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Another Piece of Sub £6 MidWeek Wines Magic but How Long Can it Go On?
Before that headline stuff, let’s look at a white.
It is now four years since John Colley and his team took over the Majestic residue after Naked Wines split away, and many changes have ensued.
One that is particularly welcome here is the increased number of wines at entry point prices.
Today’s white is an especially nice example of what Southwest France does well and, of course, has sufficiently low alcohol to benefit from the lower duty band.
Its companion red is another piece of inexpensive MidWeekers magic with a £5.35 wine spotted and recommended by MidWeeker Paul.
Keep them coming guys – via the comments section – they will run out some time, but (mixing the agricultural products) let’s make hay while the sun shines.
Remember, though, that the price of this Tesco red may be below the threshold for “25% off deals” so no reason to delay buying some.
The images and hyperlinks provided should help you to find these wines in crowded displays.
Straight into that red then
2021 Vista Castelli Montepulciano D’Abruzzo (£5.35 at Tesco and 12.5% abv):
Central Italy wines from the montepulciano grape are a great choice for richness, fruitiness and gentle prices.
They are very much the “safe option” in Italian restaurants – unlikely to disappoint or provide unwelcome surprises.
Dark in colour yet medium bodied, this version delivers bold blackberry, damson and black cherry flavours.
While there is little tannin to obscure those fruit elements, it uses sharp acidity to provide freshness.
Support for the whole package comes in the shape of suggestions of mint, ginger, cinnamon and nuttiness.
And then that white.
2022 Duffour Pere et Fils ‘Vinum’ Côtes de Gascogne (from £7.99 at Majestic and 11.5%):
As alternatives to New Zealand sauvignons, the whites of Southwest France are a good call.
That is especially true if you are happy with marginally less assertiveness and alcohol.
Aromatic with just a gentle hint of sweetness, this example is an appealing blend of that region’s local grape varieties.
It has, as its nucleus or foundation, textured greengage, melon and cooked apple flavours.
Those are coupled with lively grapefruit acidity, a chestnut centred savoury edge and suspicions of fragrant herbs.
This Thursday’s post takes a close look at the Lidl Wine Tour that has just started. See you there.
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Brian Elliott
Brian Elliott is an established wine journalist, taster, judge and writer with a weekly column in Scottish newspapers.
Comments
11 Comments
Thanks for your tip that the Montepulciano grape is a “safe option” in Italian restaurants – good to know. I’m sometimes overwhelmed by the sheer number of Italian red grapes to be informed about!
I look forward to your review of the latest Lidl wine tour. I was told (rightly or wrongly) by an English wine maker that of all the supermarkets Waitrose and Lidl (in respect of its Wine Tours) offer the fairest deals for wine producers.
Yes, Rebecca, my “safe wines” in Italian restaurants are indeed montepulciano and primitivo for a red and fiano or gavi for a white but when you know a restaurant well, do try the less obvious offerings. As for wine buyers, I have also heard high praise for both premium discounters (Lidl and Aldi) – pay on time, keen on long term arrangements and straight forward to business with.
Hi Brian I find Majestic’s range covers my needs well with a good range of reasonably priced wines some that you have reviewed recently, I particularly like the Gov’nor white and red. I recently noticed that Sainsbury’s have a new red , Mucho Mas produced by Felix Solis who also produces that Guv’nor at £8.50, this reduces down to under £6.50 with the current 25% off. Tried it last night, fruity med to full bodied with medium tannins a very nice drop. In my opinion a very good red for everyday use.
Guv’nor and Mucho Mas are indeed winning friends – and understandably so. Felix Solis, incidentally, has two wines in the current Lidl Wine tour – but more about that on Thursday.
Our little Sainsbury’s never has Mucho Mas. Grr. But when the 25% deal is on we buy it from them online, and if you’re not fussy about delivery times you can pay just a quid for delivery, cheaper than the petrol it takes to drive into town! It’s currently £7 in Morrisons. It’s our go-to, default red…
Good to hear, Steve, that you are exploiting these 25% off deals – details of another on Thursday. Using them is becoming a good hedge against the upward price drift.
A few years back,Majestic had lost its way.Poor,over priced wines and in danger of closing.The turnaround has been remarkable.Now there are more interesting wines and better pricing.
The mix six deal is still the Best Buy.
I was in my local Majestic store and looking for the sixth bottle to get the deal and I asked Harry the wine assistant what he would recommend.He suggested Pasqua DLZ ‘Idealysta’ Chardonnay- Fiano 2022 Puglia.£9.99 on mix deal.
Do not be put off by the zany label- which looks a little like Harry-or indeed the unusual grape combination.It worked for me.
I bet you are all wondering what DLZ stands for:Desire,Lush and Zin.Any the wiser?
Fiano is a grape with seriously underestimated gravitas. I have not seen it blended with chardonnay before but can imagine that the aromatics of one and the texture of the other could well work nicely together.
Quite agree – this Tesco Montepulciano offers great value for money and we’ve been drinking it for quite some time. It’s an excellent accompaniment with pasta dishes in particular.
Hi Trevor and welcome aboard the comments section. I am glad we are on the same page about this wine but, obviously, I was slower off the mark than you to recognise its prowess.
Just reiterating some of which has been said already, Mucho Mas ”black label” … tinto … red …. is available now at Tesco at £8.50, Morrisons charge the same, and Sainsbury’s too.
Tesco also stock the Much Mas Vino Blanco at £8.50 and Morrisons have the rosé at a reasonable £6.50.
I haven’t tried the rosé yet but can report that the white is very agreeable.
I did enjoy the Majestic Guv’nor red a few months ago but it was the white that impressed me more. But I buy little from Majestic, not having one on the doorstep and prices there are ”not cheap”.
I don’t of course have a The Wine Society on the doorstep either and yes, it costs money, £40 upfront to join with £20 back off our first order, but TWS will deliver any size order free of charges, often the next day, and I find they do have some exceptional bottles for less than £8, some less than £7.
Speaking as folks were last week about Languedoc reds TWS Domaine Laborie Pays D’Oc at £6.95 and Saint-Chinian Domaine Raynier at £7.50 are two stunning value battles.
If an Italian interests you then at £7.75 TWS Baccolo Appassimento Rosso Veneto 2021 is a bottle to which I return time and again.
And with a developed interest in Italian wine and speaking about Majestic again my biggest disappointment this year was pushing the boat out when I spotted a third level Ornellaia from Bolgheri … the La Volte … down from £29.99 to £22.99 as it was and I dived in feet-first for 2 bottles. I won’t do that again!
https://www.majestic.co.uk/wines/le-volte-dell-ornellaia-13181
The newer top growth releases from Ornellaia come in at over £200 a pop!! But best I think to go with that Vista Castelli Montepulciano D’Abruzzo at £5.35 from Tesco, enjoy and be safe!
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