Two Tesco award-winning “In Partnership” wines: Villa Maria and Catena
Over 140 Tesco wines have been awarded gold, silver or bronze medals at this year’s International Wine & Spirits Competition and International Wine Challenge (IWC).
The wines are subject to extensive tastings by panels of expert judges. With all wine styles, including sparkling, red, white, rosé and sweet wines, picking up medals, Tesco are confident that customers can be sure to find a winning wine, whatever their taste or budget this summer.
Tesco wines picked up 103 awards from the IWC and 69 awards from the IWSC, including two golds, 26 silvers and 95 bronzes for Tesco own-brand wines.
Tesco Finest North Row Sauvignon Blanc 2021 (vegan), £13
IWC 2023 Bronze
IWSC 2023 Silver
Made in partnership with New Zealand’s Villa Maria.
They say: Tropical aromas and a fresh yet crisp palate full of orchard fruit flavours make this delicious Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc the perfect accompaniment to any summer table. From the world-famous Villa Maria estate, this wine is fermented slowly between the temperatures of 12–14°C in stainless steel tanks to maintain the delicate flavours and aromatics of the region.
I say:
14%
pale sandy yellow; exotic citrus fruits, fresh herbs, white pepper and aromatic blackcurrant leaf; fresh lemon-lime with passionfruit, pineapple, ripe stone fruits and fresh aromatic herbs; saline and complex; long, elegant and savoury.
Good.
Drinks nicely on first opening; improves with aeration and can be cellared.
Complex and food-friendly, match with smoked-salmon-and-asparagus quiche or roast pork with sage.
Tesco Finest The Trilogy Malbec 2019 (vegan), £12.00
Made in partnership with Argentina’s Catena
IWC 2023 Silver
They say: This sumptuous red boasts a nose of blueberry and vanilla with a complex oaky palate and soft finish. The juice and grapes go through three days of extensive cold maceration to extract the aromas, followed by 10 days of fermentation and a post-fermentation maceration of 24 days. The wine is then aged in French and American Oak.
I say:
13.5%
dark, inky purple; baked plums, blueberries and prunes, leathery oaky spice; stewed dark fruits, black cherries, damsons and prunes, with menthol and well-integrated, slightly drying tannins and savoury complexity. Generous-but-not-excessive extraction
Good.
Improves with aeration; already four years old and can be cellared further.
Match the dark fruit with red meat such as venison steak or bavette.
