Want to secure a 27%+ discount on a fresh tasting white from Rueda or a plum centred red from the same country at under £7?
Well, you have come to the right place.
Rest assured, though, I have tasted these wines (as I do with other selections here) and believe they faithfully reflect the renowned style of their locality.
Even better, they also represent excellent value for money.
The reduction on the white is part of a three-week promotion that runs until the middle of the month.
Equally, you may able to catch a £0.50 saving on that bold red.
So read on for more details of these wines and the reasons I enthuse about them.
Once again, pictures and hyperlinks are included where possible to make it easier to track down the wine in question.
Starting in the “White Place”
2023 Four Lines Verdejo (£7 – instead of £9.50 until 17 September at Sainsbury’s and 12.5%):
Here is another vindication of my “Catch ‘em young for optimal enjoyment” conviction about verdejo.
Like most sound examples of the variety that land here, it is from Spain’s Rueda region and is not only great value at £7 but easy to spot in its distinctive blue bottle.
Note, in particular, its classic tobacco leaf aromas which serve as an enticing invitation to sample the smooth apple, quince and fennel flavours that follow.
Those palate satisfiers are partnered by pink grapefruit acidity and a savoury twist containing touches of thyme.
…And the companion red
2023 Extra Special Old Vine Garnacha (£6.75 at Asda but a 50p discount may be in force – and 14.5%):
Although grenache (in France) and Spain’s garnacha are the same grape variety, differences in climate and geology do affect the final wine.
Unblended French versions tend to be lighter and spicier with soft fruit influences compared to the forceful, weightier and stone fruit qualities of Spanish versions.
Being quite young, this Spanish example responds to being decanted but, at the very least, give it a few minutes to open up.
Then, it delivers bold, floral, loganberry and plum flavours with gradually softening tannin, and carries its high alcohol astonishingly well.
Supporting elements take the form of savoury aromas plus hints of liquorice, caramel, sandalwood and rosemary.
Join me again on Thursday when I consider “rosés are just for summertime – or are they”?
11 responses
Hi Brian,
Oh no!! not Spanish wine again !! (Lol).
I do love Verdejo, for me, probably above all other Spanish whites apart from Godello. I do enjoy the herbaceous, fennel, and melon flavours, so I will definitely grab a bottle. The blue bottle does look a bit garish though (I’m assuming it’s partly to do with oxidation as well as clever marketing). When we were in Spain earlier in the year it was everywhere (usually the house white in many bars and restaurants) very cheap and on the whole, apart from a few exceptions excellent value.
Probably grab a bottle of the Garnacha as well.
Love the irony of your opening but hadn’t considered that the colour of the bottle may be connected to early oxidation (something of a particular issue with verdejo, many think).
Just to pick up on Brian’s suggestion that some wines faithfully reflect the renowned style of their locality.
Lucky to visit today the Agia Triada monastery on Akrotiri peninsula ,Crete
.Close to Stavros beach, where Anthony Quinn was filmed dancing in “Zorba the Greek”.
The best tended vineyards I have ever seen.Tasted a sweet red used in communion, did nothing for me ,as I am not a sinner!
However the Trebbiano dry white-vines brought in much earlier by the Venetians- was great.Interesting ,the monks view on alcohol, anything below 12% should only be used for washing feet.
Except for one wine.
Did you know they make ice wine in Crete?
Brian previously recommended some Canadian ice wine from Lidl
Well the monks harvest the grapes and then freeze them quickly in a huge lorry freezer and make a sweet “ ice wine” from the frozen grapes, only 10% alcohol .
Icewine from Greece is a new one on me (and as some others suggest) possibly a bit of a cheat but, then again, if it is good, inexpensive and sells well should we look a gift “wine” in the mouth?
Strikes me that ice wine is cheating. Aren’t ice wines based on the principle that the grapes are left on the vine until they are extremely ripe and frozen by very low temperature at the end of the growing season? Why just freeze them artificially? Did you taste it?
Yes, Keith I did taste it.Sweet white wine, that tasted similar to the Lidl one.You are right about the Canadian ice wine.Only picked when grapes are at minus 8 or below.
I suppose the monks feel it gives them a unique marketing edge- they seemed to be right, as the locals very much like the wine.
I remember a bottle of red on a campsite in Istanbul … distinctive bottle with an embossed monkey on it … called Chimpanzee. That tasted as if a Turkish wrestler had washed his feet it!!! …
Nice one Eddie, made me chuckle for a long time.
Last comment on feet I promise !
Did you know that Anthony Quinn had two left feet?
Despite being a terrific actor,a talented artist and sculptor,fluent in five languages,going through four marriages and fathering 12 children, he was a terrible dancer.
So bad, they used a feet double in Zorba the Greek -all the close up shots are of a local young male Greek dancer wearing Quinn’s shoes and trousers.
I think I will stick to wine.Perhaps a review of some really great Greek wines?
No; keep at the broad picture stuff – you are boosting my pub quiz score considerably.
Quinn was also Mexican,not Greek!