Shake up the basket
Fortune can favour the brave when scouring supermarket wine shelves, writes Christine Austin, who has some recommendations to help you rediscover your sense of adventure.
IS your drinking stuck in a rut? I ask because I know several people who buy the same wine, week in week out. While fundamentally there is nothing wrong with that as everyone has favourite foods and drink, it does seem a little unadventurous. When the wine shelves are full of different grapes from regions around the world, each one with subtle differences in flavour, it is a shame to ignore the sheer variety that is available.
Here are a few suggestions to help you spread your drinking horizons.
PINOT GRIGIO
Immensely popular for its easy-drinking style, with light floral notes, a hint of ripe pears, a crisp finish and some even have a streak of minerality which makes them good with food. If you are feeling adventurous, head for Italian grapes Fiano or Pecorino which have a touch more character and a twist of herbs. ■ Finest Monteforte Pinot Grigio 2022, Tesco, £8.75: Ripe pears, and orchard fruit flavours with a crisp, fresh style.
■ Extra Special Fiano 2022, Terre di Siciliane, Italy, Asda, £6.75: Aromatic and delicious, this has citrus and nectarine fruit, with a twist of Mediterranean herbs.
■ Saladini Pilastri Organic Pecorino 2022, Offida, Italy, Majestic, £10.99 on a mix-six deal: This estate has been organic for 30 years, making a dry wine with ripe apple and peachy notes with hints of jasmine, citrus and herbs.
CHARDONNAY
Chardonnay has happily settled into most corners of the wine world, with cool regions such as Western Australia and New Zealand doing particularly well. If you are looking for an alternative, try a Chenin Blanc or a white blend from the Rhône.
■ Vasse Felix Filius Chardonnay 2022, Margaret River, Australia, Majestic, £12.99 on a mix-six deal: Clean, uncluttered stone fruit with crisp, minerally freshness.
■ Finest Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc 2022, South Africa, Tesco, £8.75: Old Chenin vines give deep ripe flavours of apple and white peach with a line of fresh citrus acidity, mellowed by a hint of oak.
■ Gabriel Meffre Côtes du Rhône Blanc St Vincent 2022, France, Waitrose, £10.99: Grenache, Viognier, Roussanne and Bourboulenc work together to give a wine with pear and apricot fruit and a rounded texture.
SAUVIGNON BLANC
Everyone loves sipping Sauvignon Blanc in sunshine, but as winter gathers around us, it can be a touch challenging. Head for French Sauvignons that have fewer gooseberries and more minerality or try alternatives from the south of France or Spain.
■ Ch Martin Graves Blanc 2022, Tesco, £15: There is a substantial splash of Semillon in this blend, adding a hint of ripe, stone fruit and a soft texture to the mix, while still allowing the lively crunchy minerality to shine out.
■ Extra Special Rueda Palacio de Vivero 2022, Spain, Asda, £6: Terrific value for a crisp, crunchy, saline style of wine that zips around your taste buds.
■ Ormarine Picpoul de Pinet 2022, Sainsbury’s, down from £10.50 to £9 until November 21: Light and tangy, with lemon and lime citrus flavours and a minerally crunch on the finish, this is a great aperitif.
Full of ripe blackcurrant flavours, Cabernet Sauvignon has so many variations it is almost unnecessary to have an alternative. But there are some great flavours from other grapes.
■ Finest Wrattonbully Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, Limestone Coast, Australia, Tesco, £10: Fabulous cassis notes, in a gentle tannic structure, this cries out for a steak.
■ Extra Special Chilean Merlot 2021, Colchagua, Chile, Asda, £8: This is a great value, supple, juicy, blackberry and cassis-filled wine that goes perfectly with lamb.
■ Taste the Difference Morador Cabernet Franc 2020, Uco Valley, Argentina, Sainsbury’s, £9.50: Cabernet Franc is usually blended but at last it is beginning to shine out on its own. This wine has the characteristic lift of herbs on the nose, followed by bramble fruit and a supple, long finish.
SYRAH
Call it Syrah or Shiraz, it is the same grape, just grown in different places. If you normally go for a Syrah, then try one that describes itself as Shiraz, it is likely to be softer and more generous in fruit.
■ Taste the Difference Western Australian Shiraz 2021, Sainsbury’s, £9: This is a lovely wine, with creamy, juicy, blackberry fruit, a touch of spice and a food-friendly structure.
■ Loved and Found Touriga Nacional 2021, Algarve, Portugal, Waitrose, £8.99: Full of dark plum fruit edged with spice with a warm, richness and intensity, dusted with cocoa. Partner with a casserole.
■ Finest McLaren Vale Grenache 2021, Australia, Tesco, £11: Depending on vine age, yield and winemaking, Grenache varies from lively raspberry fruit to dark plums and spice. This wine is dense, full of fruit and definitely spicy.
MALBEC
Malbec is the new hero of Argentina, although it originated in France. If you have locked into one brand, try these alternatives from Chile and South Africa.
■ Altaland by Catena Malbec 2022, Mendoza, Argentina, Majestic, £11.99 on a mixsix deal: Made by Laura Catena, probably the best winemaker in Argentina. Ripe mulberry fruit with soft, elegant tannins.
■ The Best South Africa Pinotage, South Africa, Morrisons, £8.50: Soft mulberry and plum notes with a chunky, winter-style.
■ Irresistible Carmenère 2022, Chile, Coop, £8: Carmenère used to be mistaken for Merlot, so it was never allowed to ripen properly. Now this is fully ripe with bramble fruit, a touch of spice and silky tannins.