{"id":12941,"date":"2026-02-14T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/?p=12941"},"modified":"2026-02-18T21:43:31","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T21:43:31","slug":"the-most-sensational-wines-from-fortnums-harrods-and-selfridges-under-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/14\/the-most-sensational-wines-from-fortnums-harrods-and-selfridges-under-15\/","title":{"rendered":"The most \u2018sensational\u2019 wines from Fortnum\u2019s, Harrods, and Selfridges under \u00a315"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t\t\"Bottles\t<\/div>
You can push the boat out without paying a fortune (Picture: Getty Images\/fStop)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I love dining out, but going to a restaurant on Valentine\u2019s Day<\/a> reminds me of The Hunger Games<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It’s date night, on steroids. Where competing couples vie for the best dining spots to gaze into each other’s eyes. But easily the most terrifying part of the whole ordeal is the wine<\/a> list.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a face-off with a leather-bound tome the size of the Magna Carta, so it\u2019s no wonder people tend to opt for the second wine down. But be warned, it’s a trap.<\/p>\n

Certain savvy sommeliers have gone and slapped the highest margins onto the \u2018safe\u2019 wines we gravitate towards – everything from Sancerre, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, to Provence Ros\u00e9 and Chablis.<\/p>\n

According to 2026 data from the Institute of Grocery Distribution<\/a> (IGD)<\/a>, the British public has caught onto this. We\u2019re slowly realising that the \u2018Romance Tax\u2019 is alive, kicking and ready to bleed our loved-up hearts dry. <\/p>\n

That’s why more of us are opting for a \u2018big night in\u2019 over a \u2018stressed night out\u2019. In fact, IGD claims 33% of shoppers will be skipping restaurants this Valentine’s Day, <\/a>and for the first time, 59% of adults will be drinking at home on February 14, instead of heading to a bar.<\/p>\n

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\n
\n\t\t\"Happy\t<\/div>
Avoid the ‘romance tax’ on wine and drink at home this Valentine’s Day (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The best wine for a date night at home<\/h2>\n

The smart move? If you\u2019re dining at home, you can still push the boat out when it comes to wine. This is not an excuse to take your foot off the romance pedal.<\/p>\n

The likes of Fortnum & Mason, Harrods, and Selfridges sell some surprisingly decent value wines to make you feel like a billionaire on a budget.<\/p>\n

Hard to believe, I know, but these relatively thrifty bottles (all \u00a315 or less) are some of the best-kept secrets in the industry, curated by the country\u2019s most talented buying teams.<\/p>\n

And the best bit? Most of the wines I\u2019m recommending have the name of the retailer on the label, so your boat-pushing won\u2019t go unnoticed by your other half. <\/p>\n

Just make sure you don\u2019t stuff it all up with the food pairing.<\/p>\n

Here are my top picks:<\/p>\n

Fortnum\u2019s <\/a>C\u00f4tes du Rh\u00f4ne, France, \u00a312.95<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"Fortnum?s\t<\/div>
A sensational drink for under \u00a313 (Picture: Fortnum & Mason)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This comes from one of the top wine producers in Ch\u00e2teauneuf-du-Pape. They\u2019ve been making wines for Fortnum & Mason for 22 years, and this C\u00f4tes du Rh\u00f4ne is sensational. It\u2019s predominantly juicy Grenache and spicy Syrah, but with a mineral energy that makes it unusual and pretty unique. It\u2019s smooth and stuffed full of blackberry and mulberry flavours.<\/p>\n

Selfridges <\/a>Selection Gavi, Italy, \u00a314.99<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"Selfridges\t<\/div>
A lightly herbal and deliciously crisp wine (Picture: Selfridges)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gavi<\/a> has been coined \u2018the Chablis of Italy<\/a>\u2019. It\u2019s got a similar \u2018steeliness\u2019, which sounds like it tastes metallic but just means it\u2019s racy and minerally. This one is also lightly herbal and deliciously crisp. And not that you need to know, but it\u2019s made from the Cortese grape. Though you could always drop it into convo as a fun fact. Unlike Chablis, which is Chardonnay.  <\/p>\n

