Happy medium
With changes in duty on the horizon, and many people trying to drink less alcohol, Christine Austin checks out some mid-strength wines on the shelves at Sainsbury’s.
THERE has been an abstemious thread running through this season’s tastings. In the last few weeks, I have ploughed through lines of no and low-alcohol wines, some bearable, some awful, and now there is a new category – mid-strength wines that hover between eight and ten per cent alcohol.
It is easy to blame this fashion on the Government, which has imposed new duty rates that will come into force next February. These rates will see alcohol duty rise step by step with increases in strength, so a wine at 11 per cent alcohol will be charged at £2.35 (plus VAT) while a wine at 14.5 per cent, which includes many of those gorgeous chunky wines from Australia, will be charged duty at £3.10 (plus VAT).
But it is not just the Government’s fault. In general, people are drinking less alcohol. According to one report, admittedly from a producer of non-alcoholic drinks, 80 per cent of the UK is trying to drink less alcohol. While this is an admirable sentiment, I feel that it is more directed at those who pre-load with drinks before going out rather than those of us who enjoy a glass of wine with our dinner.
I also drink lower-strength wine. Last summer there was always a bowl of ice cubes on the table, to add to wine because it did not stay sufficiently chilled during dinner. The flavours remained in balance and the wine was very refreshing. So, if you are looking for a lowerstrength drink, rather than buying a special, low-alcohol wine, you might do just as well to make a spritzer with sparkling water.
Sainsbury’s wines come under the microscope this week. Here are some of the best new arrivals and a few good deals, most of which are its own label Taste the Difference range.
WHITE WINES AND A PALE PINK
■ Bruce Jack Sauvignon Blush 2023, South Africa, down from £8.50 to £7 until Tuesday:
After a career with several top-name wine producers, Bruce Jack is now making wine under his own name and doing a great job. This is a crisp, zesty Sauvignon Blanc with a splash of Shiraz adding a hint of red fruit flavours.
■ Taste the Difference Mid-strength Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023, £7.50:
This comes from Yealands, which is one of my favourite, big-scale producers in New Zealand, mainly because it consistently hits the mark for great flavours but also because it is ecofriendly with solar panels, wind turbines and an ecological approach to grape growing. This wine has just 9.5 per cent alcohol, through a combination of early picking, and spinning cone which takes alcohol off like cream comes off the milk. The taste is good with zesty, citrus and passionfruit notes.
■ Taste the Difference Mid-Strength Val de Loire 2023, £8: At just 8.5 per cent alcohol, this is a valiant attempt to get some flavour into a low-strength wine. According to the Sainsbury’s team, the grapes have been picked early, while they are ripe, but have not get gathered all their potential alcohol. This is a totally natural wine without any other process to reduce alcohol. It tastes fresh and light, and it is lighter in calories too, at just 64 per 125ml glass.
■ Taste the Difference Albariño 2022, Rías Baixas, Spain, down from £11 to £9 until Tuesday: Albariño is the perfect wine for springtime. Its peachy, citrus flavours go well with salads and grilled fish, or it can be enjoyed on its own in sunshine.
■ Paul Jaboulet Aîné Viognier 2023, Rhône, France, down from £11 to £9 until Tuesday: From a top Rhône producer, this is Condrieu in taste, although not in name. With pithy apricot and peach fruit, a fresh, lively palate and complex finish, it is a treat for the taste buds.
■ Torlonia Gavi di Gavi 2023, Piedmont, Italy, £14: From the heartland of the tiny Gavi region in Piedmont, this is made from 100 per cent Cortese grapes. It has a delicate fresh dry style, with lemon zest, a light sprinkle of herbs and creamy finish. Perfect as an aperitif.
RED WINES
■ Taste the Difference Bío Bío Chilean Pinot Noir 2022, down from £9.50 to £7.75 until Tuesday: Bío Bío is in the deep south of Chile where temperatures are low, and the growing season is long. This is the perfect climate for Pinot Noir grapes to develop ripe flavours in Chilean sunshine while keeping fresh acidity. This wine is full of soft, strawberry and black cherry fruit with a gentle backbone and a sprinkle of spice.
■ Taste the Difference Discovery Collection Teroldego 2022, Trentino, Italy, £7.75:
If you have never tried this grape before, then this is the place to start. Juicy dark cherry fruit flavours with just a hint of spice and soft foodfriendly tannins make this an easy-going wine to enjoy with pasta.
■ Taste the Difference Marzemino Trentino 2022, Italy, down from £9.75 to £8 until Tuesday: Imagine a good Beaujolais with softer acidity and slightly more ripe cherry fruit and you have Marzemino, which is grown close to Venice. Chill it down and enjoy with charcuterie, herby roast chicken or Cumberland sausages.
■ Graffigna Reserva Malbec 2020, Argentina, down from £9.75 to £8 until 14 May:
This wine continues to provide terrific flavours for money, especially on offer. It has deep, dark blackberry and damson fruit, edged with spice and pepper, rounded out with supple tannins. Stock up for the barbecue season.
■ Taste the Difference Discovery Collection South African Cinsault 2023, £10:
Made from 34-year-old vines in the Breedekloof region, which is significant because next year those vines will qualify to be “Old Vine” and will probably have a premium price. So snap up this wine now for its juicy, plum and cherry fruit, with hints of ginger. Enjoy with pizza, pasta and charcuterie and chill it down in warm weather.
■ Beronia Rioja Reserva 2019, Spain, down from £16 to £14 until Tuesday: A seriously good Rioja with ripe damson and raspberry fruit, and a touch of cinnamon and light oak, with supple tannins that just wrap themselves around roast meat, especially lamb.