Lovely, peachy white from a region just below Lisbon in Portugal. It’s made from a mash up of Verdelho, Chardonnay and two other local grapes, then aged for a bit in oak. That gives it weight and spice, which makes the whole thing feel more robust. In other words, more September-y. You have to be …
If you’ve got a Lidl near you, get down there quick because they’ve got a whole load of new limited availability wines in from France (around 40). And some of them are really good. If you like teeth-tingling whites, try the white from the Savoie region. There’s a lovely red Minervois and if you like sweet wines, …
This is what Chardonnay looks like if you grow it on limestone soils, give it lots of – but not too much – sun and just a little touch of oak to finish it off. It’s ripe and peachy, but subtle too. Basically, a really good way to enjoy a smart white burgundy without the …
This is a new range from Majestic, two years in development apparently, which hopes to showcase definitive styles from different regions. There’s six wines already in store, including Provence Rose, Pinot Grigio, Sancerre, Chablis, Prosecco and this one, with more to come. They’re nicely packaged (if a bit self-conscious inasmuch as a wine label can …
We’re running something of a blackberry jam factory here at the moment: the bramble bushes lining the lane to our house are heaving with fruit. And honestly, stick your nose in a glass of this gorgeous Rhone red made from Syrah and Grenache grapes and you get pretty much the same thing – a massive …
Chenin Blanc is a real multi-tasker as grapes go, making wines from the very dry to the gloriously sweet. But in South Africa, where it’s become their most famous white grape, it’s mostly dry. And fruity – like sniffing lemons, with added pineapple when you taste it. A glass of this with my mum earlier …
From Puglia, this is made from the local Malvasia Nero grape. It’s a big red with some real earthiness to it – and I don’t mean it tastes like mud. Rather, it’s got grip and texture. Something to get your teeth into. Talking of which, serve it with anything meaty or tomato-y – preferably both.
From a remote area in the middle of France, this is a simple, moreish rose made from a blend of Gamay (the grape behind Beaujolais) and Pinot Noir (the grape behind red Burgundy and some champagnes, including the one above). This one’s bright pink with juicy raspberry fruits. A brilliantly left-field rose.
Made from mostly Pinot Noir with some Chardonnay – the two smarty pants grapes of Champagne – this is a wine of two halves. It smells fresh and floral but once it gets hold of the taste buds, there’s a lot more to it. Biscuity and rich – and tastes more expensive than it is, …
So, this is a gem. If you’re in the mood for a smooth, oaky (but not too much) kind of red with black fruits and spice, this is great value with £3 off the normal price at the mo. It’s got the whole gold wire thing going on, and a crest and lots of gold …
A classic Provence rose cocktail of grapes, including Grenache (the red grape behind so many good rose wines), Cinsault and Cabernet Sauvignon. Given that 2014 wasn’t an easy vintage for much of this part of the world, this is pretty (in pink) good.
A brilliant wine for under a fiver, bright and bold in colour and flavour. It’s made from the Garnacha grape (called Grenache in France), from the Campo de Borja region in Spain. Deliciously juicy with lots of strawberry fruit.
Made from this rather high maintenance grape, it’s grown in the Marlborough region in New Zealand’s South Island. Beautifully pale with gorgeous, fresh raspberry fruit flavours. A stand out bargain in the Aldi range at the moment.
