Co-Op Wine Beats U.K. Rivals Selfridges, Harrods: Richard Vines

March 2 (Bloomberg) -- An Argentine bottle of malbec that costs 5.99 pounds ($8.49) at Co-op supermarkets beat pricier wines from Harrods, Selfridges and other U.K. stores in a blind tasting of reds and whites from South America and the U.S.

David Moore, the owner of Pied a Terre restaurant in London, and head sommelier Mathieu Germond tried the wines after Bloomberg invited U.K. retailers to submit their best bottles costing less than 15 pounds. Here’s what Moore and Germond had to say, with scores out of 10 after their comments:

WHITES The Co-operative Leyda Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Chile, 2008/7.99 pounds:

David Moore: “Sauvignon blanc: It’s a really typical nose of cat’s pee and elderflower. What price is that? It has zippy fruit and little minerality. It’s easy drinking. The nose is better than the palate. It’s OK to drink at home but it’s not a restaurant wine.” Mathieu Germond: “It’s a nice classical sauvignon blanc.” 7.5/10.

Harrods Cline Viognier 2006, U.S./10.50 pounds:

DM: “That nose is a little odd. It’s closed.” MG: “It’s a viognier.” DM: “The nose is really closed. On the palate, it’s a little flabby with an oily texture and a hint of fruit. It’s creamy and fruity. There’s a bit of peach. It’s drinkable, though I don’t particularly like it.” MG: “The palate is clean. The nose is a little bit too quiet but the palate is nice.” 7/10.

Marks & Spencer Limari Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Chile, 2008/7.99 pounds:

DM: “That’s a typical New World sauvignon blanc: gooseberry, elderflower.” MG: “But very green as well, a bit overpowering.” DM: “A lot of fruit and acidity. It’s aggressive” MG: “Big acidification. That’s Marks & Spencer? I’m surprised.” 4/10.

Sainsbury Beringer Stone Cellars Chardonnay, U.S., 2007/6.99 pounds:

DM: “This is a rich color. It’s unoaked chardonnay. There’s a creaminess and I get pear. I really like that. If you said that cost 10 pounds, I wouldn’t be surprised. We’d serve that here.” MG: “That’s lovely and fresh and clean. Nice white fruit, flowers. It’s balanced. It’s a good wine.” 8.5/10.

Sainsbury Taste the Difference Chilean Sauvignon Blanc 2008/7.49 pounds:

DM: “It looks like it’s going to be richer than the previous sauvignon blancs. It’s quite aggressive on the acidity. It’s sherberty and leaves your mouth dry. Taste the Difference? It’s strange they got that so wrong.” 5/10.

Somerfield Cono Sur (Adolfo Hurtado) Viognier, Chile 2008/Cut to 4.99 pounds from 6.99 pounds until March 10:

DM: “It has that typical sauvignon blanc nose but I’m surprised by the richness of the color.” MG: “Intense candy flowers and green fruit. What is it? Viognier? No way. There’s a strawiness and richness to the color. The nose is fresh ripe fruit, which Rhone Valley viognier wouldn’t have. It’s overpowerful on the alcohol, with strong acidity. Not for me.” DM: “It’s overcooked.” 4/10.

Tesco Brook Ranch Chardonnay 2005, California/9.19 pounds:

MG: “Smells nice. On the palate, I find it a bit too obvious. It comes across as sweet on the palate. It’s creamy rich but dull when you drink it. Nothing will excite your palate with this. The Beringer was better. Nice label.” DM: “This is uninteresting.” 6/10.

Tesco/Maycas De Limari Sauvignon Blanc, Chile 2007/8.99 pounds:

DM: “This doesn’t have the aggressive acidity of the other sauvignon blancs. It’s more subtle on the nose. This would be OK for a party.” MG: “It’s fruity, creamy, with a green touch. If you don’t do sauvignon blanc perfectly, it’s hard to get a nice fruit flavor. This one is fresh. It’s a little short, but pleasant.” 7.5/10.

Waitrose Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Mendocino County, California, U.S./9.99 pounds:

MG: “It’s quiet on the nose but clean and fresh, elegant and precise. It’s sophisticated. The palate is fresh and clean. It’s very ripe, not green vegetal. Maybe a bit of barrel aging. There’s smokiness. It’s a good wine.” DM: “It’s good. We could serve this here for 30 quid or so.” 9/10.

