out for the sporadic '25 per cent off six or more bottles' offers which pop up with little notice throughout the year, so you can pounce on your favourites as soon as they land.
How we tested
Susy Atkins tasted 70 Sainsbury's own-label and branded wines, including some new wines, at the retailer's spring/summer press tasting in late April 2025.
Why you can trust us
Susy is an award-winning wine and drinks writer, presenter and broadcaster who started her career at the Which? Wine Guide. She is a long-standing correspondent for The Telegraph. When not writing, she is an experienced judge and panel chair at UK wine competitions.
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