Thirsty? M&S celebrates 40 years in the wine business with seasonal promotions

That elusive combination of a good quality bottle of wine that doesn’t cost the earth is pretty much the holy grail in Shanghai, but it looks like we might just have the answer.

British stalwart Marks and Spencer may be best loved for it’s Percy Pigs these days, but this year they are celebrating 40 years in the wine business and in celebration held a tasting at it’s Huahai Lu branch to promote their exclusive collection.

Marks and Spencers' head wine expert Chris Murphy flew in from the UK to talk us through 12 of his prized finds from around the globe and to explain their view, in Shanghai, they have the best wine at the best price point. Chris has worked in their wine department for 30 years and has seen many changes through that time. They sold around 40  wines when he started and sell around 800 now. That said, he believes very simply, 'the first duty of wine is to be delicious.'

All M&S wines are exclusive to them and they have long running relationships with wine growers. They feel they can therefore offer exceptional value compared to other retailers in China. Nicola Slater, Buying Manager for Marks and Spencer in Shanghai told us, “I think our wine is the best quality (in Shanghai), we can literally control the entire supply chain, so we can trace the wine right back to the vineyards.”

Our favorite tipples from the tasting included a red Pinot Noir from the Leyda Valley in Chile (129RMB) which was very fruity and heavy on the nose with a round, smooth taste. We also tasted a fantastic Chenin Blanc from the Villiera Estate in South Africa which was very floral and had a subtle oaky finish. Prices start at 69RMB for their least expensive bottle, right up to 599RMB for those looking for something a little more special.

Just in time for the festive season, M&S are offering a 10% discount on all of their ‘Decanter award winning wines’ until Thursday 21 November. These will be clearly marked in store. There will also be 10% off a selection of wine from now until Christmas - the selection will vary each week.

In addition to receiving the 10% off, if you buy 3 bottles you can get an extra 5% off, for 6 bottles an extra 10%, and for 12 bottles an extra 15%, so the maximum discount for 12 bottles would be 23.5% in total. Happy sipping!

// Marks and Spencer, 863 Nanjing Xi Lu, Shanghai 南京西路863号 near Shimen Yi Lu, Metro Line 2 Nanjing Xi Lu Station 近石门一路, 地铁2号线南京西路站