{"id":2983,"date":"2025-05-10T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-10T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/?p=2983"},"modified":"2025-05-14T21:50:49","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T21:50:49","slug":"stop-buying-cheap-bordeaux-the-best-value-wines-are-from-this-french-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/10\/stop-buying-cheap-bordeaux-the-best-value-wines-are-from-this-french-region\/","title":{"rendered":"Stop buying cheap Bordeaux \u2014 the best value wines are from this French region"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This is where you should be buying your wine from (Picture: Getty Images\/fStop)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Metro journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission – learn more<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re still drinking \u00a36 Bordeaux then this is your intervention.<\/p>\n

You shouldn’t be buying it (unless I recommended it). You should be getting wines<\/a> from the Languedoc in southwestern France<\/a> instead – and I\u2019m not being paid by anyone to say that.<\/p>\n

You know what, I\u2019m probably partly to blame for the whole cheap Bordeaux buying thing. If you\u2019re a regular reader of this column<\/a>, you\u2019ll know that I\u2019ve recommended the odd Bordeaux that\u2019s languishing seductively around the \u00a36 mark. But those are the unusual exceptions, you can\u2019t be sipping just any old Bordeaux.<\/p>\n

Why? Because it\u2019s a heck of a complex region to know your way around if you’re not looking to waste money, and quality is famously patchy at the lower end. If you\u2019re only spending six or seven quid on a bottle of Claret, you\u2019ll find it either delivers a wow or a woefully mediocre moment, there\u2019s really not much in between.<\/p>\n

In contrast, the Languedoc region of southwestern France positively thrives at the sub-\u00a310 mark. What used to be France\u2019s lawless wild west is now like Shoreditch; trendy and gentrified without the price tag of West London (can you tell I\u2019m moving house next year and everything is about Rightmove?)<\/p>\n

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You need to try wine from the Languedoc region (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tucked along France\u2019s Mediterranean coast, from N\u00eemes to the Spanish border, this enormous, often-overlooked, region is quietly producing some of the most flavour-packed wines in Europe<\/a>. There\u2019s no Premier Cru this or Grand Cru that, it doesn\u2019t have Bordeaux\u2019s chateau-clout or Provence\u2019s Instagram appeal. It\u2019s just bang-for-buck-brilliance in a bottle. Not every bottle is brilliant but let\u2019s not nitpick.<\/p>\n

So, how does it get away with such low prices then? Well, the Languedoc doesn\u2019t have the market pricing pressure of so many of the more famous regions in Europe. It\u2019s under the radar so there\u2019s less hype, fewer middlemen and plenty of smaller, independent producers doing their own thing. Land is cheaper there (80-times less pricey than Bordeaux) and did I mention it\u2019s huge? It\u2019s France\u2019s largest wine producing region pumping out a third of its wine production. To put it into perspective, that\u2019s more that the entire production of Australia.<\/p>\n

But, chances are you\u2019ve just walked by it in the wine aisle. You see, this region is often snubbed by wine drinkers who either genuinely don\u2019t know it\u2019s there, or that are wine snobs looking for flashier names.<\/p>\n

Well, just wait until you find out that it\u2019s good quality wine made by maverick winemakers from exciting grapes. You won\u2019t find many fancy names, bloated marketing budgets or bottles with dusty heritage, because that\u2019s not the vibe.<\/p>\n

Here are some great wines from the region that should be on your shopping list…<\/p>\n

Extra Special Languedoc Blanc, \u00a37.97, Asda<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n
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A wine with a key lime pie-like finish (Picture: Asda)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A vibrating white with Mirabelle plum and peach notes and a long-drawn-out key lime pie-like finish. Vibrating sounds bizarre, but hear me out. It has a lively energy that makes you feel like you\u2019ve just been plugged into the mains, in a good way. I recently tasted it at the Asda press tasting and it was one of the standouts of their white wine selection.<\/p>\n

Taste the Difference Juran\u00e7on Sec, \u00a39.25 (\u00a38.25 with Nectar), Sainsbury\u2019s<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Something a little different (Picture: Sainsbury’s)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here\u2019s something a little different for you. And when I say \u2018a little\u2019, I actually mean \u2018very\u2019. Juran\u00e7on is a funky little subregion of the Languedoc, parked at the foothills of the Pyrenees. Made from two regional grapes, Gros and Petit Manseng, this dry white delivers sherbety flavours of waxed lemon zest and a riveting dab of earthiness. Told you it was unique. This is perfection if you\u2019re understandably bored stiff of Sauvignon Blanc.  <\/p>\n

