just williams

Just how worried should you be about supermarkets?

Imagine that you had a friend who would taste all the most significant wines from the multiple grocers’ autumn line-ups and then feed back an honest assessment of their quality. Well, you have, and his name is David Williams

We do the X so you don’t have to” is a surprisingly resilient bit of marketing boilerplate. In the last few days alone I’ve spotted it on the vans of a local plumbing firm (“dirty work”), an estate agent’s mailout (“leg work”) and a Stonewall initiative for improving conditions for LBGT+ people in the work place (“hard work”).

And so, in the spirit of another deathless cliché, if it ain’t broke, I’m happy to say that I too have done my bit of labour-saving labour. Over the past couple of months I’ve tasted my way through hundreds of supermarket wines to prepare the latest in my occasional series of reports on the state of play in the multiple grocers for Wine Merchant readers – and all so you don’t have to.

These pandemic years have of course been boom times for supermarket wine (and other booze) departments, just as they have for many in the independent sector. Last year saw double-digit growth in BWS sales across the grocers, although a dip of 6% for the sector in August (according to Nielsen) suggests things might be moving back towards pre-Covid levels as customers return to the on-trade. What was most interesting to me, however – as I returned to large-scale supermarket tastings after a more or less two-year hiatus in which my impression of the multiples was largely gleaned from sporadic samples – is how and in what ways their ranges have changed, both individually and as a sector. What follows then are a few headline developments which I feel may be of particular relevance to independent merchants – the shifts in emphasis and focus that in ways both good and bad will impact your business and shared customers the most.

Finding the Found and the Loved & Found The needle on my bullshitometer flips deep into red whenever I hear supermarkets trumpeting unusual, or off-the-beatentrack wines. It’s not that the wines themselves are bad necessarily (although they may be). It’s more that my innate cynicism about supermarket margins and buying practices suggests that wine quality probably came second to price. I’m always suspicious that the supermarket in question is making a marketing virtue out of buying necessity, passing off a slightly random set of purchases made on the spot market as a coherent ranging strategy.

That remains my default setting whenever I find myself browsing the wine aisle at Lidl, which has always seemed to me to be a reactive rather than proactive wine seller, finding the cheapest parcels and adapting its range accordingly (albeit with some occasionally excellent results), rather than seeking out wines to fit a preexisting slot.

The needle was twitching, too, when I noticed that both Marks & Spencer and Waitrose had introduced very similar ranges – in terms of name, price and concept – last year. But the quality of the wines in M&S’s Found and Waitrose’s Loved & Found selections presented a challenge to my cynicism.

In both cases, these are wines that deserve to be found (or rediscovered): whether it’s Chilean old-vine País (in both ranges), South African Grenache Blanc, or Gascon Gros Manseng. Varietally true, and with consistent quality, at reasonable but not stupidly, unsustainably low prices (around £7 to £9), this strikes me as being exactly what a supermarket wine range should be, offering a safe space for exploration to neophyte or cautious wine drinkers.

Waitrose No 1; Sainsbury’s still in a rut The Loved & Found range is just part of a very healthy-looking wine selection at Waitrose, which is full of good things at every price level sourced by a buying team which has very much got its mojo back. It’s clearly the market leader in the multiple grocer sector, and would challenge many indies, too.

Some way back in second, M&S has put most of its creativity into two baskets: the Found range and Classics, its similarly well packaged, clear and consistently good quality counterpart comprising betterknown wines from claret to Zinfandel. The rest of the range, however, while offering generally consistent quality, could do with a bit of a refresh.

In the chasing pack, Morrisons, led by the engagingly thoughtful head of wine operations, Mark Jarman, is in pretty good shape, with some genuinely excellent finds in its The Best own-label range (Rioja and English fizz being personal favourites), and a smattering of well-chosen brands from the new and old world alike. The Co-op’s tightly focused range is similarly full of smart choices from a reliable roster of suppliers, while Tesco, if not setting pulses racing exactly, does a pretty good job with its main priority – the Finest range – with typically reliable staples from the likes of Concha y Toro and Villa Maria.

Sainsbury’s, however, is stuck deep in the same mediocre rut it’s been in for some time now, its sole focus the rather ordinary Taste the Difference range, which only occasionally comes to interesting life in southern France and Spain.

Aldi: Can discounters do “fine wine”? Besides Waitrose, the standout multiple grocer player at the moment is Aldi, which has continued to diversify its range in sometimes surprising ways. Like M&S and Waitrose, it has added a line of genuinely good unusual bottlings sourced from Lebanon, Greece, Canada, Bulgaria, Switzerland and China.

Also of interest for independents is the company’s new “super-premium” line. The range’s name, Winemaster’s Lot, may sound like a title for a slightly naff fantasy film or board game, but the wines themselves, while small in number (10), are actually pretty good.

It may well be that you have better white Burgundy and Nebbiolo than Aldi’s Mont de Sène Chassagne-Montachet 2019, or Winemaster’s Lot Barbaresco 2018, on your shelves. But don’t be surprised if some of your customers aren’t using the Aldi price tags (£34.99 and £17.99 respectively) as benchmarks for both styles this Christmas.

