What newspaper wine critics and social media bloggers are saying about Asda's 'impressive' new range of award-winning wines

Asda's new range of award-winning wines has been winning plaudits from newspaper wine critics and social media bloggers praising Asda for delivering on quality without a high price tag.

They're hailing it as "an impressive range of very good wines" from Asda for 2026 – from a "ridiculously good value" Australian Cabernet Sauvignon to a Grillo that "seriously overdelivers" for the price.

And the praise from critics is reflected in this year's major wine competitions, with Asda picking up a record-breaking 460 accolades across the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards, the International Wine Challenge and the International Wine & Spirits Competition – making Asda the most awarded supermarket and UK retailer. See more.

This article surfaces what some of the UK's top wine critics and bloggers have been saying about the individual award-winning wines – and what they're saying about Asda's 2026 wine range as a whole.

Asda's Exceptional Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon has been widely recommended by newspaper wine critics and social media bloggers – and won a Gold medal at the Decanter Awards with a score of 95/100.

It's an Australian red made from grapes from premium family-owned vineyards in South Australia and matured in French oak.

In an article for The Times, leading wine critic Jane MacQuitty described the wine as a "ridiculously good value French oak-aged top region cabernet with masses of ripe, spicy, curranty fruit."

Wine blogger Simon Judge, from the website Wine Drinker, said: "Most Australian reds at this ultra-budget price tend to be thin, sweet and lacking in depth. But this one is a very different story. I’d place it in that rare category of wines that are great despite the very low cost."

In his blog post he explained: "This particular wine is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, with a touch of Merlot and Petit Verdot in the blend. It’s been matured in French oak for a year and the 2023 vintage sits at 14% ABV. I found it is best to leave it to breathe for at least 30 minutes before drinking. However, it’s one of those ‘next day’ wines that’s excellent having aired in the bottle for a day."

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The price has been a talking point with other wine critics and bloggers too:

• Rosamund Hall from The i Paper said: "I did a double-take when I saw the price of this wine. You get so much wine for your money and it seems the Decanter judges would agree with me, as they awarded it a gold medal. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Merlot, this is an elegantly structured wine with muddled blackcurrants, eucalyptus and a hint of wood smoke."

• In a recent Times article recommending five Asda wines for summer, William Lyons said the wine is: "Top value from down under. A smooth blend of cabernet sauvignon with a splash of merlot, this has blackcurrant and hints of tomato leaf."

• In a video taste testing the range of Exceptional wines on YouTube, wine merchant and reviewer Tom Gilbey described it as a "blackcurrant bombshell" and said it was the "most surprising" wine of the bottles he tasted.

• And Andy Pincott from @affordablewinehunter spoke about it being "One of the best value reds around" in a post on Instagram recommending budget-friendly Asda wines for Father's Day.

The Exceptional Zinfandel also won Gold at this year's Decanter Awards, again with a score of 95/100. Tasters talked about the wine having "Gorgeous chocolate-covered cherry, raisin and bergamot aromas."

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It's a wine that was recommended last autumn by freelance drinks expert Pete Turner from @drinkersite. He described it in a one-minute wine review on Instagram as being a "Big bruiser of a wine, perfect for the autumn with a wonderful smoky note and really warming at 14.5% spot on for bonfire night. Deep, full and generous and amazing value."

Senior Food & Drink Editor Stacey Smith from Good Housekeeping featured the Exceptional Asti in a piece on the Decanter Awards, highlighting its £4.70 price point.

She wrote: "If you thought award-winning fizz had to come with a hefty price tag, think again. This supermarket bottle picked up a Gold medal, scoring an impressive 95 points. And the best bit? A bottle will set you back just £4.70.

"Made with 100% moscato grapes, Asti is an Italian sparkling wine known for its notes of honeysuckle, orange blossom and peach. At just 7% ABV, it’s a great choice for brunches or daytime drinking when you fancy something a little lighter.

"Sweet and fizzy, it’s fantastic with desserts and sweet treats (we’d absolutely open a bottle with a stack of pancakes or a pavlova). It’s also surprisingly good with spicy food, having a cooling effect on fiery dishes."

Smith also highlighted the Decanter Gold medal winning Exceptional Cava Brut in her piece for Good Housekeeping, recommending it for parties. She said: "If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing fizz for toasting, celebrating and buying in bulk, this is it. In fact, we’d argue it’s worth throwing a party for, even if you don’t have one planned."

