It’s not just any wine, it’s a Marks & Spencer wine… Fresh from a tasting of their current vintages, here are 10 recommendations on real treats which await you on the shelves of this wine-buying and retailing expert. I was impressed by the thought that unlike M&S grocery items, where you typically pay a little more for super quality, the wine is particularly good value for money.
White wines first:
Friuli Pinot Grigio 2009, Bidoli (€11.79): there is a lot of Pinot Grigio dross out there, but if you want to taste what proper Pinot Grigio is like then choose this! Medium-bodied with floral aromas, flinty, minerally, peachy flavours, a nice rich mouthfeel, lovely balance and a generous minerally finish.
Vouvray Domaine de la Pouvraie 2009 (€9.99): a super little wine with some residual sugar, making it a tad sweet on the finish. Chalky aromas, with cooked apple flavours, and good balance of fruit & acidity. A great little wine to buy in for relatives who aren’t accustomed to wine-drinking (every family has them!). Alternatively, it would go nicely with a sweet and sour dish.
Burra Brook Sauvignon Blanc 2010 from Australia (€9.99) If you are tired of raspy acidity which seems to be creepy into so many New Zealand Sauvs, then give this one a try. Mineral & lime aromas, super aromatic limey flavours, and well-judged acid:fruit balance. This wine is given a lift by the addition of some Semillon and a touch of Gewurztraminer, and also a little prickle of carbon dioxide keeps it fresh and lively. Great rounded character.
Domaine de Mandeville Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (€9.99). On the same vein, another characterful Sauvignon Blanc. Distinctive herbal aromas. Classic southern French savoury character on the palate: herbal (think fresh coriander, mint), white pepper, with generous mouthfeel, excellent fruit/acid balance, and a generous finish.
Las Falleras white 2009: at €5.99 I was stunned to find how gluggable this wine is. Ideal unoaked party wine if you are entertaining a crowd. Produced from the Maccabeo variety (at this price one shouldn’t be fussy!).
And now for some reds:
Zamora Zinfandel 2008 from Bear Creek winery (€8.99): a more aristocratic version than the popular white Zinfandel which floods this market, at an affordable price. Bouquet is reminiscent of Bertie Bassett licorice and quite jammy fruit. A good marriage of ripe red fruits, herbal, woody characters, and a very spicy peppery finish, encased in a silky mouthfeel with medium tannins. A rare example of Zinfandel at this price point, made from 40 year old bush vines in Lodi, and 15% is aged in new French oak.
Marques de Grinon Caliza 2006 (€13.29): very attractive damson aromas. Inky depth of flavour: think damsons, lead, bitter cherry, savoury notes intermingling with sweet vanilla! Medium to full-bodied, with very firm tannins and great length of flavour. Very distinctive Syrah/Petit Verdot blend, treated to new and second hand French oak for 11 months and unfined for extra depth of character. A great buy from Spain’s little-known Valdepusa DO.
Minervois 2008, from Gerard Bertrand (€9.99): savoury aromas, following onto a savoury palate, with inky dark fruits, spice, pepper, oaky vanilla and very generous length of flavour. A super little wine to have with or without food and definitely a crowd-pleasing style.
Cote Rotie 2006 from Pierre-Jean Villa (€44.00): Very elegant aromas of white pepper, leading ont to bramble and vanilla. Elegance continues on the palate, which is medium-bodied and shows ripe red fruits, vanilla, lead pencil, beautifully knit against a silky mouthfeel with softened tannins. A carefully crafted wine, produced by cool fermentation and regular punching down of the cap for extra flavour, aged for 18 months in French oak, some of which is new, giving generous vanilla character, and left unfiltered. A real treat.
Let me finish off with a champagne:
Oudinot Vintage Champagne (€38): much better than many better known non-vintage champagnes, and costing less, this sparkling gem has a super toasty character, with generous mousse, creamy flavour and mouthfeel, all of which serve to round out the acidity. It’s 100% Chardonnay, so the style is very fruit-driven, and 3 years’ ageing give it that lovely toasty character. A joy to drink. Insider tip: it’s made by one of the top champagne houses.
I’d be interested to know what YOU think of these wines…