If you’re in the mood for a big red, this is one such. Made by Chilean giants Concha Y Toro from Syrah grapes grown on a single estate in the Maipo Valley. It’s got a ton of bramble fruits, loads of spice and smooth vanilla flavours. Really, really smart wine for the money but as …
I went to a big wine tasting today at the M&S head office of all their new wines. Again, not complaining. This one’s from Spain’s Rueda region and is made from the lemony Verdejo grape (also known as Verdelho in Portugal and Australia). It’s had a bit of lees ageing, where the wine’s left on …
If Sauvignon Blanc is the star grape in New Zealand’s Marlborough region, then Pinot Gris is shaping up to be the understudy. The colour of the wine is tinged pinky-orange thanks to the skins of Pinot Gris (more red than white) but it’s the flavours that are really interesting. This one’s typically peach and pear-like …
I say it’s in the fridge. Actually, it’s all gone. It was fresh, slightly creamy, with a bit of vanilla. And definitely a twist of melon, man. It’s from the Yarra Valley in Australia’s Victoria wine region, where Chardonnay is a bit of a star along with the red grape Pinot Noir. Made by a …
The Pinot Gris (also known as Pinot Grigio) grape is technically grey and the colour of the wine made from it ranges enormously. Fifty shades of Gris, if you like. Anyway, this one’s from the Marlborough region in New Zealand, more famous for Sauvignon Blanc. With a pink tinge to it, think really fresh nectarine …
This is made by the same team behind Asda’s brilliant Bradshaw wines (the Pinot Grigio is currently on offer at £4 down from its usual £6). But this one was sent to me by Tanners, a long-standing family-owned wine company. The winery, Cramele Recas, is run by an Englishman who came to Romania more than …
Made from a blend of Argentina’s calling card – Malbec – along with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes. The amazing thing about this wine is that it comes from a region called Salta, in northwest Argentina, which boasts some of the highest vineyards in the world. With altitude comes cooler weather and, if done …
From Western Australia, which is generally much cooler than most of the other wine-producing regions in this vast place and makes some of Australia’s smartest wines. You get lots of Shiraz here (known as Syrah in France) but not so much Tempranillo, the grape that’s the driving force in Spain’s Rioja region. By adding a …
Well, this is a turn up. Pinot Noir thrives in Burgundy. It does brilliantly in New Zealand. And it’s a hot grape in Chile. But Sicily? Not an obvious place for it (the grape prefers a relatively cool climate) but it really does work. Kind of juicy, but with that not-too-heavy raspberry fruit that makes …
Earlier this year, the grapes for this were hanging out on a vine in New Zealand’s Marlborough region. And in the wine, it shows. Incredibly fresh, literally quivering with gooseberry fruit flavours but with something of the tropical fruit about it too. One of the best Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc wines around at this price. Snap …
Just the best red to have on the side at the moment. The Bonarda grape is usually found in northern Italy but here’s what happens when you plant it in Argentina and an M&S winemaker teams up with a great Argentinian winemaker. It’s bright, fruity, loaded with lovely black cherry fruit and with just the …
This is an old favourite, one that I don’t drink that often but when I do, am always glad we opened it. It’s properly ripe and round, with peach and citrus fruit flavours. Basically, a really sunny wine with a bit more weight to it than the lean whites of summer that just don’t feel …
I know I’ve mentioned this one on the blog before but now that it’s just £6.50 (ongoing, not even just as an offer) it really is one of the best value reds on their shelves at the moment. Made by a really smart South African producer, it’s a blend of four grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, …
There’s a lot of it about. PG, that is. But here’s a tip: get it from the northern Italian region of Trentino from a great producer like this one, and you’ll get a wine with bags of flavour. This one’s so gorgeous and lemony; fresh too. The lady behind Freya’s Wines (called Freya, unsurprisingly) used …
As with so many wines, the inspiration comes from France. In this case, it’s the Rhone Valley, where it’s common practice to throw a little Viognier (a white grape) in with a vat of Syrah (a red grape). This is South Africa’s take on a Rhone classic and it works beautifully. Rich and ripe with …
So, this is Chardonnay from the same region as the wines of Puligny Montrachet and Meursault. Obviously from different vineyards but you get the idea. You’ll pay way more for those wines but if you want to get a taste of what this region can do with Chardonnay when made well, this is one way …