She explained how it's made: "This Spanish sparkling wine is made using the traditional method – the same process used for Champagne and English sparkling wines. The result is a crisp, elegant fizz with fresh citrus notes, fine bubbles and enough complexity to keep wine lovers happy, all without the Champagne price tag."

Rosamund Hall from The i Paper recommended this wine in a round-up of the 10 best budget bottles from Asda: "I always think Barbera offers great value for money from what is a traditionally expensive region of north-western Italy. This is a full-bodied glass with juicy, bright black cherries, ripe plums and a warming spicy lick."

Decanter awarded it a Gold medal with a score of 95/100. Tasters described it as "cheerful and vibrant ... comprising red cherries, brambles, violets and aromatic herbs encased in an earthy structure, with sandy tannins, immersive acidity and a supple chocolate length."

The Exceptional Pouilly-Fumé wine achieved Gold with a score of 95/100. Tasters praised the "beguiling interplay of abundant lemongrass and bergamot florals over grassy gooseberries and crushed stones", describing it as "Steely in structure with green apple acidity and an umami finish."

A top-scoring Asda wine at the Decanter Awards this year is the new Exceptional Noble Riesling which will be on sale later this year.

It scored 96/100 and was recognised as a Top Value Gold winner, with tasters describing: "A lingering perfume of manuka honey, saffron, ginger and toffee pudding qualifies the fruit aromas, while the long palate is sustained by cleansing acidity."

David Kermode from Club Oenologique described the Exceptional Grillo from Sicily as "the best value wine" in Asda's Exceptional range, recommending it as "a great summer party wine" that "seriously overdelivers at £7.50."

It won Silver at the Decanter Awards this year with a score of 92/100.

Wine critic Rosamund Hall from The i Paper recommended the Grillo in an article on the best budget wines from Asda. She wrote: "Could anything feel more summery than the island of Sicily and drinking a glass of its native hero, Grillo? This example is bursting with juicy peaches, squeezes of lemon and sun-ripened apricots."

Victoria Moore from The Times said it's ideal with salads and chicken: "Another Sicilian white, this time one that tastes juicy and fruity, with notes of exotic fruits. Try it with fruity salads or barbecue chicken."

The Exceptional Old Bush Vine Chenin Blanc was also called "outstanding value for money" by David Kermode from Club Oenologique. He recommended it for summer salads: "South Africa provides outstanding value for money and Chenin Blanc is arguably its star white grape. The nose entices with fleshy ripe nectarine, leading into a vibrant palate packed with stone fruits and yellow apple, balanced by a zesty white-grapefruit acidity and a hint of wet stone. Offering very good value at £7, this is a versatile wine for summer salads."

Pete Turner from @drinkersite on Instagram was also a fan of the Exceptional Old Bush Vine Chenin Blanc when he tried it, saying it's "amazing value" with "wonderful peach and nectarine expression with a touch of honey and nuttiness too."

It got a Silver medal at this year's Decanter Awards, scoring 90/100.

Jane MacQuitty from The Times spoke highly of the Silver-winning Exceptional Chablis in an article recommending wines for under £15: "Good chablis is nudging £20 a bottle, so hats off to Asda for rolling back the price of this lovely, limpid, leafy, verdant swig, with all the steely, minerally elegance that fans of this northern Burgundy outpost can’t get enough of."

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Graeme Stewart from @tynetipplesndtravel on Instagram was also impressed by the price of the Chablis when he tried it, saying it's not only "ridiculously easy drinking after a long day" but also "genuinely crazy value".

Some of the other Silver medal-winning wines critics and bloggers are recommending include:

• Exceptional White Burgundy, with Pete Turner from @drinkersite on Instagram saying it's: "Such good value for money at only £11 ... The wine itself is overflowing with peach, apricot and green tea character with just a hint of toasty oak in support of the fruit ... Full marks to the Asda buying team on this one."

• Exceptional Louis Bernard Champagne Vintage Brut which wine blogger Simon Judge highlighted in a post about the wines he tried at Asda's Spring/Summer 2026 Wine Showcase. He said: "Lemon, green apple and pear come through with brioche, biscuit and roasted nuts from extended lees ageing. Brut in style, it has citrus and orchard fruit framed by incisive acidity and deep autolytic complexity. Light to medium bodied, with high acidity and a very long, toasty, precise finish."

