Why Asda's Own Range, are extra special Wines indeed.
By Master of Wine, Christopher Burr
Updated 16/04/2025
The ASDA wine and spirit range has always been one of the most sound of the supermarkets.
There has been a move by the buying team to find good value well made wines under the "Extra Special" range, which are the most well known in the UK market and the biggest sellers.
Previously they had equally good wines, which they had discovered from little known areas and little known grape varieties. Brilliant wines for the experimental wine consumer, but I guess missing the biggest and most remunerative part of the market.
The biggest white wines selling in the UK are Sauvignon Blanc from various places, particularly New Zealand, Pinot Grigio and Gavi from northern Italy, and various Chardonnay wines from France and around the World. Spain is producing great value wines, and Rueda and Albarino are becoming well known here also.
The biggest selling red wines are Rioja, Malbec from Argentina, and Merlot from various places.
I have picked out a selection from the extensive Extra Special range which are very good and excellent value. But all the popular wines above plus a few more are also represented.
Firstly fizz. From Alsace, they have the ASDA Extra Special Extra Special Crémant d'Alsace, which is a bright, dry sparkling with a bronze IWSC medal. Although often made from any combination of of Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, this is bottle fermented like Champagne, and provides fantastic value and flavour as a result.
Their Extra Special Champagne is Louis Bernard, Vintage. A very good Champagne made by Chanoine in Rheims, with bright green apple and ripe citrus fruit, with some warm bread character. An elegant fizz.
I have selected two whites, maybe lesser known, but providing great value for quality. The first is their Extra Special Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, which is currently a bright, well made, crisp Sauvignon, without being too "grassy" or pungent.
The Loire and Touraine are the home of two of the greatest Sauvignon Blanc's, Sancerre and Pouilly Fume, but those are at least three times this price. But this Touraine wine is a good junior version of those greats.
The other white is from Northern Spain, Galicia. Asda Extra Special Albarino, from the best growing area, Rias Baixas. Perfect for all sea food and shellfish, a crisp dry white with citrussy and white flower aromas.
For reds they have an excellent Rioja Gran Reserva. Gran Reserva is only made in good vintages and spends two years in oak casks and a further three in bottle as an absolute minimum by law. So this wine has all the complexity of age and the fruit and concentration of a good vintage. ASDA's Marques Del Norte Rioja Gran Reserva is a lovely, soft, complex wine and wonderful value.
Another Spanish wine of incredible value is their Old Vine Garnacha, a baby Chateauneuf du Pape, of the same main CDP grape, and gentle fruit driven but beautifully complex wine.
This is just a small selection, but there are all the proven favourites in this Extra Special selection, well worth trying.