“Our intrepid buyers discovered this winery during an internet trawl of the spot market”

WHY PORT IS GOING DOWN A STORM

Port has been booming in recent years, even in the summer. “One of the reasons, we believe, is that it is seen as a comforting drink and, when everyone was isolated and alone, it reminded them of family and times with friends.”

That’s the view of Anthony Symington, part of the famous Anglo-Portuguese port dynasty who is now brand manager for port and Douro wines at Fells, the UK distributor owned by the family.

“It was great that people rediscovered port and seemed to continue drinking it. As we can see from our sales, we had a record year last year and it’s continuing as people are buying port more regularly and out of the traditional drinking time, which is fantastic for us.”

Symington Family Estates incorporates Graham’s (its favoured house for independents) as well as Warre’s, Dow’s and Cockburn’s.

“They are run as individual companies within Symingtons. They have their own style that has been developed over many years.

“Graham’s is more of an opulent, rich, sweeter style of port with a lovely minty eucalyptus note in the finish. Dow’s is historically slightly drier with a long, spicy peppery finish and then Warre’s is more elegant and fresher in style. We see ourselves as custodians of these great houses.”

INTO THE FIFTH GENERATION

Symington Family Estates is now on to its fifth generation. “We have strict rules in our family,” explains Anthony. “One is that you have to retire when you are 65. It’s a good way to ensure that there are new ideas always coming into the business.

“Likewise, you are not automatically guaranteed a role in the business just by dint of your surname. You have to go and work elsewhere for a number of years and gain experience. It might be in wine or it might be in another industry that could add benefit later on, whether that’s finance and accounting or more of a marketing role.”

Anthony’s cousins Rob, Tom, Harry, Charlotte and Vicky all have roles in the Symington business.

“We all get on incredibly well. I’ve been best man to two of my cousins – we genuinely are very close and very good friends. Growing up together in a small city like Oporto, you’ve all shared many of those formative childhood memories.

“In business we can talk to each other constructively without offending, which is key.”

A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ENVIRONMENT

The Douro is one of the hottest and driest wine regions in the world. Looking after the environment was near the top of the Symington agenda long before sustainability became such a fashionable idea.

“We are right on the edge of where agriculture is possible and far more susceptible to small changes that maybe don’t affect more temperate areas so immediately,” says Anthony Symington.

“Not only is it mountainous and almost impossible to mechanise, it is also incredibly dry. We average around 500ml of rain. Imagine feeding your houseplants with the equivalent of a pint of beer over the course of a full year; they would quickly die. So vines and olives really are two of the things that can grow in this climate.”

In the past 40 years, average Douro temperatures during the growing season have soared by 2.3˚C, already past what environmentalists would call the point of no return on a global scale.

Symington’s is an accredited B Corporation, which means it is required to maintain certain environmental and social standards. Compliance involves perhaps unexpected activities such as beach cleaning and organising groceries and medication for isolated pensioners during lockdown, but also carbon capture during fermentation.

“We are looking at capturing it and turning it into fertiliser or selling it to carbonated drinks companies,” Anthony explains. “We are working with our bottle providers to reduce the weight of the bottles and reduce the energy used in creating them, and then with our haulage partners to reduce the carbon emissions on the transport side.”

Ideas that breathe new life into the port market

In this most traditional of categories, NPD remains at the top of the Symington’s agenda

“I genuinely feel that there is a sense of excitement around port now,” says Anthony Symington.

“The value of tawny port sales has gone up by £21m in the past eight years, and that is from the aged tawnies to the new single harvest limited releases. They are small releases from a specific year, maybe just one or two casks, and they are appealing to more of a collector or a whisky drinker and getting them involved in the category.

“Port is so much more diverse than people give it credit for. Traditional reserve ruby port is what people often associate with port: dark red, fruit-forward; have it after a meal with cheese.

“Tawny is a totally different drink in terms of flavour profile. It has these lovely nutty caramel, salted toffee flavours and goes very well with anything from ice cream to crème brûlée. You serve it chilled. It’s a hand-sell to start with but 90% of people who try it love it. If you could sample a bottle in your store, I’m sure your sales would go up hugely.”

White port is also booming: Symington’s saw sales rise by 250% last summer.

“As a result of that we launched Graham’s Blend No 5, the first ever premium white port made for mixing. That has been really popular. It mixes really well with tonic, a slice of lemon and a bit of mint. It’s incredibly easy to make and it has captured people’s imaginations.

“People have gin fatigue, so it makes a nice change.”

A ruby partner has been launched in the form of Graham’s Blend No 12. “The grapes are picked at night from a high-altitude vineyard to keep them fresh, so this is a fresher style of ruby port targeted at a younger consumer and made to be mixable.

“We’re trying to inject a bit of colour, personality and excitement into the range.”