• And the Exceptional Touraine Sauvignon Blanc which Simon Judge described as: "Fresh and zesty, it has citrus and apricot aromas with a rounded apricot character. There is still plenty of fresh acidity, keeping it bright and lively."

And here are a few of the things being said about the wines that got Bronze medals at the Decanter Awards:

• Will Lyons from The Times on the Exceptional Côtes de Beaune Villages: "Hats off to Asda for finding this gem at less than £20. An aged red burgundy of character, its velvety layers of red fruit combine with a supple, spicy texture."

• Lyons also recommended the Crémant de Loire Rosé Brut, saying: "This vibrant pink crémant is a real bargain and a great choice for picnics, with a creamy mousse and moreish strawberry and raspberry on the palate."

• Stacey Smith from Good Housekeeping highlighted the Crémant de Loire Rosé Brut in an article on Asda's award wins, saying it's "Bright, balanced and easy drinking" and "well worth adding to your basket".

• Jane MacQuitty from The Times on the Exceptional Pinotage: "Fermented with American and French oak chips, it’s a bold, beautiful, smoky, berry-fruited beast, making it a warming yet muscular winter red to serve with big food."

• Exceptional Côte De Beaune Villages was praised for its value by David Kermode from Club Oenologique. He said: "Sourcing supermarket wines from Burgundy at a sensible price is tough, so the IWSC silver medal this Pinot Noir was awarded last year was richly deserved. The nose entices with cherry, berry character and a gentle hint of pot pourri. In the mouth, the fruit is focused and the texture is silky and smooth with polished tannins, the complexity enhanced by a savoury, herbal undertow that washes over through the finish. A great match for roast duck."

• The Exceptional Carménère was picked out by wine blogger Simon Judge, who says "this latest vintage is one of the best" and "one of the best reds" he tried at the Spring/Summer Showcase.

• Pete Turner from @drinkersite on Instagram recommended the Exceptional Malbec for summer BBQs, saying "This is a lovely malbec from the newly re-furbished Exceptional range at Asda, lovely plum and black cherry with a warming spice and a wonderful wood smoke finish." He recommended buying it along with a bottle of the Exceptional Rueda Verdejo and a bottle of the Exceptional Touraine Rosé "to cover all your bases."

Asda's new Exceptional range is being hailed by respected wine writers for challenging the assumption that quality has to come with a high price tag.

In a piece for The i Paper on the best budget wines from Asda, wine critic Rosamund Hall praised Asda for overhauling its premium offer while keeping "a keen eye on value for money".

She wrote: "Boasting the largest offering in the past ten years, Head buyer Clive Donaldson has been leading his team to quiet success, which is gaining good traction from those who seek it out. This success is reflected by the most recent Decanter World Wine Awards 2026."

She said "There really is an impressive range of very good wines" at Asda and that Asda's regular promotions and multibuy offers mean shoppers "can afford to be adventurous" when trying new wines.

David Kermode from the magazine Club Oenologique describes the revamped Exceptional range as being particularly "impressive" for one of the most competitive areas of UK retail. Some of his favourites include the "great value" Pinot Noir, the "genuinely exceptional" Central Otago, and the Grillo which he highlights as being "the best value wine in the range" and "a great summer party wine that seriously overdelivers at £7.50."

Poppy Watt from the online magazine Women Talking recently wrote an article about Asda's record-breaking award wins in 2026, telling readers: "You Don't Need to Spend a Fortune for a Great Bottle".

She's been "genuinely impressed" by the range of Asda wines she's tried: "For years I was guilty of assuming that the best wines always came with the highest price tags. Like many wine lovers, I’ve occasionally splashed out on bottles from specialist merchants or premium supermarkets, believing that quality and cost naturally go hand in hand. So, imagine my surprise when, over the past year, I’ve found myself reaching for wines from Asda and being genuinely impressed by what was in the glass."

She said: "There have been several occasions when I’ve served an Asda wine to friends and family, only for them to assume it came from a much more expensive source. Crisp whites, elegant sparkling wines and beautifully balanced reds have all found their way onto my table – often at a fraction of the price I would have expected to pay."

Any prices mentioned in critics' reviews were from the time of their publication. Check Asda.com for latest prices.