Selfridges Mauricio Lorca Fantasia Torrontes 2008/9.99 pounds:

DM: “Lovely fragrant nose with intensity and instant appeal: violets and flowers. It’s a good food wine, especially Asian food. We’d serve this. It would be good with spicy food. MG: ‘‘It would be good with curry.” 9/10.

REDS Harrods Edmeades Mendocino County Zinfandel 2006/14.95 pounds:

DM: “The color is odd. There’s no intensity.” MG: “But you get the intensity of the oak big time. There’s cooked fruit and spices and a lot of alcohol in the mouth, but it’s sweet at the same time. The oak is massive.” DM: “It’s a poor example of zinfandel, not pleasant. I’m struggling to find anything positive to say.” 2/10.

The Co-operative Fairtrade Argentine Organic Malbec Reserve, 2007/5.99 pounds:

MG: “Nice fresh fruit and a little spicy. This is a well- made budget malbec. They didn’t try to make something too powerful. It’s beautifully balanced and soft. The people who made this aren’t trying to pretend it’s an expensive wine, but it’s good. It’s 5.99? That’s crazy. It’s good value.” DM: “I’m not spitting that out.” 9.5/10.

Tesco Brook Ranch Edna Valley Pinot Noir, California, 2006/14.99 pounds:

MG: “It’s a lovely bright red color. Very appealing. Light nose.” DM: “The nose doesn’t give much away.” MG: “It’s not showing pinot character on the palate. You start on something light and then big tannins and big acidity. Nothing pleasant for me. You get this watery attack and massive back palate. There’s no fruit. It’s 15 pounds? No. It’s a wine to make money.” DM: “There’s nothing appealing at all.” 3/10.

Marks & Spencer Los Molles Carmenere 2007/7.99 pounds:

DM: “This is a lovely color: really vibrant, with elegant fruit.” MG: “It’s a big nose, but pleasant, fresh. It’s probably bonarda or carmenere. Lovely tannins: Nice juicy palate with a dry finish and a meaty touch. It has character and structure.” DM: “It’s subtly balanced.” 8.5/10.

Sainsbury Taste the Difference Argentinian Malbec 2007/5.99 pounds:

MG: “Coffee and smoky on the palate. It’s quite short. Not exciting. I’m not sure if it’s bonarda, carmenere or malbec. It’s a big grape but made light. This isn’t bad but it’s not exciting.” DM: “If I was given a bottle of this, OK. But I wouldn’t buy a second even for half the price. If I were given two, I’d put the second in a raffle.” 5/10.

Sainsbury Ravenswood Lodi Zinfandel 2006/8.69 pounds:

MG: “A lot of spices, a lot of oak and a big structure: Big flavors, red fruits, lots of alcohol and a dry finish. Is that zinfandel?” DM: “It’s pleasant but simple. It’s disappointing.” 4.5/10.

Selfridges Bonarda Colona Las Liebres 2006/8.99 pounds:

MG: “Raspberry, cherries, lots of alcohol. I don’t think there’s any oak. Strong alcohol, fruits like Valpolicella. You feel far too much alcohol on the nose and on the palate.” DM: “Thoroughly unpleasant. The overall dryness is unfriendly. It’s not approachable or pleasant or funny. It’s a bad standup that has died on stage.” 4/10.

Somerfield Cono Sur Pinot Noir (Adolfo Hurtado) Chile 2008/ Reduced to 4.99 pounds from 6.99 pounds until March 10:

MG: “If I’m polite I’ll say it smells of the farmyard. Farmyard can be pleasant, but this is unpleasant. It’s disgusting. It’s cheap, but I wouldn’t buy it.” DM: Makes a face. 3/10.

Tesco Montes Alpha Syrah 2006 Chile/10.99 pounds:

MG: “This is a modern approach with a jammy touch. Black cherry, blackcurrant. On the palate, you get the jammy touch but it’s not overconcentrated.” DM: “It’s appealing, with nice spice, and it’s good quality. There’s an elegant balance of spice and tannins. You could lay this down for a while.” 7.5/10.

Part four of a six-part series. Next: Australia, New Zealand.

(Richard Vines is the chief food critic for Bloomberg News.)