Be honest, who doesn’t want a deliciously crisp, cold glass of wine on hand to see you through this summer heatwave? Luckily, there are some absolute bargains to be had at supermarkets across the UK, so you needn’t go without.
Sainsbury’s has outdone itself with another seasonal selection of fresh, crisp and easy-drinking wines suited to long, lazy weekends, relaxed get-togethers and summer celebrations – think expressive rosés, crisp, dry whites and (yes, really) chillable reds.
There’s even a handful of bargain bubbles that deliver on both taste and price, including a debut for Sainsbury’s first Pet Nat.
If you often find yourself staring bewildered down the supermarket wine aisle, only to eventually reach for your tried-and-tested favourite, then read on, because I’ve tasted the best wines to drink during a heatwave, so you can too.
Whether you’re having a summer picnic, hosting friends for a barbecue or relaxing in the garden with a bottle on ice, there is a sessionable summer wine here with your name on it.
Read more: 10 best whiskies for 2026, handpicked by an expert
Best Sainsbury's wines at a glance
Best overall – Sainsbury's Fronton Négrette Rose 2025: £8.75, Sainsburys.co.uk
Best Champagne – Sainsbury's Blanc de Noirs Brut Champagne NV: £26, Sainsburys.co.uk
Best Provence rosé – Queen Côtes de Provence Rosé 2025: £18, Sainsburys.co.uk
Best Sauvignon Blanc – Sainsbury's Coolwater Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2025: £10, Sainsburys.co.uk
Best chilled red – Sainsbury's Frappato Terre Siciliane 2025: £9, Sainsburys.co.uk
How I chose the best Sainsbury’s wines
All wines were chilled before tasting, with only one bottle removed from the fridge at a time to ensure they remained cool. I nosed and tasted from an elegant white wine glass that’s also designed for sparkling wines and chilled reds, to maximise the aromatics on the nose.
The glass was rinsed between samples with only water to cleanse my palate as well. After nosing and tasting, all samples were spat to avoid intoxication affecting my judgement – this is the standard for all wine and spirit tasting competitions.
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Fronton Négrette Rose 2025
★★★★☆
Best for: A summer aperitif or paired with cured meats
What we love: Intense aroma of strawberries and raspberries, and a bargain price.
Take note: Despite the intense fruit, it’s still a dry rosé.
If you like your rosés light, dry but dripping with red fruit, run to Sainsbury’s for this Négrette rosé from its Taste the Difference range. On first nose, you might think you’ve plunged your face into a bowl of overripe strawberries and raspberries – that’s the secret power of Négrette, a highly aromatic and fruity red grape that’s low in tannin and acid, making it perfect for producing rosés. Those berries, combined with citrus, liquorice and a mineral earthiness, make this an impressive summer rosé. It’s an absolute bargain, too.
Buy now £8.75, Sainsburys.com
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Discovery Gemischter Satz 2025
★★★★☆
Best for: Pairing with barbecued chicken
What we love: Its unusual field blend of grapes, aromatic and fresh with great body.
Take note: It’s something a little different.
Gemischter Satz is an unusual Austrian style of wine made from a field blend of grapes that are planted, harvested and fermented together. This particular bottle is a new addition to Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range, comprised of Grüner Veltliner, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc. These grapes deliver sweet, floral aromas of honeysuckle and orange blossom, alongside more rounded flavours of fresh fruits, blood orange, green apple and toasted nuts. It’s a delight; delicious paired with barbecued chicken and salads.
Buy now £10.00, Sainsburys.co.uk
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Coolwater Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2025
★★★☆☆
Best for: Die-hard fans of NZ Sauvignon Blanc
What we love: Full-flavoured Sauvignon Blanc, and its female winemaker, Natalie Christensen.
Take note: It’s produced by the popular Yealand Estate.
There’s nothing more soothing than a crisp glass of Savvy B to stave off the heat, and this Taste the Difference Coolwater Bay 2025 vintage is just the tonic. Vibrant and tropical with notes of fresh pineapple, ripe peaches and limes with a minerality reflective of its maritime climate, this is a fresh, clean and mouthwatering wine you’ll want to stock up on. Sip it alongside cubes of Manchego and peach slices.
Buy now £10.00, Sainsburys.com
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Crémant de Loire NV
★★★★★
Best for: Summer celebrations
What we love: Excellent value for money and beautiful, balanced flavours.
Take note: There are eight Crémant appellations to choose from.
If you’re after a Champagne dupe that offers fantastic value, seek out Crémant, which is made using the same ‘méthode traditionelle’ but outside the region of Champagne and with different grape varieties. This stunner in Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range is from the Loire and produced from a blend of 85 per cent Chenin and 15 per cent Chardonnay, with the wine aged on lees for twice the appellation minimum for additional complexity and elegance. Expect to find Crémant de Loire’s signature lemon and quince flavours mingling with rounded biscuity notes and a beautiful creaminess. It’s a bottle worthy of a summer celebration.
