NOW CLOSED Blossom Hill Vie reviewer feedback thread. Read the feedback and get the MN exclusive money off coupon

[KatieBMumsnet]

This thread is for the 100 Mumsnetters who have been trying the new reduced alcohol wine based drink from Blossom Hill Vie 5.5%.

Thank you v. much for taking part. Below are a few questions for you to answer but please feel free to add any other comments you have too.

Everyone who adds their feedback to this thread will be entered into a prize draw to be in with the chance of winning a £100 Debenhams Gift Card.

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?
2. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?
3. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?
4. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?
5. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?
6. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

For those of you who didn't get to try Blossom Hill Vie 5.5% (or want to try again!) Click here to redeem your exclusive £1 off coupon

The BLOSSOM HILL words and associated logos are trade marks. Copyright BLOSSOM HILL Winery 2013.
Your comments may be used by Blossom Hill in marketing materials, anonymously of course.

1. I tried Blossom Hill Vie White wine. It was gorgeous . I really enjoyed it especially beingmy first glass of wine since I had my son 6 weeks ago .
2. I think the white variety tasted very fruity to me . It reminded me of an apricot yoghurt I used to have when I was younger . It had a lovely light finish though and didn't leave a bad aftertaste as some wines do.

3.I would definitely recommend Blossom Hill Vie White to my friends as its a very pleasant drink and makes a nice change to the usual wine I drink as I found it more refreshing.

1. My perfect "Vie time" would be enjoying a big glass of Blossom Hill Vie , while having a hot bubble bath with candles all around and peace and quiet !!
2. Yes, I did know that Blossom Hill Vie had 30% less calories - perfect for me to have while trying to lose my baby weight

6.I really enjoyed this drink and would be perfect in the summer as a really refreshing wine .

Just a note. Every time I see "Blossom Hill Vie", I read it as Blossom Hill Vile and I have to have a double take. Just saying....

s1. I tried the Blossom Hill white wine. Very pleasent taste, im not a massive drinker but i actually enjoyed this and drank the lot

1. It was very fruity and suprisingly refreshing. I would compare it to shloer, very pleasent taste and quite sweet.
2. Yes i would reccomend this wine to friends, it is very pleasent and easy to drink. Perfect for a girly get together
3. My perfect Vie Time would be sitting in the garden on a warm summers day with a huge glass of wine while watching the sun go down.
4. No i didn't know it was less calories, but is a deffinate bonus to somone on a permanent diet
5. Overall a very nice wine, lovely taste and quite sweet. I do however think it should be avaliable as non sparkling too, that is however just my personal prefrence. Maybe worth focusing on the low calorie content for marketing purposes

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?

I tried the white and my initial reaction was that it was a gorgeous taste.

1. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?

I would describe it as light and very fruity - and very moreish!

1. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?

My initial reaction was that yes I would definitely recommend it on taste. However, thinking about it later I just wonder if this is too much like alcopops for grown ups. Also it doesn't say what the flavourings which have been added are carried on - I'd like to see a more informative label as I like to know what is in my drink!

1. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?

In the garden on a warm summer's evening.

1. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?

Yes I did - DH was impressed with this as he needs to lose weight.

1. Any other thoughts you'd like to share? Although I really enjoyed the taste I am totally torn between thinking this is a great product and wondering whether spritzers using the usual Blossom Hill wine would give a more authentic taste.

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?
I tried the white, it was lovely both myself and dp loved it.

2. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?
A bit fruity, with no horrible after taste, which a lot of wines have.

3. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes I would. It's one of the only wines I've come across without the nasty after taste. And it tastes really nice.

4. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?
Saturday evenings when staying in, Sunday lunch & perfect taking round a friends too.

5. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?
Even better then.

6. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?
It was great thanks, dp loved it too

1. I tried blossom hill rose wine, I loved it thought
   it was really nice and fruity.

2. I thought it was fruity and sweet.

3)Yes i would recommend it to them, because i think i can be enjoyed any time lunch/dinner evening in :-).

4)My perfect time would be when the kids are in bed and you can just sit down with a glass of wine and box of choclates.

5)No i did not know that blossom hill vie had 30% fewer calories than
blossom hill still wine.

6)No it is a lovely wine just how it it :-)

1. Rose. Very fruity & sweet (my wine preference)
2. Sweet summer strawberries, so very fruity
3. I would recommend, but the lower alcohol suits me because of health issues. Most of them drink 'proper' wine
4. In the evening once the kids are in bed!
5. This isn't a major concern, but it's still good to know!
6. Thank you for the opportunity. I will buy it in the future

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?

