This Muscat from Domaine Schlumberger in the Alsace, France is very good, very good indeed. Off dry but with flavours of pineapple, peach, mangoes it’s fresh and vibrant. Great on its own or with fish and curries it’s quite delightful. At £15 it’s cheap for the quality. Its like getting a 2nd hand electric car and realising it’s rather good and now pretty cheap.
Two Sisters Vineyard, Eleventh Post, Niagara, Canada
A dry, red blend from Two Sisters Vineyard this wine is rather good. Soft tannins with solid length of the red berry flavours which are complimented with notes of vanilla, tobacco and spice. At CAD40 a bottle it’s not cheap but worth it.
Pair it with beef or tomato pasta for a great evening in. Its like a Kia e-niro car, the outside looks a bit dull but try it and you find something surprising good.
Ramon Bilbao, Crianza, 2021, Rioja, Spain
Another Crianza fron Rioja, Spain and a decent one too with a Silver medal from the IWC. Dry, firm but well integrated tannins and plenty of length of dark fruits. It’s like VW Polo, decent all round and nothing bad. At £12 a bottle its good value, well done.
Maison Fortant, Minervois, 2022, Languedoc, France
This blend of Syrah and Grenche is full of Blackcurrent and spice flavours with a note of chocolate and long length. Dry with tannins that are well integrated and you have a great wine. At £15 a bottle it show cases Languedoc’s excellent red wine perfectly, it’s like a Mercedes E class at Ford Puma prices.
Tikves Winery, Babuna White
Made from Albariño, Chardonnay and Viognier this white blend from North Macedonia is rather good. Medium bodied with flavours of apple and pears with a floral notes and an aromatic undertone which ties it all together. At about £15 a bottle it’s like a Ford Fiesta with alot of upgrades.
Felix Solis Avantis, Casa Solis, Carmenère, 2023, Chile
I generally like Carmenère very much but this one was quite a disappointment. It was flat, non descript and lacked that Carmenère wow. On the positive side it was drinkable and easy to knock back and tasted of red wine, it just lacked that solid black fruit flavours, oak, tobacco and intensity that you should get with a Carmenère.
Red Schooner, Voyage 11, Mendoza, Argentina
Wow, this is an amazing wine made with grapes from Mendoza that are shipped to California to be made into a dry red wine. Bold, firm tannins with red currant, blackberry flavours, oak, leather and coffee notes make this a wonderful red wine. At USD40 a bottle it’s not cheap but its worth a taste.
Chartreuse de Bonpas, 2022, Cotes Du Rhone Villages, France
Chartreuse de Bonpas from the Cotes Du Rhone Villages area of France is a quality dry red wine that you won’t want to guzzle but sip. Long length with black and red fruit flavours, oak, tobacco and a little chocolate sit in the background. Firm but well integrated tannins and a softness that’s just rounds the package off. Delightful. At £12 a bottle it’s a bargain.
Quinta Do Couquinho, Reserva, 2020, Douro, Portugal
Another Douro red wine? Yep but that’s hardly a bad thing. Dry, medium bodied with plenty of red fruit flavours, grippy tannins that integrated well. It’s a good red wine.
The Retreat, Sauvignon Blanc, 2023, Marlborough, New Zealand
A typical New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is best in describing this wine. Dry, crisp with citrus and hints of gooseberry. Pair with seafood or a zesty salad. On offer at Aldi for under £5 it was good value, normal price is under £10 which is a little high. It’s like getting a VW Golf but finding it’s just like a VW Polo. You wanted a Golf.