Buy now £12.50, Sainsburys.com
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Blanc de Noirs Brut Champagne NV
★★★★★
Best for: Bougie summer gatherings
What we love: Suitable for summer dessert pairings, its red fruit flavours are perfect for summer.
Take note: Not a cheap sparkling wine.
Blanc de Noirs is a Champagne style made exclusively from black grapes, in this case 53 per cent Pinot Noir and 47 per cent Pinot Meunier. These grapes impart more red berry flavours, so expect to find strawberries and raspberries alongside a fresh lemony aroma carefully balanced with an indulgent toasty biscuitiness. This is a Champagne best served alongside strawberries and cream, and (despite the name) a healthy dose of summer sun.
Buy now, Sainsburys.co.uk
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Discovery Pet Nat NV
★★★☆☆
Best for: Sparkling or natural wine fans
What we love: Sainsbury’s first Pet Nat is approachable and easy-drinking for a natural wine, while being great value for a sparkling wine with depth.
Take note: It’s on the slightly sweeter side.
Sainsbury’s is having a trendy moment with the introduction of its first Pet Nat, a gently sparkling natural wine made from a blend of Chardonnay, Muscat and Ugni Blanc grapes. It sits on the sweet side of dry and vibrant, with aromatic florals, peach stone and citrus giving way to undertones of baked goods. It’s a wonderful introduction to this unique style that has hipsters in a chokehold.
Buy now £12.00, Sainsburys.co.uk
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Gavi di Gavi 2024
★★★★☆
Best for: Sipping alongside strawberries and cream
What we love: Fresh, mineralic and bright, it’s weighty without being overbearing.
Take note: Gavi de Gavi is considered the best of Gavi wine.
Italy’s Piedmont region is famous for its Gavi, with Gavi de Gavi being the cream of the crop. This 2024 vintage, a blend of 100 per cent Cortese grapes, is produced by Araldica, a cooperative founded in 1954 by the village priest. That’s probably not relevant nowadays, but if you like Sauvignon Blanc with a bit more structure, you’re going to love this: it’s fresh, bright and ripe with rounded notes of stone fruit, apricot and grapefruit, with a crisp, lemony and tart green apple finish. Perfect for summer sipping.
Buy now £13.00, Sainsburys.co.uk
Sainsbury's Queen Côtes de Provence Rosé 2025
★★★★☆
Best for: Rock ‘n’ roll fans
What we love: Full flavours of bright wild strawberries, encased in a beautiful bottle with a glass stopper.
Take note: It’s on the pricey side.
I’m usually quite sceptical about celebrity wines, but Queen’s rosé has a different Kind of Magic. It’s a classic Provence-style rosé, a blend of 70 per cent Grenache and 30 per cent Cinsault for full, ripe flavours of wild strawberries, blood orange and redcurrants. It’s a delicious, very drinkable wine, with a memorable finish and an impressive bottle. The price is a bit of a stretch – I fear you might be paying more for the name than the wine. Will it Rock You? One way to find out…
Buy now £18.00, Sainsburys.co.uk
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Discovery Frappato Terre Siciliane 2025
★★★☆☆
Best for: Serving with barbecued meats and pizza
What we love: Bright and with juicy berry flavours, it offers something a bit different to white or rosé in summer.
Take note: Not as refreshing as a chilled white, but delicious nonetheless.
Red wine? In summer? Before you run to the comments, hear me out. Some lighter styles of red wines are actually meant to be served slightly chilled, making them perfect for pairing with those summer barbecue meats. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Discovery Frappato Terre Siciliane is a fresh, vibrant, chillable red. Notes of black cherries, blackberries and pepper feature with enough acidity to balance its earthiness. Chilled reds are becoming a trend, so get ahead of the pack and try this one out.
Buy now £9.00, Sainsburys.co.uk
What are the best Sainsbury’s wines?
You’ll probably choose your wine based on the occasion, what you’re eating with it and, most importantly, personal preference. But if you’re heading to Sainsbury’s anytime soon, may I suggest you pick up a bottle of the Taste the Difference Fronton Négrette Rose 2025? It’s an absolute steal at £8.75 and a superbly aromatic strawberry field of a rosé that’s sure to win over the staunchest ‘pink wine’ critic.
Négrette is also a severely underrated grape variety, so consider this your introduction to something a bit different to your usual Provence-style bottle. Make sure to grab a punnet of strawbs and maybe some cured meats on the side to snack on.
Tested by: Becky Paskin
Becky Paskin is an award-winning drinks writer and presenter, with 20 years of experience tasting, judging and speaking about all things booze. You can find her writing about everything whisky, cocktails and wine in major publications, and regularly speaking on ITV’s Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh. She also has a weekly newsletter, Drink This, pouring drinks, bar and travel recommendations and insight.
Best rosé wine under £20, expert-chosen for summer sipping
