Coles’s $6 cab sav wins double gold

Another cheap wine from Coles has stormed past powerhouse brands to win a treasured ‘double gold’ at a prestigious show.

Supermarket giants have been pouring more resources and investment into sourcing and producing quality wines. Picture: iStock

At just $6 it is less than one-hundredth the cost of a famed 2012 Penfolds Grange.

But an unassuming, private-label wine sold through Coles supermarkets has once again upset, and probably embarrassed, international and Australian powerhouse brands to take home a treasured “double gold” medal.

It’s enough to make wine snobs cry in their expensive Riedel glasses, but the result shows the growing strength and quality of supermarket private-label wines that were once viewed as barely drinkable.

The victory against the odds echoes last year’s shock win by a $5 bottle of Coles wine that was chosen by a panel of expert judges — including pioneering Australian winemaker Wolf Blass — from a field of 10,000 to be named best wine under $20 a bottle.

That wine, Coles’s Big & Bold Shiraz 2015, immediately sold out when news of the trophy awarded to it by influential wine industry magazine Winestate became public.

Now the supermarket has done it again. A $6 cabernet sauvignon sold exclusively by Liquorland, First Choice and Vintage Cellars, the liquor banner groups owned by Coles, has won top honours at the prestigious Melbourne International Wine Competition, beating a field of Australian and international competitors.

The MIWC judging panel was unanimous in rating the St Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 as worthy of a gold medal — a rare consensus on quality that is marked by the award of “double gold” status.

Liquorland exclusive wines won a further eight medals at the show, including one gold, two silver and five bronze medals.

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Head of Coles wine sourcing Bob Paulinski, who once ran US giant Wal-Mart’s liquor division, said Liquorland was thrilled with the latest accolades for the chain’s portfolio of exclusive wines.

“We’ve worked really hard with our winemaking suppliers for years to create a portfolio of amazing quality wines that over-deliver for our customers,” Mr Paulinski said.

“A win like this shows that our exclusive wine brands can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the bestin the market, and is a testament to the incredible work our suppliers do in making these wines.”

Over the past few years supermarket giants such as Coles, Woolworths and German discounter Aldi have been pouring more resources and investment into sourcing and producing quality wines to sell under their own branding, as private-label offerings to shoppers that are typically very cheap and can sell for as little as $5.

Aldi in particular has gained a huge following for its range of private-label beers, spirits and wines. Many of these wines have won awards and are gaining the attention of shoppers.