If you like the medium-bodied cherry fruits of a good Chianti, this is similar but with a bit more grip and oomph. Made from the Sangiovese grape (as is Chianti) in the Montalcino region just south of Florence, in Tuscany, it’s got a more rustic feel to it. But time has softened everything too, so …
This is a great deal – which not all champagne deals are, as you know. But this one really does deliver crisp lemons, toast and a whiff of hazelnuts in a glass, together with bubbles that stay the course (or at least until you have time to finish it). Looks the part too – no …
What makes this more interesting that your average Aussie Shiraz at this price is that it’s made from grapes grown in Western Australia, a cooler region than most elsewhere in Australia. What that does is concentrate the flavours in the wine. So there’s lots of quaffable black fruits and spice, but there’s also a kind …
Just the kind of crisp white you want when it’s cold outside, this one. Made from the little-known Arneis grape, grown in the Piedmont region of northern Italy more famous for its red wines, like Barolo and Barbaresco. The whites don’t get out much; the Italians drink much of it. But Arneis, which translates as …
From South Africa’s Swartland region, just north of Cape Town, this wine’s got one of SA’s top winemakers behind it. It’s perfect for now, too, with plum and spice flavours. Shiraz is the grape (also called Syrah in France, mostly) and sticking with the silk purse, sow’s ear thing, it’s a great example of how …
I tasted this last week at the Waitrose A/W wine press tasting and popped a picture of the label on my Instagram feed as soon as I’d tasted it – all fresh lemon and limes, from southern France, like a less excitable version of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Those who went and bought a bottle that …
It’s a New Zealand South Island double whammy this week. This second one’s from Marlborough but this time, it’s red. Made from the Pinot Noir grape, which seems to love this region’s warm days and cool nights. Most of Marlborough is covered with Sauvignon Blanc vines, but plantings of Pinot Noir are on the rise. …
I love watching Graham Norton on a Friday night, not least because he always has a HUGE glass of white wine alongside his A-listers on the sofa. I do worry, though, that under all those studio lights the wine never looks cold enough. And the wine he’s drinking definitely needs to be nicely chilled. I …
Properly velvet soft and juicy, this is a really great Australian Merlot. It’s got all the usual flavour suspects in there – plums, cherries, raspberries – with a deft touch of spice from oak too. From the Murray Darling region, darling. Sip whilst wearing a jazzy jacket and you’re all set.
The Muscat grape is rather on the floral side, with a kind of honeysuckle, rosewater and lychee thing going on. This one, from the Ucles region in central Spain, is gorgeous – if you like that kind of thing. Fresh, a touch flowery but not so much that it looks out of season. You can’t …
This new range of self-proclaimed ‘bull-free’ wines includes a Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, along with a Malbec from Argentina. But this is my favourite, a lovely, lime-fruit flavoured crisp white from northwest Spain. Albarino is the grape, Rias Baixas is the region (pronounced ree-ass by-zhass). And if you like Sauvignon Blanc, …
The thing about Vermentino is that it’s hard to pin down. It’s grown all over the place – mostly France and Italy – and goes under lots of different names, including Pigato, Favorita and Rolle. But if you haven’t tried Vermentino before and you like a bright-tasting, lemon peel-like white, chances are you’ll love this …
One of my favourite fridge door whites at the moment, it’s an unoaked blend of local grapes from Sicily. Basically, an unpretentious sunny white with lots of lemony flavours. And that, at the end of more than six long weeks of summer holidays, is exactly what we need. And besides, my sister and I already …
One of the favourite whites of the tasting on Saturday, this is a smart-looking Picpoul with gorgeous, citrusy flavours. Lip-smackingly fresh, it’s from the Languedoc region in the southern France, where vineyards lie within a proverbial stone’s throw from the sea. Like sea air, this wine has rejuvenating properties. At least for the taste buds, …
If you can’t pick this up from one of the above outlets, you can order it online but there is a delivery charge unless you order three boxes of it. They kindly sent me one to try so I just paid the normal price for a 3l box but will be buying more. This is …
The Loire Valley is the place for understated Sauvignon Blanc and this one, made by a great producer called Fournier, is beautifully done. You get gooseberry, lemon and lime flavours but you also get a hint of smokiness, which just makes it all taste, well, expensive. Which given it’s price, is pretty impressive. The vineyards …
