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.
Oyster Bay, Merlot, 2022, Hawks Bay, New Zealand
A big producer, Oyster Bay is a supermarket staple in their wine aisle. They produce decent wine at a fair price and this Merlot is no exception. A dry red wine with decent red fruit flavours. A little one dimensional in its characteristic delivery but at under £10 a bottle what do you expect.
Another well made Canadian Pinot Noir. Yep the winery may have a slightly “unusual” name but they can make good Pinot Noir. Red current, strawberry and notes of vanilla, leather with a slight earthiness in the background. Well integrated, soft tannins make this a solid dry red wine to be sipped, rather than just guzzled.
The major upside is the price at about CAD20 a bottle. At that price its worth getting in by the case. Its like getting a top spec BMW and only being charged for the basic model.
Tesco, Finest, Sauvignon Blanc, 2022, Western Cape, South Africa
Super markets sell some great wine and for Tesco in the UK this can be via their Finest range. Its nice and round on the flavours, without the over powering Gooseberry that can be in the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc’s. Dry with a bit more citrus but in a lighter way. Its not quite French but its easy drinking and won’t offend anyone. At under £10 its reasonable value but it doesn’t shout Finest to me.
Prović, Livija, Zlatarica, 2022, Croatia
This white wine from the Provic Winery could be described as simple and easy drinking which is not bad. light, off dry with citrus mainly and stone fruit poking through its a summer wine to be just drunk and not thought about to much. Enjoy it for what its meant to be.
Hawkers Hill, Solaris, 2022, Norfolk, UK
Solaris is a great understated grape which this white wine from Hawkers Hill in Norfolk, UK shows. Off dry, rounded with a full fat milk thickness this wine coats the mouth with nectar. Well maybe not nectar but there is richness and a concentration of ripe citrus, pineapple, with a hint of sherbet or cream soda that pokes through. It’s a sipping wine, but that’s not bad. A definite silver medal in my view.
Brancott Estate, Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, 2022, Marlborough, New Zealand
Another excellent wine from Tesco. At £12 a bottle it’s keenly price for the quality. Made from Sabro and Sauvignon Blanc grapes it’s dry, crisp, clean, refreshing with good length of flavours, citrus and hints of lime all in the right proportions.
Tesco, Finest Pinot Noir, 2022, Central Otago, New Zealand
I think Tesco struck gold with their Finest Pinot Noir from Central Otago, New Zealand. This is a real treat. Dry and light it has plenty of subtle red fruit that dances on the palette. It’s got grace and style and although Decanter only gave it 91 points it’s a gold from me.
At £14 a bottle for such quality it’s great value. It stood up to steak very well but was excellent too on its own.
Chateau de la Greffiere, Chardonnay, 2022, Macon la Roche, France
The french generally produce great Chardonnay and this is a perfect example. Its dry, clean, fresh with subtle flavours of citrus and peach with a creamy undernote which makes it a delight to drink. At £16 a bottle it’s decent value too.
Berton vineyard, Chardonnay, 2022, Eden Valley, Australia
Another typical cheap Australian Chardonnay? Not quite. This one from Berton vineyard is ok, not outstanding but decent if you like a slightly heavier white wine. Lots of ripe citrus, pineapple and hints of grapefruit. As such it holds its length well, although thats more by brute force of flavour.
Personally, at £15 a bottle it’s over priced. For me it’s like Ford Fiesta car, nothing wrong in many ways but I’m not paying VW golf prices for it.