This week’s top tips include a thoroughly modern Californian Chardonnay and an Italian Marzemino best served chilled. Read on for my usual round up of supermarket offers including new promotions at Sainsbury’s Asda, Morrisons and M&S.
2019 Pacific Mountain Chardonnay (£6 – instead of £7 until 9 November at the Co-op)
Historically, excesses of ripeness, alcohol and oak often put Californian Chardonnay on the naughty step. That was a serious over-reaction as this sensitively made, thoroughly modern, example illustrates.
Smooth and just off-dry, it provides zesty orange and cooked apple flavours accompanied by good acidity, toffee traces and subtle toastiness.
2020 Taste the Difference Marzemino (£7 – instead of £8.50 until 23 November – at Sainsbury’s)
Marzemino is an uncomplicated grape variety ideal for youthful, refreshing drinking that is especially successful in the area between Verona and Trento in Northern Italy (home to this example).
Light bodied and attractively perfumed, it brings us lively cherry and strawberry flavours with only modest tannins and, given its overall lightness, actually performs well when lightly chilled.
Current offers and promotions
At Sainsbury’s
A new promotion started last week at Sainsbury’s. This highly-rated Spanish red, made by an excellent producer, is among the offers:
- Taste the Difference Calatayud Old Vine Garnacha (Drops to £9 until 23 November)
At Asda
Pre-Christmas offers started last week at Asda and are expected to run until early December. Look out for this great value Italian red which we recommended back in September;
- Extra Special Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Down to £5.50 until 12 December)
At Morrisons
Another new promotion is underway at Morrisons. Discounts include this smooth Rioja (which we featured in May):
- Morrisons The Best Rioja Reserva (Down to £7 until 23 November)
At M&S
The latest set of offers at M&S include this Gold Label Chardonnay. Check your local store for availability.
- Gold Label Chardonnay (Drops to £6 until 29 November)
At other retailers
You can save up to 1/3 on Italian wine this week at Majestic. And, don’t forget, the current promotion at the Co-op finishes tomorrow. Check your local stores to see what’s included.
Our latest round-up of Sunday Best options is back in our next post on Thursday.
2 responses
Yes Brian, I’ve been a fan of this Marzemino for as long as Sainsbury’s have had it and stuck with it, that must be well over 3 years now. I thought at first that it might be a bit left field for the average wine drinker and it would come and then disappear just as quickly. But no, it’s still with us. I do question its full price however but it’s one of those bottles that regularly gets discounted from £8.50 to £7. Catch it when there’s a 25% off buy 6 and it’s down to £5.25, ott becomes a top purchase for me. Thanks as ever …
I guess it must sell OK or else would be de-listed (but not sensationally or else would never be discounted). I assume that we are becoming less fixated on seasonal wines now as traditional “summer wine” like this becomes recognised as working well with certain dishes all year round.