Piemonte (or Piedmont) is one of the most hedonistic regions in Italy when it comes to food and wine. Famous for its truffles and wines made from the Nebbiolo grape (including Barolo), the white wines of the region are rather more quietly brilliant and some are definitely worth sniffing out. This one’s an unoaked Chardonnay …
This has got the maddest label I’ve seen on a bottle of wine for a while, all spooky and Hammer Horror-ish. Pale, white and haunting, it says on the label. But for me, it’s more friendly monster. Made from the Greco grape (also known as Grecula locally) in southern Italy’s Campania region, it’s nutty and …
From Sardinia, this is a really great Italian white made from the Vermentino grape. I love this grape but there’s not that much around on our shelves here – yet. There’s lots of it planted in Sardinia and here, it makes lovely, crisp whites with fresh lemony flavours. This one’s really summery – and getting …
From Chile, this is made from one of the three classic Champagne grapes, Pinot Noir. And because it’s a red grape, it can make pink wine (it’s the skins that add colour to grape juice). This one’s like a sherbet fizz-bomb, with soft strawberry fruit flavours. Made by a great producer, it’s properly good value …
It’s not often you get to pick up such a groovy Gru-V at this price but the offer’s only on until next Tuesday. Made by one of Austria’s most awarded producers in the Traisental region, Markus Huber has bottled a benchmark Gruner Veltliner (that’s the name of the grape) with classic peach and pear fruits, …
One of the highlights of the Fair for me was meeting up with winemakers including the amazing Eva Keresztury, a Hungarian vineyard owner and wine producer. She makes brilliant wines, including this one, from the Furmint grape. It’s one of the main grapes behind the famous sweet wines of Hungary from the Tokaji region but here …
Sent to me by The Wine Society to try, this is one of a new range of wines made exclusively for them by Mac Forbes, a great Australian winemaker. He’s scooped up a few limited quantity parcels of wine that might have otherwise been missed, ending up as part of a bigger blend. This gorgeous …
Picpoul is one of those easy to remember names – or so I thought. Turns out one of my friends refers to it as Pitbull and Eeh Bah Mum uses one of the finest mnemonics I’ve ever heard in wine: Quick Pull My P*nis. Anyway, this one makes a refreshing change from Sauvignon Blanc. Still …
I’ve tasted a lot of Prosecco wines recently (and wrote a piece on it for the paper here). This one is from the smart DOCG region of Valdobbiadene where some of the best Prosecco Superiore wines can be found. Made from the Glera grape, this one tastes of apples and pears but with a bit …
It’s a mouthful to say, but happily it’s an incredible mouthful to drink too. From one of the top producers in Germany, they were early adopters of making wine the biodynamic way (think super-organic) and their wines are amazingly vibrant. It’s from the Pfalz region and is deliciously crisp, loaded with mango fruit and as …
Read more “Wachenheimer Riesling Trocken, Burklin Wolf 2013”
A perky Italian white, Falanghina is the name of the grape and this one’s grown in the Puglia region down in the heel of Italy. There’s no oak here, so it’s all about the lemony, grapefruit-tinged fruit flavours. And the crispness; it’s fresh as a daisy. Doesn’t need food but perked up my decidedly lazy …
The bottle is so lovely (gorgeous label, grand-looking bottle) that I thought it might be a case of style over substance. But happily, I was wrong. The wine inside is properly Pecorino-y with lots of crisp, lemony fruit. From the Italian region of Abruzzo in Central Italy, it’s a joy. In fact, happiness in a …
I bought a bottle of this for Mothering Sunday (had both my mum and mother-in-law here for lunch) and we managed to quaff a bottle well before the gammon hit the table. And it was as good as it has ever been: fresh, frothy, full of pears and promise. A brilliant pre-proper-food drink. The producer …
From the Marche region in central Italy, Verdicchio is the grape and in this case it comes from vineyards around the town of – you’ve guessed it – Jesi. As with so many good Italian whites, it’s crisp, fresh, a little bit floral (honeysuckle, for me) and not at all in-your-face. Rather, it’s like good …
OK, so this is out of stock on the website, but if you see it on shelf in your nearest M&S then take the lot because the price is ridiculously low. It’s from a really good (and relatively cool, given the high altitude) region in Argentina – Tupungato – and made by one of the …
You can’t miss the label, it’s got grinning sheep on the front (the Italian name for sheep is pecora). The grape is called Pecorino and it’s grown in Abruzzo. And what makes this wine so brilliant is that if you’re not in the mood for the zing of Sauvignon Blanc but don’t want the ripe …
