A very warm welcome to the latest Top Tips post which – as ever – pinpoints wines that I consider represent exceptional value for money, especially when they are on promotion.
Helping hands that provide that sort of guidance will become increasingly important throughout 2022.
Quite soon, I fancy that the confluence of several factors will start forcing up many wine prices.
Sadly, one likely effect is that where prices do not go up, quality will come down.
Finding reliable, well-made wine at modest prices will, I fear, become increasingly difficult for wine lovers with restricted budgets.
As an example of a guide that helps you through the consequent maze, today’s post highlights a little-known Italian white and a malbec of stand-out quality for its £5 price tag.
Both are inexpensive wines that do merit unreserved recommendation.
As one extra bit of assistance, hyperlinks and pictures are provided to ensure that you are buying the correct wine.
First then to Italy
2020 Masseria Pietrosa Verdeca (£6.50 – instead of £8.50 until 15 March – at Morrisons):
Verdeca is one of those unfamiliar Italian grape names it is easy to walk past in a wine display.
Doing so, though, would deny you the joys of this brilliant white wine from a classic red wine region – Puglia.
With creamy depth yet sweet touches too, it delivers bright nectarine, greengage and cooked apple flavours combined with grapefruit acidity and a long finish containing traces of lemon curd.
Then across the Atlantic and beyond
2021 Finca Las Moras Malbec (£5 – instead of £6 until 7 March for Tesco Clubcard holders):
Being lower in altitude, San Juan is hotter and drier than Mendoza but, nevertheless, produces large volumes of everyday wine.
Uncomplicated malbec like this is just one variety that prospers there.
Young, punchy wine (and great value even at £6), it brings us ripe but slightly smoky damson and cherry flavours with bright acidity, soft mellow tannins and a hit of vanilla.
My next post (on Thursday) contains details of the promotions at major supermarkets offering discounts like those that apply to today’s Top Tips – join me then.
2 responses
Hi Brian & all, having missed a few previous MWW recommends and offers I nipped to Morrison’s today and bagged 12 bottles of the Verdeca. Nicely cooler now, have just opened and we are both very pleased. Do enjoy many Italian wines anyway as they off mainstream and often at a good price point / value. Thanks for the tip off !
Delighted that you found the post useful, Richard, and that you are enjoying the wine. As you say, many new or rediscovered Italian whites are lovely yet seldom receive the praise they deserve from the wine-buying public.