Morrisons’ £10 prosecco named top fizz in Good Housekeeping’s blind taste test of Christmas food and drink
MORRISONS has been crowned the best supermarket for prosecco this Christmas, beating gourmet food brands to the top spot.
The supermarket came first in the Christmas blind taste test for its The Best DOCG Conegliano Valdobbladene Prosecco Superiore, which costs £10 for a 75cl bottle.
The cheaper fizz knocked Harvey Nichols’ Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, priced at £16 for a 75cl bottle, down to second place.
Meanwhile, Morrisons secured joint-second place in the Christmas pudding section for its 800g The Best pannetone crumb pudding, which costs £8.
It was joint with Tesco’s Finest nine-month matured hidden clementine Christmas pudding with Courvoisier VS Cognac, priced at £5 for 400g.
Tesco won the most categories in the taste test, including the top spots for meat stuffing, gluten-free mince pies, vegetarian mains and Christmas ham.
While for turkeys, it was an M&S win with its frozen turkey breast crown with pork, sage and onion stuffing at a price of £14.40 for 1.2kg.
Sainsbury's pipped the top spot when it came to pigs in blanket, receiving a nod for its Taste the Difference pork chipolatas wrapped in bacon, costing £3 for 260g.
As far as mince pies go, online home baking company Baking Agent was named the best for their frozen pack of 12 pies for £3.79, sold through Ocado.
But budget supermarkets Aldi and Lidl also had their fair share of nods across the board with nine mentions between them.
Aldi won Christmas pudding with a twist for its Specially Selected morello cherry Christmas pudding, costing £6.99, and was joint top for Christmas hams with the supermarket's British smoked strung gammon joint, price at £5.59 per kg.
Lidl was first for smoked salmon for its Scottish gravadlax, £3.49 for 100g, and for its Deluxe mature blue stilton cheese, priced at £2.99 for 220g.
The budget supermarket was also joint winner in the Christmas pudding section, being noted for its 24-month matured pud costing £11.99.
Good Housekeeping judges blind tested over 383 individual items from 51 retailers and brands across the UK.
Good Housekeeping Christmas blind taste test results 2019
HERE'S all the winners and runners up in the Good Housekeeping Christmas blind taste test 2019.
FROZEN TURKEYS AND CROWNS
Winner: M&S Turkey Breast Crown with Pork, Sage, and Onion Stuffing, £14.40 for 1.2kg, (84/100)
Joint runners-up: ASDA Stuffed Turkey Crown Roast in Bag, £13.00 for 1.75kg, (79/100)
Lidl Free Range Bronze Turkey Crown with Pork, Chestnut, Onion and Thyme Stuffing and Dry Cured Oak Smoked Bacon Lattice, £16.99 for 1.5 – 2.5kg, (79/100)
CHRISTMAS HAMS
Joint winners: Tesco Crackling Gammon Joint with Maple and Bourbon Glaze, £16.00 for 2.8kg, (84/100)
Aldi British Smoked Strung Gammon Joint, £5.49 per kg, (84/100)
Joint runners-up: Ocado The Jolly Hog Treacle Cure Gammon Joint, £14.00 for 1.4kg, (83/100)
Waitrose & Partners Honey Cured Gammon with a Plum and Ginger Glaze, £11.99 per kg, (83/100)
MEAT STUFFING
Joint winners: Tesco Finest Stuffing Wreath with Pigs in Blankets and Cranberry Compote,’ £4 for 534g, (80/100)
Asda ‘Extra Special Pigs in Blankets on Festive Feast,’ £5 for 694g, (80/100)
Runner-up: Donald Russell Festive Fruity Stuffing, £14 for 450g, (76/100)
PIGS IN BLANKETS
Winner: Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 6 British Outdoor Bred Pork Chipolatas wrapped in Bacon, £3 for 260g, (83/100)
Runner-up: Jolly Hog Gluten-Free Pigs in Blankets, £4 for 240g, (78/100)
TRADITIONAL SMOKED SALMON
Winner: The Fish Society Fishrjumpin' Smoked Salmon, £8.90 for 200g, (78/100)
Runner-up: Co-op Irresistible Beech Oak Smoked Salmon £4 for 100g, (77/100)
FLAVOURED SMOKED SALMON
Winner: Lidl Scottish Gravadlax, £3.49 for 100g + 30g sauce, (86/100)
Runner-up: Waitrose & Partners Citrus Cured Smoked Scottish Salmon, £6.99 for 100g, (83/100)
VEGGIE MAINS
Joint winners: COOK Portobello Mushroom Wellington, £10 for 360g, (82/100)
