Review: Tesco's Fresh and Easy House Wines - Cheap or Undrinkable Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz

The British supermarket chain, Tesco, opened one of its new Fresh and Easy markets near me, which gave me an excuse to drink more cheap wine. The 4 Fresh and Easy exclusive or house brand wines I tried, 2 Chardonnays, a Merlot, and a Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz blend, were wretched wines. Two were barely drinkable and two were poured down the drain. The wines came from Vista Point Vineyards and Big Kahuna.

Vista Point Vineyards, Merlot
California
$3 from Tesco's "Fresh and Easy" market

Unlike most Merlots, this wine only had a faint trace of the Merlot fragrance, and that was marred by the yeasty aroma that accompanied it. Within a few minutes, both aromas had vanished, leaving behind a faintly grape-flavored liquid. It had none of the characteristic "soft" Merlot taste. Within a few more minutes the taste vanished, and I was sipping from a glass of thin, faintly tannic liquid. It didn't even have enough flavor to use in cooking.

For the first time in several years, I poured a bottle of wine down the drain.

Vista Point Vineyards, Chardonnay
California
$3 from Tesco's "Fresh and Easy" market

This was a cheap, anemic white wine, with an aroma to match. I could not detect any of the traditional "flinty" Chardonnay flavor or aroma. Fortunately we were eating some spicy stir-fry and the slightly tart, sweet liquid was unobjectionable. This Chardonnay was not good enough to buy again, but it did as well as lemonade to cool of the spiciness of the stir-fry.

"The Big Kahuna" Wines

Tesco needed a low-priced wine to compete with Trader Joe's Charles Shaw wines by Bronco Wine Co. so they bought a vanity label "Big Kahuna". Part of the Big Kahuna's problem is that it isn't wine, it's a "solution" from Copestick Murray Wine Solutions. Copestick Murray, unlike Bronco, is not a wine making company run by long-time vintners. It's a marketing company run by executives.

The Big Kahuna, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz
Australia
$3 from Tesco's "Fresh and Easy" market

The Big Kahuna, an Australian wine, is Fresh and Easy's house brand. With a name like Big Kahuna, and a blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, I expected a robust wine. After I got over the surprise of a screw cap that gave me flashbacks to my Boone's Farm days, there was no big muscular beachy kahuna in that bottle ... it was the scrawny guy who gets sand kicked in his face.

The label promises "a smooth, ripe red with delicious black fruit flavors and a hint of spice". It was thin and acidic, with a brief aroma of berries.

The Big Kahuna, Chardonnay
Australia
$3 from Tesco's "Fresh and Easy" market

A reviewer at fullpour.com said The Big Kahuna chardonnay had, "a taste reminiscent of pineapple Jell-O". He was lucky, because my bottle didn't taste that good. The label promises "a ripe, round wine with fresh vibrant melon and apple fruit flavors". It tastes more like wine in the glass you find on the kitchen counter the day after a dinner party.

For the second time in a week, I poured a bottle of wine down the drain. It's that bad.

Conclusions: This makes me wary of any of Tesco's house brands. I'll stick to 3-Buck Chuck