Latest news with #LibbyBrodie
The Independent
21-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
14 best supermarket wines, chosen by experts and sommeliers
Whether you're after a crisp French rosé for a summer dinner party, a zesty Chardonnay to enjoy at a barbecue or a softly bubbly pét nat to try, the wine selection from supermarkets has never been better. From the viral 'chicken wine' (La Vieille Ferme Rosé) and Asda's tongue-in-cheek alternative to Whispering Angel, Screaming Devil, to Aldi's £9.99 orange wine, social media has helped democratise the wine world. 'Consumers are becoming more knowledgeable, more savvy; they can look anything up on the internet,' says Libby Brodie, wine consultant and columnist. 'Wine is a whole aisle now, as people want more variety as well as value, and supermarkets have wisely chosen to invest in their wine buyers and relationships with producers – because this is how most of us buy our wine.' This means that supermarkets are catering to more refined tastes, explains Sinead Murdoch, sommelier and co-founder at Tasca. 'Now top wine buyers are working for supermarkets, and the growing competition is raising the standard of what ends up on the shelves.' But discovering a truly great bottle at a supermarket is still tricky, so I went to the experts. From sommeliers to wine influencers, these are the best vinos from the local shops, as chosen by industry heavyweights. Meet the experts I spoke to qualified wine consultants, restaurant sommeliers, TikTok-viral influencers and wine critics to find the best bottles to sip in summer 2025. Libby Brodie is a qualified wine consultant with years of experience in the industry. She is the founder of Bacchus & Brodie Wine Consultancy, which personally curates wine selections for individuals or events. Katie Brook is a journalist with a specialism in wine and a decade of experience as a wine reviewer. She is the founder of Run To Wine - a London- and Surrey-based running club that ends its sessions with a wine tasting. Sinead Murdoch is a sommelier and co-founder of Tasca, a restaurant in London. Following a formal training, she headed up front of house at Shoreditch restaurant Bistro Freddie. She then spent time in Provence at Gallifet Art Centre, where she curated the wine list. Lucy Hitchcock is the wine enthusiast behind the @Partnerinwineuk social media account. She has nearly 100k on Instagram and 65k on TikTok, with her reviews of Aldi or M&S bottles regularly going viral.
The Independent
03-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
14 best supermarket wines, chosen by vino experts and sommeliers
Whether you're after a crisp French rosé for a summer dinner party or a zesty Chardonnay to enjoy at a barbecue, the wine selection from supermarkets has never been better. From the viral 'chicken wine' (La Vieille Ferme Rosé) and Asda's tongue-in-cheek alternative to Whispering Angel, Screaming Devil, to M&S's Pet Nat and Aldi's £9.99 orange wine, social media has helped democratise the wine world. 'Consumers are becoming more knowledgeable, more savvy; they can look anything up on the internet,' says Libby Brodie, wine consultant and columnist. 'Wine is a whole aisle now, as people want more variety as well as value, and supermarkets have wisely chosen to invest in their wine buyers and relationships with producers – because this is how most of us buy our wine.' This means that supermarkets are catering to more refined tastes, explains Sinead Murdoch, sommelier and co-founder at Tasca. 'Now top wine buyers are working for supermarkets, and the growing competition is raising the standard of what ends up on the shelves.' But discovering a truly great bottle at a supermarket is still tricky, so I went to the experts. From sommeliers to wine influencers, these are the best vinos from the local shops, as chosen by industry heavyweights. Meet the experts I spoke to qualified wine consultants, restaurant sommeliers, TikTok-viral influencers and wine critics to find the best bottles to sip in summer 2025. Libby Brodie is a qualified wine consultant with years of experience in the industry. She is the founder of Bacchus & Brodie Wine Consultancy, which personally curates wine selections for individuals or events. Katie Brook is a journalist with a specialism in wine and a decade of experience as a wine reviewer. She is the founder of Run To Wine - a London- and Surrey-based running club that ends its sessions with a wine tasting. Sinead Murdoch is a sommelier and co-founder of Tasca, a restaurant in London. Following a formal training, she headed up front of house at Shoreditch restaurant Bistro Freddie. She then spent time in Provence at Gallifet Art Centre, where she curated the wine list. Lucy Hitchcock is the wine enthusiast behind the @Partnerinwineuk social media account. She has nearly 100k on Instagram and 65k on TikTok, with her reviews of Aldi or M&S bottles regularly going viral.
