RETAIL BASKET WATCH – ‘Tis the Season to Shift Bottles

Price-cut promotions on wine return to all the major multiples, while soft drink savings appear most apparent on own-brand mineral water…

Price-cut promotions on wine return to all the major multiples, while soft drink savings appear most apparent on own-brand mineral water ding dong merrily on high, or rather low, if it’s prices we’re talking about. Each year the competition seems to get fiercer, the cuts get deeper and the prices lower, and this year is unlikely to be any different.

Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Blue Top NV kicks off this year’s activity with discounts of £6 in Morrisons, bringing the usual £18.99 down to £12.99 (24.10.05-01.01.06), £5 off to £13.99 in Somerfield (23.11.05-03.01.06) and Tesco (30.11.05-28.12.05), and an on-going 3 for 2 in Thresher (£12.66). Piper Heidsieck Brut NV gets the same treatment in the Co-op, where it is down from £18.99 to £13.99 (05.12.05-01.01.06). Co-op are also bringing in some winter sunshine with Jacob’s Creek Sparkling down from £7.99 to £5.99.

Meanwhile Somerfield have £1 off Sutter Home Unoaked Chardonnay and Merlot, down to £3.99. Sutter Home’s non-alcoholic Fre Chardonnay and Fre Merlot have the same discount, taking them down to £1.99 for those who are on the wagon before the season really gets underway.

Morrisons have offers across the board (all offers 14.11.05-01.01.06), from 20% or more off all Australian wines – including 35% off Nottage Hill Cab/Shiraz and Chardonnay, both down £6.49-to-£3.99, and Buckingham Estate Reserve Shiraz, down £7.99 to £4.99 – to 20% off a range of wines from New Zealand, including Nobilo, Montana and Oyster Bay, and £1 off a selection of wines from Argentina (Falling Star), Chile (35 South), and the USA (Gallo red and white).

For real Chilean fans, Budgens have a 3 for £10 deal on Chileno Chardonnay/ Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz/ Cabernet, bringing them all down from their usual price of £4.49 to a more festive £3.33 each (15.12.05-02.01.06).

There’s more multibuy activity at the Co-op, who have Banrock Station Shiraz/ Mataro and Colombard/Chardonnay on 3 for £10 (05.12.05-01.01.06), usually £4.79, and La Finca Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc (usually £3.99), and Robert’s Rock Chardonnay/Semillon and Pinotage/Pinot Noir (usually £4.49) on the same deal, while The Boulders Viognier and Petite Sirah are 2 for £7.50, usually £4.99.

Marks & Spencer have had reductions of 20% on a range of South American wines throughout November (2-29th), but over Christmas France is back in focus with their Gold Label Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon (made by Domaine Virginie) down from £4.99 to £3.99.

On the sparkling front, M&S Vintage Cava (Freixenet) is on a 2 for £12.98 deal, usually £7.99; but if it’s the real thing you’re after, they’re competing with other multiples by knocking £5 off all their own-label Champagne.

Just to complete the festive round up, their Fino Sherry (Williams Humbert) is down £1 to £4.99 and Finest Reserve Port (Taylors) is down £2 to £5.99.

In the spirit of the pre-season de-tox regime we’ve been comparing prices in the soft drinks and mineral water aisle, but as ever the most startling price difference is between Evian and own-label still mineral water.

© db December 2005