Into the valleys

Undurraga winemaker Rafael Urrejola introduces Wine Merchant readers to the TH range. These are wines that demonstrate just how varied Chile’s terroir can be, from the northern desert to the cool south, with mountain elevation or Pacific breezes also playing a key role

The TH range from Chilean producer Undurraga aims to show the regionality and diversity of the country’s winemaking areas.

The initials stand for Terroir Hunter and head of winemaking Rafael Urrejola says it’s a project that is constantly evolving as it explores new areas.

“The roots of the company are in the central areas of Chile,” he explains, “but since 2010 we have been exploring much more to the north and south, where there are more extremes of soil and climate to make more interesting wines with character, identity and sense of place.” Urrejola took Wine Merchant readers through some highlights from the portfolio during a recent Zoom event.

Chardonnay, Limarí (RRP £18.49)

“This is from one of the most northern viticultural areas in Chile, where the Atacama desert starts. The climate conditions are very special. We have a lot of light because of the desert and that’s very important for ripeness. But it’s not hot, because we get influence from the ocean because there are no mountains.

“Temperatures are quite similar to Burgundy and Champagne, which is perfect for Chardonnay, and there is a chalk component between alluvial and gravel soils which brings a lot of

texture and freshness. We work the lees a lot to get a creamy texture and to hold the acidity. “We don’t use a lot of oak. The overuse of oak was very bad for Chilean wines. We already have sweet flavours, and then you add toast and vanilla and chocolate flavours and you get a dessert feel to the wine.” Chloe Malone of Champion Wines in Chislehurst says: “It’s beautifully elegant. I love the marzipan notes on the nose – very charming.” Russell Paine at Clipper Wines in Southsea also “loved” the wine. “Great balance, and delicious on the finish” is his verdict.

Sauvignon Blanc, Central Coast, Leyda Valley (RRP £17.99)

“Leyda is eight miles from the Pacific Ocean, so it’s a very cool, humid, maritime climate. All those conditions preserve the natural flavours and acidity of the grapes. It’s like cooking slowly on a low flame rather than rushing on a high one. “The result is not a typical new world Sauvignon Blanc style with tropical flavours, but more herbal and flinty; a bit of fennel, gooseberry leaves and some tangerine – but not overripe citrus aromas.

“It’s a little bit more austere than most new world Sauvignon, but that elegance is nice because there are a lot of exuberant and upfront ones in the market.”

Syrah, Leyda (RRP £19.49)

“Leyda is a very cool climate to produce Syrah in, but because of that it’s one of our most successful wines. It’s a dry-farmed block of 3.1 hectares facing north where we can ripen maybe two clusters per vine. We produce less than one bottle per vine to be able to properly ripen the Syrah, and it’s much closer in style to a Côte-Rôtie than Syrah from other parts of Chile, or from Australia.

“It’s herbal, with lots of laurel, tarry notes, black pepper and lots of fruit strength. It’s ready to be drunk now but has good potential for ageing. Leyda gives us that because of the acidity and the structure of the tannins, which are quite firm but will soften up in the future.”

Cabernet Sauvignon, Cauquenes, Maule Valley (RRP £17.99)

Cabernet Franc, Maipo (RRP £19.49)

“We have a small vineyard in Maipo with lots of gravel soil which produces small berries and gives a nice concentration. Cabernet Franc is quite a vigorous variety but, if you can help it to produce fewer and smaller clusters and berries, you get a concentration of herbal and floral notes with nice structure and finesse. It’s not over the top; it’s balanced, elegant and drinkable. “We’re not into producing massive blockbuster wines where you have a glass and want to go for a pint because it’s impossible to drink more.

“Normally TH wines are just one variety but the Cabernet Franc has a touch of Merlot from the same vineyards to bring a little fruitiness and soften the tannins.” “Cauquenes is an area with a Mediterranean climate, granite soils and sea breezes that give some cool nights. Here we have 70-year-old vines farmed by small growers we work with. “It’s is an area where we have a lot of great success with Carignan, Grenache,

Syrah and Marsanne. But because TH is a dynamic and challenging project, we wanted to try to produce Cabernet even though we don’t have alluvial, gravel soils. We have granite soil with lots of coarse small rocks that play that role. “Maybe it doesn’t have the softness of Maipo Cabernet but it has a lot of strength from being a Cauquenes Cabernet. It’s one of the wines where we are really pushing the boundaries.” █

Carménère, Peumo, Cachapoal (RRP £19.49)

“Carménère needs warm days to ripen but cool nights to preserve the natural acidity and freshness. It also needs soil with a lot of clay that can hold its humidity until the end of the summer for the grapes to ripen. “These vines are more than 25 years old and are naturally producing lower yields, which means we get a bit more structure and complexity than you normally find with Carménère.

“It’s not the most intellectual or complex wine in the range but it’s the most popular because it’s very approachable.”

Sponsored feature

For more information about Undurraga, contact Hallgarten & Novum Wines: hnwines.co.uk Or call 01582 722538 Email sales@hnwines.co.uk