Mix six of the best
Majestic is back on form, with new wine buyers and significant discounts to be had when you buy half-a-dozen bottles.
At its recent tasting it was good to see that Majestic is now back on form. This long-established edge-of-town wine retailer went through a lean period after a brief encounter with a mail order company, but it has now emerged, refinanced and re-invigorated. There are new buyers in charge of the range, including a Master of Wine poached from Marks & Spencer, and the wines offered up highlighted fresh new regions and styles.
Unlike years gone by when you had to purchase a minimum of a case of 12 bottles from Majestic, you can now pop in and buy a single bottle but it will cost you more. The best deals are for a six-pack of bottles which can be mixed and give you a significant discount of £2 or £3 per bottle.
Another plus for Majestic is that the stores are staffed with wine enthusiasts, most of whom seem to be studying for the next level of their wine qualifications. There are always a few bottles open for tasting in-store, so you can try some before you buy and the staff will probably have tasted a wide range of wines too, so you can rely on their advice.
The Majestic website is back in a new and better format, so you can browse before calling into your local store or order online at www.majestic.co.uk.
Here are some of the wines that stood out at thee tasting...
Whites
Incanta Chardonnay 2021, Romania, £6.49, on a mix-six deal: This comes from a modern, cutting-edge winery close to Timisoara on the western border of Romania, where Austria and Serbia meet. It took a chap from Bristol, Philip Cox, as CEO and Australian winemaker Hartley Smithers to shake up an old communist winery and transform it with e20m of investment. They have replanted the rolling plains that surround the winery with local and international grape varieties. This Chardonnay is ripe and rounded with citrus and tropical fruit and a gentle, food-friendly finish. Duffour Père et Fils ‘Vinum’ Côtes de Gascogne 2021, £6.99, on a mixsix deal: A simple appellation wine at a great value price but it stands out for its crisp zesty style with rather more peach and tropical fruit than is usual for this region. Delicious with a summer lunch.
Abbotts & Delaunay ‘Les Fruits Sauvages’ Chardonnay 2020, Languedoc, £8.99, on a mixsix deal: With a Languedoc designation, this wine could come from almost anywhere within the broad sweep of the south of France, but it is sourced precisely to combine the varying ripeness of grapes from four climates. Cévennes, Aude, Limoux and Hérault
each lend different elements to give a rounded, elegant wine with clarity and finesse.
Babich Organic Albariño 2021, Wairau Valley, New Zealand, £13.99, on a mixsix deal: From the Wairau Valley, which is part of the Marlborough region, but a little higher, cooler and more blustery , producing more vibrant flavours. Albariño vines have been brought from Spain’s Galicia and are settling well into the natural maritime climate of New Zealand.
This wine has lime and orange zest aromas, ripe pear and peach flavours backed by a crisp, citrus finish.
Definition Chablis 2021, £14.99, on a mix-six deal: Definition is a range of goodvalue, own-label wines that provide exactly the right style for the named region. In the early days I thought that some of them missed the mark, but this Chablis is right on point and has exactly the right fruit, minerals and crunch.
Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo DOCG 2021, £14.99, on a mix-six deal: Located in Campania, in the hills behind Vesuvius, Feudi di San Gregorio one of southern Italy’s leading wineries. Temperatures are cool in the foothills of
the Apennine mountains and the wines retain their natural freshness. Originally from Greece, Greco grapes produce peach and apricot-style wines, cut through with brisk freshness and minerality.
Reds
Jean Chatelier ‘Les Davaines’ Gamay 2021, Coteaux-du-Lyonnais, £7.99, on a mix-six deal: A great value, youthful, juicy wine made from the same grape that goes into Beaujolais, but these grapes come from halfway between Beaujolais and the Rhône. Ripe, strawberry and cherry fruit with a refreshing style.
Agricola Fuster ‘Dardell’ Organic Red 2020, Terra Alta, Spain, £8.99, on a mixsix deal: From a small estate in Tarragona, Spain, this is a blend of old-vine Garnacha and Syrah grapes, made in partnership by the estate owner and a British Master of Wine. It delivers tremendous flavour for money with chunky blackcurrant and cherry flavours backed by a firm but ripe tannins and a powerful finish.
Cecchi ‘Governo All’uso Toscano’ 2020, Chianti DOCG, £8.99, on a mix-six deal:
The governo system adds partially dried grapes to the fermentation to bring more flavour and body to the wine, and it works. This has rounded, riper fruit flavours with a delicious texture.
Definition Carménère 2020, Colchagua Valley, Chile, £9.99, on a mix-six deal:
Another Definition wine that is really hitting all the right flavour notes. It comes from top winemaker Aurelio Montes who has pushed the boundaries of grape growing higher and closer to the coast than most others. This has rounded blueberry and blackberry fruit, silky tannins and a note of freshness on the finish.
Reyneke ‘Vinehugger’ Organic Red 2020, South Africa, £10.99, on a mix-six deal: Johan Reyneke is totally dedicated to organic and biodynamic winemaking, and he does it well. This is 98 per cent Shiraz with just a few drops of Cabernet in the blend, and it has lovely dense, dark plum and blackcurrant fruit, with an edge of pepper and enough structure to take on a steak.
Ch. de Pizay 2020, Brouilly, France, £11.99, on a mix-six deal: From one of the best Crus of the Beaujolais region, this has delicious strawberry and raspberry fruit with an undertone of plum adding weight to the profile. Too good to chill, serve this alongside a summer evening dinner of lamb or pork.