I tried the White, it was really tasty, I was pleasantly surprised.

1. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?

It was really refreshing and fruity, I could really taste the apricot as an aftertaste which was nice.

1. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes definitely, I plan to buy this next time I go to my friend's on a Friday night (once a month). I am sure she will like it and its a bonus being lower alcohol.

1. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?

Either sharing a bottle with my husband (he had a glass of my free bottle and really like it) or spending an evening with my best friend catching up and drinking Vie and eating lots of crisps!!

1. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?

No I didn't, even more crisps then!

1. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

The rose one sounds lovely too (I love strawberries) so I will be sampling that one too!!

Thanks

1. I tried the rose Vie. The smell was ok; light, fresh and sweet smelling. The colour was also ok, quite a pale pink.

I'm glad it wasn't too fizzy, just right really. It was a light drink that would be nice in summer. The flavours were a bit too delicate, I would have preferred a stronger taste. I could taste a hint of strawberry and a little bit of vanilla? It was pleasant but I wouldn't particularly rave about it. You wouldn't have known it was only 5%.

1. I would say that it was a gentle, subtle wine that would appeal to someone who liked a refreshing and sweet glass of wine in the summer.

1. It would depend on the friend. I have friends who would love it and other friends who would not. If anyone asks I would recommend that they try it.

1. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?

Not sure I liked the 'Vie time' as it's still alcoholic so encouraging people to drink mid-week is a no-no for me. I would perhaps buy this in the summer if I felt like a glass of sweet wine but didn't want to go mad with the alcohol. It would also be handy to have a bottle in so that I could have a few glasses with dh and not worry about overdoing it. I did this last night as we were watching a DVD and he was drinking beer. I had a couple of glasses of Vie and it felt as though I was enjoying a drink with him, yet I didn't have to worry about being groggy this morning.

1. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?

I know now that you've told me. I'm not dieting so I don't really care.

1. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

I would love to see a decent red wine come out that was only 5%. I'm normally a red wine drinker. I like Rioja and full bodied Bordeaux wines. I have never found a low-alcohol substitute for red wine.

Generally I do think that wines can still have all the taste and benefit from less alcohol. The alcoholic content of wines have been creeping up and really it doesn't add much to the flavour at all. Wine makers should concentrate on producing a great wine with all the flavour but with lower alcohol. It's being done for white and rose but red appears to be a problem.

There are plenty of red wine drinkers out there who would be more than willing to try a low-alcohol red. If you could get that right you'd coin it in as no-one else has managed it so far. I'd be delighted to be a taster for that!

I was lucky enough to be sent a bottle of white Vie & shared it with my Husband - thumbs up from both of us.
The taste is quite fruity,mainly apricot but with a good citrus base it is refreshing, delicate, and without any after taste.
I would recommend Vie as it is tasty, but with the low alcohol suitable for lots of different venues, and times when one may be driving, or just need to keep a clear head.
It would be good for sharing especially in the summer such as picnics or BBQ.
I did realise it had lower calories which is a positive especially with all the concerns over obesity in the population.
My thoughts:-

Refreshingly citrus, a delightful taste,
without extra calories on my waist!

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think? White, tasty
2. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends? fruity and light and a tiny bit sparkling
3. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not? Would not recommend, but might serve at lunch
4. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you? Lunch time weekend
5. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine? I do now
6. Any other thoughts you'd like to share. I really thought that this was going to be wine. It is wine with (I think) water and flavours added. Not unpleasant, I enjoyed it, but was surprised that it was not wine but a 'wine drink'

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?

White. I wasn't expecting to like it but I did.

1. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?

Fruity and refreshing light wine.

1. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would. I have tried low alcohol wine before and they are usually quite bland and boring.

1. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?

Lunch time.

1. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?

I do now.

1. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

I was pleasantly surprised by this drink. It would never replace my friday night wine but on certain occations it would be great.

I received my bottle on Friday, what a lovely suprise!

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?

white

1. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?

peach, apricot and melon flavours

1. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, as with lunch if eating out and also if trying to lose weight too

1. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you

lunchtime with friends/early evening or just relaxing with a book as a treat

1. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?

No, I didn't until I read the label, what a bonus!

