Corbières is a fairly large region within the Languedoc-Roussillon that used to produce vast quantities of cheap table wine, but has been upping its game for a while and now produces big complex red wines at a decent value. It can still be a gamble due to the hot climate that far south but all…
The wines of Madiran have a special place in my heart… just look at how many I’ve reviewed on this site! If you love the fuller bodied red wine from the Rhone, then you owe it to yourself to seek out the deep brooding reds of south-west France. Alan Brumont is a producer at the…
The first Chianti I’ve tried from Sainsbury’s ‘fine wine’ selection and once again I’m impressed with the quality/price ratio wines from Chianti have been offering up lately. That said, without a solid recommendation I’d trade up in price with Chianti to be safe. This wine has a medium ruby colour with a garnet rim;…
Cairanne is one of the Villages in the Southern Rhone that is about to be promoted to ‘Cru’ status (like Chateauneuf-du-pape), so at some point soon the prices are going to shoot up… but not yet! So for now you can get some seriously high quality Rhone wines for far less than their famous neighbors.…
Within the Minervois region of the Languedoc, ‘La Liviniere’ is sub-region that produces some of the best wines, so if you’re going to dabble in a bottle or two of Minervois I’d pay the extra to try some from ‘La Liviniere’ as it’s a real step up in quality. In the glass this has a…
The third Tannat based wine M&S have on their shelves at the moment is a classic French ‘Madiran’… though one closer to entry level for the region than the bottle of ‘Domaine Picard’ I reviewed here. In the glass it has a deep ruby/black colour with a pink rim and an inky earthy black fruit…
Cheap Chianti, like Valpolicella, was exported to the UK in droves throughout the 60’s and 70’s, becoming synonymous with ‘plonk’… so it’s no wonder its taken a while for that reputation to fade enough for it to be taken seriously again. After a period of exile from our shelves, Chianti has started to make a…
The idea behind Piccini’s ‘Memoro’ was to blend classic regional grapes from the 4 corners of Italy; the result is unusual to say the least, but works remarkably well, creating a darker earthier wine than I’d expect from Italy. 40% Primitivo (air dried appassimento style) from Puglia; 30% Montepulciano (aged 12 months in Oak) from…
If you like your reds with a bit of vanilla goodness to them then this 50/50 blend of Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon is well worth a try and fantastic value for money… A bright ruby coloured wine with ripe blackcurrant raisin fruit, vanilla and white chocolate aromas. Rich concentrated Blackcurrant leads the attack on the palate; rich enough…
The Montes Alpha Chardonnay is great example of oaked chardonnay from Chile. Tropical banana, pineapple, apricot and butter cream aroma. On the palate lemon and mango fruit are balanced with butter, hazelnut and almond that build as the finish lengthens. This is a fresh balanced wine that nonetheless, that stays with you long after each…