If recent news is anything to go by, you no longer need to spend a fortune to drink the best wine in the world.
In May, Aldi’s £5.99 ($7.63) bottle of rosé was ranked among the best wines in the world. Soon after, Lidl’s £7.99 ($10.11) bottle of sparkling wine received the same award as nearly 40 top Champagnes.
UK discount site MyVoucherCodes.co.uk has examined the past five years of the two most prestigious wine competitions in the world to see where you can get the best wine for a bargain.
The company looked at Decanter’s most prestigious “Platinum – Best in Class” award at the World Wine Awards (DWWA) and the International Wine Challenge (IWC)’s trophy winners in order to produce the list.
Here are the 19 best wines you can get for under £9, ranked by price from most expensive to cheapest. The taste descriptions are the words of the winemaker.
=18. Cono Sur Reserva Especial Sauvignon Blanc, Vina Cono Sure S.A, 2013 — £9 (Tesco)
Award: 2014 IWC Chilean Sauvignon Blanc Trophy, Chilian White Trophy.
Taste: "Zesty chilli over a mineral background [to] emphasise grapefruit, lime, and lychee notes."
=18. The Ned Sauvignon Blanc, Marisco Vineyards, 2011 — £9 (Morrisons)
Award: 2012 DWWA International Trophy: Sauvignon Blanc under £10.
Taste: "This classic tropical tinged, citrus based aromatic theme drives a palate that is crisp and fruit focused whilst bright acid edges add length, structure and an overall sense of liveliness."
17. Russian Jack Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough Vineyard, 2016 — £8.99 (Majestic Wine Warehouse)
Award: 2017 DWWA Platinum - Best in Show: Best Value Sauvignon.
Taste: "Intense and concentrated, offering a backbone of gooseberry and passion fruit flavours supported by aromas of lime blossom and elderflower. Incisive citrus acidity provides a clean finish. Drink with spicy oriental salads."
16. Pecorino Colline Pescaresti, Trabocchetto, Talamonti, 2012 — £8.85 (Carlo Lotti)
Award: 2013 IWC Pecorino Trophy.
Taste: "Nose full of orchard fruits and a hint of cinnamon. Palate vividly bright with wonderful lacy structure and tremendous concentration and follow through."
15. Blanco de Corte Torrentes-Riesling, Amalaya, 2016 — £8.39 (Liberty Wines)
Award: 2017 DWWA Platinum - Best in Show: Best Value Dry Aromatic, 2014 IWC Torrontes Trophy, Argentinean White Trophy.
Taste: "Intense gold in colour with tints of green. On the nose, this wine is intense and complex with aromas of citrus and grapefruit typical of Torrontes. Delicate and silky on the palate with great freshness and crisp acidity on the distinctly mineral finish."
14. La Vie en Rose, Chateu de Roubine, 2015 — £8.09 (Majestic)
Award: 2016 IWC Provence Rose Trophy.
Taste: "Bone dry with delicious flavours of redcurrant and strawberry and a long finish that has just a hint just a hint of fennel."
13. Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Aged 12 Years Pedro Ximenez, Williams and Humbert, NV — £8 (Sainsbury's)
Award: 2015 DWWA International Trophy: Sweet Fortified under £15.
Taste: "A brooding nose rich with dark chocolate, molasses, tar, mocha, dried fig, spice and coffee bean. Amazingly concentrated and thick, it's superbly balanced, with evolving flavours of apricot jam, orange peel and fruit cake."
12. Valmont, Grenache Blanc, Domaines Paul Mas, 2011 — £7.75 (Bablake Wines)
Award: 2012 DWWA International Trophy: White Single Varietal under £10.
Taste: "The nose is subtle but cool and attractive, with a lightly nutty quality and crisp lemon and apple fruit. A little hint of something like dried apricot comes through."
11. Morrisons Signature Valpolicella Ripasso, Veneto, Italy 2012 — £7.50 (Morrisons)
Award: 2014 DWWA International Trophy: Red Blend under £15.
Taste: "Our Signature Valpolicella Ripasso is an intense rollercoaster ride of rich, red berry flavours. It's one to take your time with to savour all its amazing aromas."
10. Chateau Jolys, 2012 — £7.09 (Ledu Wines)
Award: 2013 DWWA International Trophy: White Blend under £15.
Taste: "With an intense nose and complex, creamy palate, this southern French delight makes the perfect apéritif but is equally as great accompanied with rich flavoured dishes."
9. Fantini Sangiovese Terre di Chieti IGT, Farnese Vini Srl, 2013 — £7.05 (Atlas Wines)
Award: 2014 IWC Abruzzo Red Trophy.
Taste: "A youthful and appealing wine, garnet red in colour and quite intense on the nose with vibrant red fruit, cherries and herbal characters. On the palate, it has bright fruity notes of strawberry and morello cherry, with subtle vanilla characters from the oak-aged portion. The wine is well-balanced and medium-bodied with structured, firm tannins, fresh acidity and a long finish."
8. Portillo Malbec, Bodegas Salentein, 2011 — £6.21 (Best wines in NY)
Award: 2012 DWWA International Trophy: Red Single Varietal under £10.
Taste (of the 2014 bottle): "An intense red-purple colour, with an equally intense nose of plum and bramble. Round and fulsome on the palate, delivering a swathe of ripe, fresh black fruit held together by lush tannins."
7. Domain Lassarre, Cave de Gan Jurancon, 2014 — £6 (Co-op)
Award: 2016 IWC Platinum - Best in Show: Best Sweet under £15.
Taste: "From the foothills of the Pyrenees this is a delicious dessert wine that is lighter and fresher than a heavier Sauternes."
6. Fino, La Ina, NV — £5.47 (Decantalo)
Award: 2014 DWWA International Trophy: Dry Fortified under £15.
Taste: "Dry on the palate, with toasted notes from its ageing. Intense and clean with a touch of salt. Long, expressive and eloquent. A persistent, pleasant, somewhat bitter but fabulous finish."
5. La Moneda Reserva Mabec, Asda. 2015 — £5 (Asda)
Award: 2016 IWC Platinum - Best in Show: Best Red Single-Varietal under £15.
Taste: "This Malbec has a deep purple colour with violet tints, rounded and velvety tannins, complex plum, fig, spice flavours and excellent length."
4. Bobal Icon, Pagos De Familia Vega Tolosa — £4.91 (Uvinim)
Award: 2017 IWC Manchuela Bobal Trophy.
Taste: "The Bobal Icon 2014 finds an excellent companion in dishes like jamon iberico and semi-cured cheese."
3. Quinta de Linhares Loureiro, Agri-Roncao Vinicola, 2014 — £4.59 (Uvinum)
Award: 2015 IWC Vinho Verde Trophy.
Taste: "Pretty lime and floral, with just a hint of turpentine on the nose, followed by chalky grip an length on the palate. Rich, textural with amazing concentration."
2. Finca Luzon, Bodegas Luzon, 2016 — £4.33 (Decantalo)
Award: 2017 IWC Jumilla Trophy.
Taste: "This wine combines the strong personality of the Monastrell grape, the most widely used variety at the winery, with the elegant fruitiness of Syrah."
1. Muralhas de Monacao, Adegas Coopertativa Regional de Monacao, 2016 — £3.30 (Vinha)
Award: 2017 IWC Vinho Verde Trophy, Portuguese White Trophy.
Taste: "Well-balanced, steady, smooth, and dry flavour."