Aldi, Kooliburra, Shiraz Cabernet, 2022, South East Australia
At £4 from Aldi you can’t expect much and therefore you won’t be disappointed with this red wine. The main problem is the thinness of it. Sure there’s some blackcurrant and plum flavours but these are quite non-discript. It’s a party wine, to be opened at the end of the party. Sorry but to be avoided.
Berton vineyard, Coonawarra Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2019, Australia
There’s a lot of cheap Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia that is pretty poor and it show that it pays to go up a notch or 2 in price. At £15 a bootle it’s reasonable value. Dry, firm but well integrated tannins and decent flavours of blackcurrant, black plum, chocolate and tobacco hints and a pinch of eucalyptus coupled with decent length make this and enjoyable red.
Domaine Les Ondines, Vacqueyras, Passion Blanc, 2020, Rhone, France
This Rhone white wine from Domaine Les Ondines is rather good. With medium body and long length you taste the components that the 4 grape varieties add – Grenache blanc at 35%, Clairette at 35%, Roussanne at 20% and Bourboulenc at 10%. Theres citrus and melon with a hint of eucalyptus. It’s a grown up wine to be tasted rather than guzzled.
At £15 a bootle it’s pretty decent value too. Pair with a fish dish or roast chicken.
Santa Rita, Triple C, 2020, Maipo Valley, Chile
If you like red wine then I suggest you just buy it, because this Triple C from Santa Rita is one of the best reds I have ever tasted.
A Bordeaux blend of Cab Sav, Cab Franc and Carmenere its a bold, dry red, with firm tannins and long black plum and blackberry flavour’s. There chunks of chocolate and a smokey, earthiness sitting in the background, oak and vanilla round this off beautifully.
At £15 a bottle from Majestic its a steal. Fantastic.
Aldi, Marlborough Sounds, Sauvignon Blanc, 2023, Marlborough, New Zealand
Another New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from Aldi, although at £9.99 a bottle a bit more pricey than the usual offerings. It’s dry, reasonably light with subtler flavours. More citrus than gooseberry, more French than New Zealand. Can this be thd wine to change the minds of people buying Sauvignon Blanc from Aldi that it’s worth trading up? Probably, great wine especially with pizza, zesty salad or fish.
Potash Field, Bacchus, 2023, Essex, UK
Potash Field vineyard is not a big player, a local place with a lot of passion and an experienced wine maker. This is an off dry bacchus with a soft feel, good acidity and chunk of gooseberry with hints of lime and lemon. Its a very easy drinking wine that would go well with a zesty salad or fish dish.
Delaire Graff, Chardonnay, Banghoek Reserve, 2021, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Rather good is this Chardonnay from Delaire Graff in Stellenbosch. Its a solid dry chardonnay with plenty of flavour’s. Balanced acidity shows off the components with citrus, lime, lemon, pear and melon all showing up. There’s a little creaminess/butter and subtle oak in the back ground.
The downside is the £30 price mark which is a little steep but is worth trying.
Domaine de la Bressande, 2019, Mercurey, France
The french do know a thing or 2 about Pinot Noir and this one from Domain de la Bressande is a classic. There’s plenty of red fruit with a hint of raspberry and the typical earthy undertone with oak and vanilla poking through. On the light side with smooth tannins and
La Vieille Ferme, Rose, 2023, France
La Vieille Ferme, Rose is a dry, light easy drink Rosé wine that will surpriseyou. A mixture of Cinsault, Syrah and Granache it’s not going to win any gold medals, but it has subtle flavours of strawberries and stone fruits and is a drinking with friends sort of wine. At £8 a bottle is reasonable value.
St Hugo, Chardonnay, 2022, Eden Valley, Australia
I am partial to a crisp buttery chardonnay and was looking forward to tasting this one from St Hugo’s but it wasn’t quite what I expected. Its a dry, crisp white wine with plenty of acidity. Lots of green apples and grass with a big hit of lemon and some grapefruit make it unbalanced to me. I was hoping for more buttery and vanilla notes and these make come through in the coming years if left.
At £20 a bottle its not cheap and I would like to try it again in 5 or 7 years to see how it matures.