As ever, two recommendations for you today.
One is an unfamiliar – possibly even niche – red wine from Northern Italy that can be a little too simple sometimes, but here represents a solid choice.
Better still, it benefits from a 35%+ discount for most of this month.
But our consideration of the unexpected does not end there.
Any list of revived and reinvented grape varieties (Vinho Verde, Beaujolais etc) has a new member.
It was the mainstay of German wines that sold by the tanker in the Sixties and Seventies.
We thought its “day at the races” was past, but this change of country and dramatic one of style may tell us otherwise.
Read on for details of them both.
Adopting my traditional format, images and, where possible, hyperlinks accompany the assessments of the wines.
First that unusual Italian red.
2022 Venturina Freisa D’Asti (£6.99 – instead of £10.99 until 26 November – at Waitrose and 12.5% abv):
Freisa, mainly found in Italy’s Piemonte region, is a relatively little known but versatile grape which can, in clumsy hands, exhibit intrusive bitterness.
No such problem here, where it delivers light, fleshy unoaked red wine full of juicy, mouth-watering red fruits, and represents great value at £7.
Despite that summery lightness, this is suitable for year-round drinking – although gentle chilling is advised.
Do so, and you will enjoy wine based mainly on strawberry and cherry flavours which are neatly embellished with bright acidity, a stoney edge and slightly flowery aromas.
Staying in Italy
2023 Taste the Difference Müller-Thurgau (£8.50 in Sainsbury’s and 12%):
Many will remember müller-thurgau as the grape that formed the backbone of last century’s very basic Liebfraumilch.
Forget all the sweetness and lack of complexity and authenticity that implies.
This version, from Trentino in the Italian Alps, is a million times more sophisticated.
Engagingly bright and floral, it is centred around smooth melon, greengage and crunchy apple flavours.
These are accompanied by firm grapefruit acidity with just the merest hint of sweetness in the background.
The next post (on Thursday) represents the start of my four-part series of Christmas recommendations so join me then.