Tesco Finest Butternut Squash, Mushroom & Chestnut Wreath, £2.50 for 260g, (82/100)
Vegan Winner: Asda Vegan Festive Wellington £3 for 500g, (77/100)
Best of the Rest: Booths Pearl Barley & Vegetable Risotto, £6 for 400g, (81/100)
Aldi Spinach, Leek and Cheddar Lattices topped with Flax Seeds, £1.49 for 300g, (79/100)
Waitrose & Partners Vegetarian Mushroom, Cavolo Nero and Mascarpone Parcels, £6.99 for 300g, (78/100)
ROAST POTATOES
Winner: McCain Roasts, sold through Ocado, £3.10 for 1.4kg
Runner-up: Asda Extra Special Wagyu Beef Dripping King Edward Roast Potatoes, £1.50 for 400g, (81/100)
MINCE PIES
Winner: Baking Agent Mini Bake at Home Mince Pies, £3.79 for 12 sold through Ocado, (90/100)
Runner-up: Costa Coffee’s All Butter Mince Pies, £2.10 each, (82/100)
GLUTEN-FREE MINCE PIES
Joint winners: Costa Coffee’s Mincemeat Tart, £2.10 each, (79/100)
Tesco Free From Deep Filled Mince Pies, £1.50 for 4, (79/100)
Runner-up: Aldi Gluten Free Mince Pies, £1.35 for 4, (78/100)
MINCE PIES WITH A TWIST
Winner: EAT Mince Pies, £1.50 each, (82/100)
Runner-up: Co-op Irresistible Winter Eve’s Pudding Tart, £2 for 4, (75/100)
CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS
Joint winners: Iceland Luxury 12 Month Matured Christmas Pudding,’ £4 for 400g, (79/100)
Lidl 24 Month Matured Christmas Pudding,’ £11.99 for 907g, (79/100)
Joint runners-up: Harvey Nichols Classic Christmas Pudding, £6.50 for 454g, (77/100)
Booths 18 Month Matured Brandy, Port & Walnut Christmas Pudding, £11.95 for 908g, (77/100)
CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS WITH A TWIST
Winner: Aldi Specially Selected Morello Cherry Christmas Pudding, £6.99 for 800g, (81/100)
Joint runners-up: Morrisons The Best Pannetone Crumb Pudding, £8 for 800g, (79/100)
Tesco Finest 9 Month Matured Hidden Clementine Christmas pudding with COURVOISIER® VS Cognac, £5.00 for 400g, (79/100)
CHRISTMAS CAKE
Winner: Waitrose 1 Richly Fruited Christmas Cake, £16 for 1.3kg, (82/100)
Runner-up: Iceland Luxury Christmas Cake, £8 for 1kg, (76/100)
YULE LOG
Winner: PAUL Chocolate Praline Yule Log, £35.95, for 805g, (83/100)
Runner-up: Lidl Deluxe Luxury Hand Finished Festive Yule Log, £2.99for 463g, (79/100)
DESSERT CENTREPIECE
Winner: M&S Sticky Toffee Pudding Trifle, £12 for 1kg, (86/100)
Runner-up: Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Triple Chocolate Puddings, £12 for 6 mini puddings, (85/100)
STILTON
Winner: Lidl Deluxe Mature Blue Stilton, £2.99 for 220g (86/100)
Runner-up: M&;S Cropwell Bishop Blue Stilton, £8 for 500g (84/100)
CHAMPAGNE, £45 AND UNDER
Winner: Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvee, £45.00 for 75cl sold through Waitrose and Berry Bros & Rudd. (83/100)
Joint runners-up: Herbert Beaufort Grand Cru Champagne, £35 for 75cl, M&S (79/100)
Champagne Ayala Brut Majeur Non-Vintage, £32 for 75cl, Waitrose, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols (79/100)
PROSECCO, £16 AND UNDER
Winner: Morrisons The Best Prosecco DOCG Conegliano Valdobbladene Prosecco Superiore, £10 for 75cl, (89/100)
Runner-up: Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, £16 for 75cl, Harvey Nichols, (83/100)
MULLED WINE
Winner: Morrisons Mulled Wine, £3.75 for 75cl, (88/100)
Runner-up: Sainsburys Taste the Difference Mulled Wine, £6 for 75cl, (85/100)
Angela Trofymova, food testing manager for Good Housekeeping said: “Every year we’re seeing the supermarkets and brands step up their game when it comes to Christmas – which is great for consumers.
“We’ve tested and tasted great products from a wide range of retailers and brands from Aldi and Lidl to EAT, Ocado and M&S, proving that regardless of price, more and more thought is being given to the taste, dietary requirements and versatility of all products being sold this Christmas."
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Good Housekeeping isn't the only one to have tried and tested Christmas food - here's the results of the BBC Good Food review.
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