Lidl selling magnums of Nero d’Avola for £7.99

Discount retailer Lidl is selling magnums of Nero d’Avola for £7.99, but has had to raise the cost of the wine in Scotland to £9.75 so it complies with minimum pricing.

The supermarket is selling 1.5 litre magnums of Corte Aurelio Nero d’Avola 2017 from Sicily for just £7.99, and magnums of 2017 Chianti in traditional straw ‘fiasco’ baskets for £9.99.

Lidl describes the “sumptuous” Nero d’Avola as “Sicily’s answer to Malbec”, and “Italy’s best kept wine secret”.

“As the lighter evenings approach, the fruity tannins in Nero d’Avola make it the perfect warming tipple for spring sipping,” a spokesperson for Lidl said, suggesting grilled meats as an ideal food pairing for the juicy red.

Standard 75cl bottles of the wine cost £4.99, so buying a magnum is £2 cheaper than buying two single bottles.

The price of the Nero d’Avola is so low that Lidl had to raise it to £9.75 at its stores in Scotland so that the wine complies with minimum alcohol pricing in the country.

The cost of the Sicilian red also had to be raised in Wales ahead of the Principality bringing in its own minimum alcohol price laws into effect next month.

According to Lidl, the cherry-scented Chianti pairs well with tomato-based dishes like ragù.

Both magnums went on sale yesterday are currently available at Lidl stores across the UK while stocks last.