Fortnum\u2019s <\/a>Western Cape Chenin Blanc, South Africa, \u00a313.95<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"Fortnum?s\t<\/div>
A real bargain bottle (Picture: Fortnum & Mason)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here\u2019s my thinking on this one. This dry white is made by Stellenbosch producer, Warwick Estate. Now, bearing in mind that their branded bottle of Old Vine Chenin Blanc sells for \u00a340, we have a veritable bargain on our hands here. It\u2019s all there, flavour-wise; a touch of lime, honeysuckle and white pepper, making it a dab hand with a Pad Thai.<\/p>\n

Fortnum\u2019s <\/a>Bardolino Chiaretto Ros\u00e9, Italy, \u00a313.95<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"Fortnum?s\t<\/div>
It’s crisp and delicate (Picture: Fortnum & Mason)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I saw a daffodil earlier, so I had to include a ros\u00e9. This is a delicate and zesty ros\u00e9 from Lake Garda in Italy. Think cranberries and redcurrants with a beautiful coral colour. It\u2019s made from local grapes by winemaker Stefano Casaretti in Bardolino, not far from Venice<\/a>. It\u2019s crisp, it\u2019s mineral, and it\u2019s in your fridge.<\/p>\n

Selfridges<\/a><\/strong> Selection Chianti Salcheto, Italy, \u00a313.99<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"Selfridges\t<\/div>
This is a knock-out with spag bol (Picture: Selfridges)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Salcheto are eco-pioneers, based in Tuscany. They were the first winery to be fully self-sustainable and are considered masters of the Sangiovese grape. There\u2019s a purity and power to this cherry-laden red, with a light nuttiness on the finish. A knock-out with tomato-based dishes, I had mine with Spaghetti Bolognese.<\/p>\n

Fortnum\u2019s <\/a>Claret, France, \u00a312.95<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"A\t<\/div>
A grown-up drink (Picture: Fortnum & Mason)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A grown-up red Bordeaux, without being overly austere. It\u2019s from the commune of Gensac, east of Saint Emilion in the Dordogne Valley. I gravitate towards the wines of the \u2018right bank\u2019 of Bordeaux, as they generally major on juicy Merlot. Though this also contains Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. So, there\u2019s plenty of blackcurrant, plum and herbaceous mint flavours to wrap your gums around here.<\/p>\n

Harrods<\/a><\/strong> Mendoza Malbec, Argentina, \u00a315.00<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"Harrods\t<\/div>
Made in partnership with one of Argentina’s most esteemed wine producers, and only \u00a315 (Picture: Harrods)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

No wonder this is so tasty; it\u2019s blended in partnership with the Catena family. Laura Catena, to be specific. In case you didn\u2019t know, they are one of the most esteemed wine producers in Argentina<\/a>. They\u2019ve made a lovely, textural red here with spiced plum and a creamy flavour profile. There\u2019s also Parma violet and baking spices flavours to become acquainted with.<\/p>\n

Ch\u00e2teau Argadens Bodeaux, France, \u00a313.50, Hedonism Wines<\/a><\/h2>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"Ch?teau\t<\/div>
This one would pair well with a roast chicken (Picture: Hedonism Wines)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A crisp, citrussy blend of Sauvignon Blanc with a teasing dash of Semillon, from the Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux. Owned by Maison Sichel, who has made this property one of the highlights of the Bordeaux Sup\u00e9rieur category. There\u2019s some lees ageing for additional creaminess, weight and texture. Lovely with a roast chicken herb butter.<\/p>\n

Do you have a story to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n


\n\t\t\tComment now<\/title><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-comments__label\">Comments<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><a class=\"metro-button share-bar-preferred-source\" data-vars-position=\"bottom\" href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/metro.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span><title>Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/title><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-preferred-source__label\">Add as preferred source<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You can push the boat out without paying a fortune (Picture: Getty Images\/fStop) I love dining out, but going to a restaurant on Valentine\u2019s Day reminds me of The Hunger Games. It’s date night, on steroids. Where competing couples vie for the best dining spots to gaze into each other’s eyes. But easily the most […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12943,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12941"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12941"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12941\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12954,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12941\/revisions\/12954"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12941"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}