The lighter styles include a dozen wines from both the South of France and Spain, as well as wines from Portugal and Italy, two from Bordeaux and one from Chile. Wine buying manager Anna Krettmann argued these were more suited to the time of year than the more “Bordeaux-heavy” Wine Cellars that the discounter had originally focussed on in its Wine Cellar, and which played a key role in the winter and Christmas Wine Cellar events.

“People don’t want the most powerful, complex wines for a dinner or home or for lunch with friends and they are going for a more refreshing style,” she told db.

Lidl’s consultant MW Richard Bampfield added that there were some wines that were hard to find, such as an “unquestionable unusual” red Fronton, from Arborescense in the South West of France (RRP: £5.99), or the two “interesting” Chardonnay Viogniers, one from the Val de Salis in Languedoc-Rousillon, the other a Chardonnay Viognier Reserva Privada from Viajero in Chile (RRP: 4.99), as well as a sparkling Ribeiro Santo from Dão in Portugal (RRP: £8.99).

However Bampfield said his star wine from the Mediterranean Collection was a Palmela from Portugal (RRP: £4.99), a “perfumed, light wine’ made from 90% Fernão Pires, and 10% muscatel de Setúbal which was both “grapey and a bit spicy”, marking it out as a bit different to Portuguese Vinho Verdes.

“It is intriguing, but things like a Picpoul de Pinet and whites are seeing such a resurgence, and some lower alcohol wines in taste are on trend,” he said.

Read More at Source: The drinks business