Orange Groove, \u00a39.50, Co-op<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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It’s an attention-grabbing drink (Picture: Graham Wine)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Brand new to the range comes this whirling dervish of a bottle. It\u2019s an orange wine, so a white wine left on the grape skins to soak up layers of flavour and texture. Hence the name. It\u2019s made from the some of the most expressive grapes in existence, including Viognier, Muscat and Gewurztraminer, so yes, it\u2019s attention-grabbing in style. Think blossomy, orangey, grapey and spicy.<\/p>\n

Taste the Difference Fronton Negrette Ros\u00e9, \u00a38.50, Sainsbury\u2019s<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n
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A wine with more zhuzh than your average Provence pink (Picture: Sainsbury’s)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This actually has a little more zhuzh than your average Provence pink. Negrette is a grape famous for its extravagant flavours of berries, violets and red liquorice. Hence, this one is deeper in colour with flavours of strawberry sherbet and red liquorice. Grown around the town of Toulouse in the Haut Garonne, Negrette makes inky red wines and deep coloured ros\u00e9s like this one. You’ll be a superfan in no time. <\/p>\n

La Petite Laurette Ros\u00e9, \u00a38.85, Co-op<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n
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A beauty (Picture: Co-op)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I discovered this beauty at the recent Co-op wine tasting. Provence, who? The Languedoc to the southwest is where it’s at for ros\u00e9 nowadays, so much so that Bon Jovi even has his own brand from the region, called Hampton Water. I digress. With so much candied strawberry flavours on offer, this should really be priced over a tenner. <\/p>\n

Pierre Jaurant Merlot, \u00a35.99, Aldi<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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A soft and pillowy Merlot (Picture: Aldi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For the price, this soft and pillowy Merlot knocks it out of the park. You can generally rely on good old Merlot as a weekday workhorse, but you’d usually have to spend a bit more to get something that’s not undrinkable. Aldi’s delivers smooth and juicy hedgerow fruit by the punnet-load, and dishes out change for a tenner while it’s doing so. <\/p>\n

Irresistible Languedoc-Montpeyroux, \u00a39.85, Co-op <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Montpeyroux on the label indicates a higher quality level (Picture: Co-op)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you like reds from the Rh\u00f4ne Valley, this one is firmly up your alley. It’s made from the same grapes and has a similar spiced plum flavour profile. Top tip, a bottle with ‘Montpeyroux’ on the label indicates a higher quality level within the wider Languedoc region. It’s seen as one of the most promising sub-appellations, mostly because of its sun-soaked, south-facing slopes. <\/p>\n

Morrisons The Best Fitou, \u00a38.50<\/strong> (launches on 12th May)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Fitou is the oldest appellation in the Languedoc, known in the past for producing reds that were the wine equivalent of a drunk French farmer smoking a filterless Gitane. There’s nothing rustic and alcohol-heavy about their wines anymore though, this region has had a glow up and now produces elegant and complex wines like this damson and chocolate-loaded red.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tLooking for more expert drinks content?\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
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If you count yourself a purveyor of the finer things in life, Metro\u2019s Drink Up column<\/a> is where you need to be.<\/p>\n

Immerse yourself in the world of good drink, fronted by industry expert Rob Buckhaven \u2013 a place for readers to whet their whistle with the latest and greatest in the world of drinks. From unpacking the best supermarket wines<\/a> from Aldi<\/a>, Tesco<\/a> and Lidl<\/a>, to introducing audiences to the wallet-friendly Cremant out-bubbling the fanciest of French Champagnes<\/a> (or the best wines to drink after sex<\/a>), and finding out what it\u2019s like to go on a bar crawl with Jason Momoa,<\/a> this is a haven for those who love to celebrate.<\/p>\n

Stay ahead of the curve<\/a> as Rob plucks from the vines the wines of the season and the spirits you need to know about; speaking with experts and mixologists while unpacking the latest concoctions, finding the best non-alcoholic options<\/a> for those looking to moderate, discovering the best food pairings for your drops, and going up against the latest TikTok <\/a>chatter to demystify the liquid landscape.<\/p>\n

Can you really make cheap vodka taste expensive by putting it through a Brita filter?<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

What happens when you put wine in a blender?<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

And, truly, how <\/a><\/em>should<\/em><\/a><\/strong>\u200b we be storing our wine?<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Read More.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is where you should be buying your wine from (Picture: Getty Images\/fStop) Metro journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission – learn more If you\u2019re still drinking \u00a36 Bordeaux then this is your intervention. You shouldn’t […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2985,"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\/2983"}],"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=2983"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2983\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2995,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2983\/revisions\/2995"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}