Forgive the barrow boy sales pitch but three current High Street promotions are offering some tasty wines that do deserve being shouted about.
Hurry though (said he, getting back in character) the M&S promotion ends on 2 November and the other two finish the next day.
Click on any of the bottles shown for an enlarged image to help you pinpoint the wine on a crowded shelf.
Pinot grigio plays away.
With its own Torrontes as a potential rival, Argentina is not the obvious source of impressive pinot grigio but this great value option works rather well.
With much-better-than-normal acidity, there is a delicacy on display in 2014 Finca Las Moras Pinot Grigio (£4.99 – instead of £6.99 – at the Co-op) that adds well judged complexity to the grape’s customary peach and red apple flavours.
……….. and has another away fixture
Despite also being a long way from its Italian homeland, here is another pinot grigio that has adapted really well to life in the Southern Hemisphere.
Equally, the Fairtrade South African 2014 Zebra View Pinot Grigio (£6 – instead of £8 – at M&S) has also solved the classic PG acidity deficiency and adds a lively freshness to those classic tropical and orchard fruit components.
Rescued from Extinction
Greco was one of Southern Italy’s threatened grape varieties but, happily, is now producing increasing volumes of distinctive and delightfully aromatic white wines.
Enjoy then the spicy peach touches of 2014 Truly Irresistible Greco:(£6.99 – its on-going price – at the Co-op) that embellish its apple centred texture and attractive prickle of acidity.
Not many people know this!
With almost 40% of German wine red, pinot noir (spätburgunder) is a big – and very successful – player there these days.
So, do try the spice, mint and vanilla influences of 2013 Palataia Pinot Noir (£8 – instead of £10 – at M&S – although some stores have moved to the next vintage); those elements combine nicely with the wine’s pronounced, perfumed and fresh raspberry and cherry fruit
Similarly light but complex too
While we are discussing light bodied red wines take a look at this comparably textured South African Bordeaux blend that, nevertheless, opens up into a complex array of flavours.
With only mild tannins, 2013 Coral Tree Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot (£5.99 – instead of £8.99 until 3 November at Waitrose) leaves the way clear for its juicy but acid charged red cherry fruit to shine through and for the nutty, savoury, clove and cinnamon elements to make their voices heard too.
A supporting actor no longer
Nero di troia used to be merely one of Puglia’s blending grapes but, with carefully controlled tannin, it can work very successfully on its own – as this example illustrates.
Rounded and fruity 2013 Torre del Falco Nero di Troia (£5.99 – instead of £7.99 – at Waitrose) has pleasing mint and spice undertones to complement its bright cherry fruit and the earthy beetroot influences that support it so well.