1. Any other thoughts you'd like to share

I liked the delicate flower on the label and could see straight away that it had a lower alchohol volume, but did not know the fact that it had 30% less calories than standard wines, this fact should be made extremely clear and a definate plus point for marketing

Thank you for allowing me to try it.

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?

Rose - Not quite what I was expecting but pleasant

1. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?

Very fruity, very drinkable, not wine, a bit flat alcopop but in a good way

1. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?

I don't think I would recommend as it doesn't really feel like you are having an alcoholic drink.

1. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?

Nice evening guilty pleasure with dinner without feeling too guilty!

1. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?

I didnt as it isn't really made that obvious

1. Any other thoughts you'd like to share.

I enjoyed the drink but it really didn't taste like wine and tasted a little watery. As a consequence it was really easy to drink and I ended up drinking much more of it than I would normal wine so probably offsetting the calories/alcohol benefits!!!!

1. I tried the rose. I really liked it. It was nice and sweet but not overly sweet.
2. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends? Fruity, you can definitely taste the strawberry and peach. It's very drinkable.
3. I would recommend it to my friends. We are all big rose fans and I can see us having a few glasses of this. The lower alcohol and calorie content would appeal to them too.
4. Having friends round in the summer watching the sunset in the garden.
5. Yes, the lower calorie content is a big plus.
6. The best part for me is that it is a low alcohol wine that tastes nice. My dh and I shared the bottle on Sat eve and the next morning felt absolutely fine.

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?

White - When I smelt it I wasn't sure if I would like it as it smelt like a strong dry wine, however on tasting it was light and fruity!

1. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?

Refreshing, light and fruity.

1. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, even after a couple of glasses, no 'fuzzy' head!

1. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?

Comfy PJ's, snacks, TV or book and a glass of Vie.

1. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?

Not until I saw it on the paperwork.

1. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

I think the fact the wine has 30% fewer calories could be highlighted more - perhaps join forces with weight loss companies.

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?

rose. I liked it

1. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?

sweet and fruity, slightly vinegary though although not in a bad way! I'm surprised no one else thought this

1. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?

i would recommend it to a friend who was looking for a low alcohol option. But I don't think many of them do!

1. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?

DS in bed early, a gu desert and a good movie

1. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?

no, but I suppose it makes sense (and let's me eat the gu dessert guilt free)

1. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

just wondering if it is going to be widely available, and why isn't there a red option?

Thank you for the bottle of wine. We tried our on Friday night and again over the weekend.

The questions:

1. I so wanted to like it - the bottle looked beautiful but I'm afraid I was really disappointed. I guess it comes down to expectations - I expected it to taste like white wine and it didn't. The drink itself is very thin on the palate, no depth of flavour. Reminded DH and I off a cheap white wine spritzer the next day when it had lost its fizz . We also felt that the fruity floral flavours were not coming from the wine itself but from the added flavouring which was really off putting.

"Reduced alcohol wine based drink with flavourings" - so not wine really. Would have been nice to know where the wine was from and what the flavourings were - basically ingredients please! Norks I did recognise the slightest hint of fizz but in this case it just gave the impression that it was meant to fizzy but had gone flat.

I think I would probably prefer to buy a decent wine that I know is nice and then to add some water or fizz to it.

1. the taste of vie - thin, light, refreshing, good in summer, floral and a bit fruity.

1. I couldn't recommend it to anyone really as I feel there are much nicer drinks out there.

1. If I did like it I would drink it anytime really- I like wine but hate feeling drunk. If I'd enjoyed it, it would have been the kind of thing I'd like to have been able to order in a restaurant.

1. Didn't know - not fussed about calories as I don 't drink much anyway.

1. I really think clearer and more informative labelling would help out a lot - we like to know where the wine is from and what the added bits are - also perhaps what percentage of the total volume is wine, what water and what flavourings.

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?

I tried the white. I thought it was delicious.

2. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?

Fruity, light, refreshing and sweet.

3. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would recommend this wine.

4. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?

Summer evening, sitting in the garden, bbq on the go, and a glass of this refreshing wine.

5. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?

I did after I read the label, its not really clear and I wouldn't have noticed it in the shop, I really think more should be made of that as it would certainly sway me towards buying it.

6. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

I think the label should be clearer about the lower alcohol content and fewer calories, when I buy wine I usually scan the shelf and don't really look at anything in depth, the label in itself isn't eyecatching enough to stand out and so I wouldn't really notice any of the details. The lower alcohol/calories would sway me towards buying it if I did notice.

