Chateau de l’Hyverniere, Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie, 2020, Loire, France
This white wine from the luave Valley from Chateau de l’Hyverniere is quite wonderful. It’s a dry white but quite light and frisky with high acidity which would make this perfect to go with seafood full stop there are flavors of citrus, lemon and grapefruit and green apple. There’s a mineral undertone which makes this quite a fabulous wine and at under £8 a bottle it’s great value.
Domaine Lafage, Centenaire, 2019, Languedoc, France
This white wine from Domaine Lafage in the Languedoc, France is made with Granache Gris and Granache Blanc and is quite good, even great in some ways. Bold, dry with plenty of length there are ripe citrus and honey flavours with a bit of minerality and green apple poking through. The bit I’m not some keen on is the grapefruit hints. Great wine for chicken, zesty salad or watching a sunset.
Domaine du Tix, Cuvée des Grandes Pountes, Vaucluse, France
This Viognier from the Rhone is quite something, with a rich texture and lots of fruit, peach and apricot, green apple, citrus and a mineral afternote it’s on thd dry side but quite bold. With decent acidity underlying everything it’s a classic French wine that’s done well and at £10 a bottle, great value. It’s a shame that not more French white wine is of this quality and price.
Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Syrah, 2021, Rhone, France
This syrah from Paul Jaboulet Aîné, in the Rhone of France is a marmite wine, its love it or hate it red wine when its first opened. Its dry, medium bodied and very juicy with rich aromas and flavours of blackcurrant and hints of spice but with a tanker full of herbs thrown in. When I tried it the next day much of the overpowering herb flavours had disapated. It’s not bad with all the herby nores but not what I was expecting, but it is also more juice focused and one dimensional. Even at £6.99 at Majestic Wines on a mixed 6 offer i couldn’t give it more points, sorry not for me.
La Belle Angèle, Pinot Noir, 2021, Languedoc, France
A cheap pinot noir is always worth trying because to get a good one is hard and this one from La Belle Angèle from the Languedoc, France is cheap at £7.50. Dry, and easy drinking it’s OK but there’s too much sour cherry at the expense of structure and other flavours. Better when having with food, cheese in my case, it’s one to consider for a BBQ or party.
Rhonea, Notre Dame des Vignes, Visan, 2020, Rhone, France
This is a typical Rhone style red wine made with the Grenache and Syrah grapes. It has depth and length, its dry with good balance acidity and lots of black fruit flavours with hints of Violet and the smackering of pepper. At £10 a bottle is excellent value
Prosper Maufoux, Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru, La Garenne 2018, Burgundy, France
This Chardonnay from Prosper Maufoux, Premier Cru, in Burgundy, France is a great example of an amazing wine, one that all should try but at £100+ a bottle very few will. Its dry with great length and balanced acidity. Lots of stone fruit and a softness that coats the whole mouth, truly superb.
Domaine de la Potardiere, Muscadet Sevre et Maine, 2019, Loire, France
Loire wines are often decent value and high quality and this one from Domaine de la Potardiere is an excellent example. Being a Muscadet Sevre et Maine you get a dry, richly valued white wine with ripe citrus, pineapple, peach, honey notes and sense that this could be a standard to judge others by.
At £15 a bottle it’s great value and not one to just guzzle
Aldi, Pierre Jaurant, Bordeaux Blend, 2020, France
At times Aldi delights the wine drinker with a cheap wine that does what it’s meant to do, allow you to enjoy it without thinking about it and this Pierre Jaurant, Bordeaux Blend does that.
It’s a half decent dry red wine with firm tannins and lots of black fruit flavours. It’s uncomplicated and meant to just be drunk. At £5 a bottle it’s excellent value.
Domaine de la Jasse, 2011, Languedoc, France
We use to drink Domaine de la Jasse blend in the past like there was no tomorrow and for good reason. Its a classy Languedoc blend but at £12 a bottle it’s not going to break the bank. Dry with now, soft mellow tannins theres loads of ripe black fruit with notes of tobacco, chocolate coffee and hints of oak and vanilla. This just got better at 12 years old than I remember it.