French fancy: Lidl release new Christmas Wine Tour collection
In stores now, the collection of Rhône wines - which forms the year's Wine Tour - start from only £5.99 and shows how the region has taken centre stage as a brilliant source of quality and value.
Although known for red wines, the Rhone region is also home to some wonderful whites including a sparkling wine, which is exclusive to Lidl.
Given that Scottish customers bought more than 50 per cent of the UK national average of one of Lidl’s premium Rhone offerings last time it was on sale, this year’s festive Wine Tour is sure to be popular.
Carefully selected by Lidl's buying team, who set out to find some hidden gems which then lead to customer savings, the collection showcases the best wines from the region at price tags that won't break the bank.
Sourced from vineyards across the Rhone, we took a trip to meet producers and find out more about the festive Wine Tour earlier this year. From this, we’ve highlighted the best buys for the season.
The jewel in the crown of the collection is sure to be the moreish Vacqueyras, AOC, 2016.
Billed as a cheaper Châteauneuf-du-Pape (as it uses grapes from the same region), it’s no wonder that this was extremely popular in Scotland when it was last in stores.
For less than a tenner, you can enjoy this full-bodied red – which is from one of the best-known wine producing villages in the Rhône Valley – with red meat dishes.
It wouldn’t be Christmas without some fizz, and luckily Lidl’s exclusive Cuvée Cesar, Clairette de Die AOP is ideal for seasonal celebration.
This wine is not usually exported out of France, and is light and fresh yet slightly sweet. As it is only 7.5 per cent alcohol – thanks to its content of un-fermented sugars - it could be the ideal bottle to toast Christmas morning with.