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?

white

1. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?

sweet, fruity and easy to drink

1. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?

yes

1. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?

once the DCs are in bed

1. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?

yes - it says so on the bottle

1. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

I'd like to know how the lower calories/alcohol content is achieved - the label says it is "blended" but what with? there are no ingredients. Otherwise I'm a fan and would probably buy

My husband and I sat down Friday night with a nice homemade curry to try the bottle of wine that we had sent to us. We tried the white version that they sent to us.

Here is what we thought:

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?

White -We both thought that it smelt nice and fruity. It didn't really taste like a cold chilled wine thought and was a bit flat and tasteless.

1. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?

Sweet, light and non-alcoholic. Tasted like a flat frascatti or flat lambrusco.

1. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, if you wanted to take a bottle to a Summer bbq and not worry about drinking too much with the family around you, then yes, I would recommend a bottle of Vie.

1. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?

Summer drink one evening in the garden with the children.

1. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?

Well it mentioned on the bottle that it has less alcohol so we therefore worked out that it would mean less sugar and therefore fewer calories. We didn't feel so guilty drinking the wine with our curry Friday night !!!

1. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

It would be nice to know exactly how many calories are in each glass of wine.

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?

I tried the rose and found it had a very pleasant sweet taste. It went down really nicely chilled from the fridge.

1. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?

It was very light and fruity, with a slight fizzy after taste.

1. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, most likely, it was nice to be able to have a few glasses and not be off my trolley, I like wine and sipping at it through the night is rather pleasant, I just hate how high the alcohol content is sometimes as I am a complete lightweight and find it usually hurts my kidney if I have more than a glass.

1. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?

Any time, I prefer the lower alcohol due to having health issues I need to keep my units to a minimum. I got more flavour for my units this way.

1. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?

This is also good, as a Slimming World follower I'd be interested to see the difference in syns.

1. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

Could I get some more please?

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?
I tried the White Vie. I thought it was lovely - it must have been, as the bottle didn't last very long! - sweet and fruity and without that bitter alcohol after taste that some wines can have.

1. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?

It's like the love child of wine and Schloer. Easy to drink like the juice drink but with a mini wine kick.

1. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would recommend it. It's perfect for having the glass of wine you crave without the foggy head the next morning and no need to worry about being drunk while 'on duty'. I know a few Mum's who refuse to drink when they're home alone and this would be a good compromise.

1. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?

It was really handy that it arrived today as Mondays are really busy for me with School and Pre school drops offs and pick ups and a swimming lesson to get to too. Everyone is tired and dinner is always rushed. It was really nice to be able to sit down with a glass of wine after the kids were in bed without having to worry about having a foggy head tomorrow morning when I face the school runs all over again.

1. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?

I didn't but that definitely appeals. One less thing to worry about.

1. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

I'd like the bottle to say what else was in Vie. It says "a wine based drink" but what is the other stuff that makes it not just "wine"? Water? Sweeteners? Flavourings? Could be important for those with food allergies.

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?

Rose. I tried it with a few friends. We only had a little bit each and bottle is still half full 3 days later.

1. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?

First taste is fruity but then it tastes a bit sour. Felt a bit fizzy but I couldnt see if if it was supposed to be sparkling or if it was just....weird!

1. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?

My closest friends tried it with me - none will be recommending it. There are better lighter wines out there.

1. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?

Feels like a summer drink...but I wont be drinking it again.

1. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?

I saw that on the label. Rather have taste and calories.

1. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

The name looks like vile rather than vie. Otherwise it looks appealing to me.

1. Which Vie variant did you try - white or rose? What did you think?

I tried the white Vie and really liked it! Made a nice change from white wines that leave an awful aftertaste (I normally won't drink white wine for this reason)

1. How would you describe the taste of Vie to your friends?

A really fruity, light and refreshing wine.

1. Would you recommend it to them? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes I would. Especially as many of my friends are dieting. I think they would very much enjoy a glass of this as their 'treat'

1. What would be the perfect 'Vie time' for you?

Sitting in the garden in the evening sun

1. Did you know Blossom Hill Vie has 30% fewer calories than Blossom Hill still wine?

Yes I did.

1. Any other thoughts you'd like to share?

Really loved this wine, thank you for letting me try it. I think I would like the rosé even more I think the fact that it is lower calorie is more appealing to me than the fact it has a lower alcohol content so I would have thought this would be more obvious on the packaging.