I figure that if a producer does a great job with their cheapest wine, then it’s likely to get better as you go up the price scale. So at a big trade tasting I usually start with the cheapest on each table. This one stopped me in my tracks yesterday: it was the cheapest in …
Money from each bottle of this South African wine sold goes to the farm that produces it to support community projects as part of the work of the Waitrose Foundation. And as for the wine itself, it’s brilliant. Ripe and juicy – just as young Chenin should be – and tastes of baked apples. I’m …
I was sustained almost entirely by almond croissants from our local Co-op when I was pregnant with Youngest Girl but now I can walk past them as long as there’s a bottle of this on the shelves. Made by a very good winemaker in southern France, this is ripe and round thanks to the combination …
All that green food made me think of green wine. Not literally, but in terms of flavours – limes, grapefruit, gooseberries. All of which can be found in liquid form in a glass of this. Now that’s what I call a ready meal. Gorgeous, bright and lovely, this throws rays of light on the taste …
As mentioned a couple of weeks ago, Lidl has stuffed its shelves with some new wines from France. This one’s from the Minervois region in southern France and is just the right side of rustic, with lots of bramble fruits, spice and grrrrip. It’s a blend of Syrah and Grenache grapes, weighty in flavour but …
Years ago, I remember ordering a bottle of Yellow Label in a restaurant and loving the gorgeous bramble flavours of what was inside. It was delicious, affordable and crucially, because of the bright yellow label, I was able to remember it the next time I went into a shop. Always good.
Such a good late summery red, full of squashed red fruit flavours. Juicy, jammy and a really good (inexpensive) way to enjoy the delights of the Pinot Noir grape. Made in Australia’s Victoria region, it’s silky smooth. Unlike my legs, now that September’s almost here.
Ridiculously smooth red from Argentina, this had people making the best noises when tasting it on Saturday. Along the lines of oooooohhh, mostly. Made from grapes grown in four separate vineyard sites across Mendoza, all at relatively high altitude. Cooler temperatures help the grapes ripen slowly, concentrating the blackcurrant-y flavours. Which, along with the oak …
A simple but lovely Pinot from Australia, like raspberries with a bit of black pepper on the top. If you’re in the mood for chilling your red for twenty minutes and serving it with something easy – antipasti, bowl of spicy crisps – this’ll do nicely. Otherwise, sip at room temperature whilst ignoring the washing basket.
The idea behind this range is to select the best parcels of Shiraz from regions across Australia and blend them, in this case from the McLaren Vale in South Australia. This is an enormous wine, but not brutish at all. Rather, it’s a powerful combination of spice, blackcurrant fruits and smooth oaky flavours. Rich and …
The brilliant thing about Beaujolais is that it’s one of the sprightliest, most summery grapes around. Being made from the thin-skinned Gamay grape, it makes red wines that are typically lightish in colour and juicy in flavour. This one, made from vineyards classified as slightly smarter-than-your-average, are not far from the cru-rated village of Brouilly …
Most of the things written about Bordeaux wines covers the expensive stuff. Which is a shame because there is some really good value to be found – you’ve just got to know where to look. And Berry’s know exactly where to go for their Good Ordinary Claret: this tastes far more expensive than it is. …
A soft, juicy Italian red made from Lambrusco grapes grown in the Emilia-Romagna region (think Bologna). It smells of cherries, tastes of cranberries and best of all, it’s cheap as chips and brilliantly drinkable. Just the right sort of red to have on the go when there’s the promise of warmer weather ahead. I feel almost …
Langhe lies in Piedmont, a region in northern Italy famous for truffles (the fungus kind rather than the chocolate kind). Wine-wise, Barolo is Piedmont’s big hitter, an enormous red made from the Nebbiolo grape. This Italian red blends a bit of Nebbiolo with the other great grape of the region, Barbera. Think of it as …
Made by a rather smart producer in Rioja, Elguia, this is unbelievable value. With a year spent in oak barrels and a year in bottle, it’s smooth and juicy with black cherry fruit and lovely toasty flavours. Tempranillo is the main grape in Rioja and is – as in this case – characteristically savoury. Definitely …
