on the grapevine
SAM WYLIE-HARRIS ON... TOP WINES FOR LESS THAN A TENNER
THE hunt is always on for a weekday wine that sets the tone - one we’re happy to drink again and again and which doesn’t put too big a dent into our budget.
To point you in the right direction, we’ve rounded up some easy styles to have on standby...
Co-op Irresistible Marsanne 2019, Languedoc, France (£8, Co-op stores):
From one of the Languedoc’s most successful and leading wine estates, this deliciously fruity, honeyed white, crafted by Jean Claude-Mas, has charming floral aromas. It is generously laden with peaches and apricots, with creamy, honeyed overtones balanced by a bright finish.
Sainsbury’s TTD Albarino 2019, Rias Baixas, Spain (£8.50, Sainsbury’s):
Increasingly popular, albarino is a wine with huge appeal – floral and citrusy, lively and refreshing. If you’re stuck on which white to serve as an aperitif, albarino always scores, with its youthful freshness and minerally, limey acidity (that goes so well with salty nibbles and anything from the fishmonger). This one’s breezy and bright in a fresh, aromatic style, with herbal, peach and lemony notes and a good degree of tangy freshness.
Moonlight & Roses 2019, Coteaux D’Aix En Provence, France (currently £8.50 – was £10 – Morrisons):
An appealing ballet-slipper pink with exquisite aromas of bright red fruits and dried flowers, a crisp, fresh palate of creamy fruit coupled with silky peach notes and balancing acidity keeping everything fresh to the last drop. An elegant style of rosé, bound to give pleasure. Snap it up while on special.
Buenas Vides Argentinian Shiraz 2019, San Juan, Argentina (£6.99, Aldi):
A smooth shiraz with a rich bouquet of blackcurrants and florals, there’s a lovely complexity here, with lots of blackberry and plummy dark fruits, sweet spice and vanilla from nine months’ oak-aging. Offering the perfect level of ripeness with sweet, round tannins, just the right side of jammy. Proving Argentina can turn its talents to shiraz – and it’s a Decanter Silver medal winner.
Torre de Ferro Dao Reserva 2017, Dao, Portugal (£7.49, Lidl):
Offering terrific value and consistency, the historic Portuguese wine region of Dao may not be on our radar, but it should be. Rated 91 Outstanding Bramfield points by Lidl’s master of wine, this juicy, perfumed red blend is broad and fleshy, with abundant black fruits, a touch of tobacco leaf, fine integrated tannins and a long, plush finish. Enticing and mouth-filling, it’s a wonderful winter warmer.