If Asda had a blind spot, it was for small parcels of wine that were a little off the beaten track. They’ve fixed that with the launch of their new Wine Atlas range, a collection of wines made from (some weird and) mostly wonderful grape varieties from all over the place. This is one of …
Sounds like coffee, but happily it’s wine. Made in Sicily from the Frappato grape, this is fairly light in colour and tastes of baked cherries. It’s fresh, medium-bodied and the locals drink this chilled as a pre-prandial or with anything from antipasti to fish. It feels like a summery wine and it too has a …
The wines in Aldi’s smart own label range are usually pretty good value for money but this one’s outrageously good. Made in the south of the North Island, in a region called Wairarapa. And the fairly fussy Pinot Noir grape (it won’t ripen properly unless the climate’s just right: not too hot, not too cold, not …
Read more “Exquisite Collection New Zealand Pinot Noir 2013”
It’s World Malbec Day on the 17th April, held to celebrate the grape that’s become Argentina’s most famous vinous export. Now, I realise the one I’ve picked here is from South Africa but a) I’ll pick one from Argentina for this week’s ‘Thank Friday It’s Wine’ on my YouTube channel (subscribe here if you don’t …
The Languedoc region in the South of France is stuffed full of good reds, often great value too – like this one. It’s a blend of Syrah and Grenache grapes, creating a juicy, spicy, red berry mash up that was made to be quaffed with sausages. Pic Saint Loup is the name of the wine …
This is one of the sweet wines in the video mentioned above and is, turns out, a great match for white chocolate. It’s the only sherry in the Aldi range. Made from a blend of sweet Oloroso sherry, it’s rich with gorgeous nutty aromas and dried raisin-y flavours. And incredibly smart for the price. If …
A fruity number from Puglia, the heel of Italy. It’s a heady mix of two different grape varieties, the spicy Primitivo (also known as Zinfandel) and the densely coloured, earthy-tasting Negroamaro. Together, they make a punchy pair: full bodied, ripe and just a ‘lil bit rustic. Like the wine above, it’s another Italian job well …
Gorgeous Pinot Noir from the Martinborough region in New Zealand, at the bottom of the North Island. The Marlborough region might be more famous thanks to all that zingy Sauvignon Blanc but Martinborough is doing its quietly brilliant thing, especially with the Pinot Noir grape. The chap who made this wine, Larry McKenna, takes Burgundy …
Argentina is huge in wine terms, both in how much it produces (answer: loads) and in the styles of wines it makes. And Malbec, its most famous wine export, is nothing if not a shouty wine. This one comes from the Salta region up in the north of the country and the vineyards are among …
Last Friday, I stopped by an old friend’s house and, it being past six o’clock, I was offered a small glass of sherry rather than a cup of tea. How lovely! And an Amontillado too, darker than Fino but not as dark as Oloroso. This one’s made by Lustau no less, a tip-top Sherry maker. …
Priorat, from the Catalunya region over on the eastern coast, is one of the smartest red wine producing areas in Spain. Along with Rioja, it’s one of only two so-called DOC regions in the country (in other words, highly rated). It’s brilliant – but subtle, it is not. Full on with heady black fruits and …
The thing about these supermarket finest/taste the difference/extra special ranges is that the wineries behind the wines are often really good. You might just have to squint to find their names on the label (and sometimes their name won’t be on there at all). This one’s made by an Argentinian producer called Catena, one of …
Packs a punch, this one. When stateside, this grape goes under the name of Zinfandel. But as ever, everything sounds better in Italian. From Puglia’s Salento region, this is earthy in a good way. Think baked plum and blackcurrant fruits with a liberal sprinkling of spice. Needs food – really good with tomato-y pasta.
I’ve not gone for subtle labels this week. This one’s got enormous letters on the front (DMZ, funnily enough) which I imagine they think is easier to remember than its full name, De Morgenzon. Given that I can’t remember what I went into the shop to buy in the first place more often than not, …
This is from northern Italy, the Veneto region. If you’re in the mood for red but don’t want a monster in your glass (or head the next day) then Bardolino is the answer. Really juicy and jammy, this one tastes like just-crushed black cherries laced with (not too much) alcohol. It’s made from the Corvina …
This bottle was one of the few survivors post-Christmas and so it was scooped up and taken to the in-laws for lunch on Sunday. After a 14 hour car journey back from France the day before (our first family skiing holiday – was amazing!), it was such a treat to be cooked for. And my …
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