Category Archives: Drinks Reviews

£8.50, Loire, France An almost fragile little Rose, delicate and tremulous; gossamer-light, pale peach in colour, and packed with  masses of refreshing, bright, perfumed and with crunchy red fruit –  wild strawberries, pomegranate and redcurrants drenched in citrus. Crisp, light, zesty. It’s from the Loire Valley, made from two of my favourite grapes, Cabernet FrancContinue reading “Morrisons The Best Touraine Rosé 2023”

Portugal, Lidl £8.99 Vinho Verde is enjoying a well-deserved renewed popularity, for its bright freshness, and delightful crispness. This is a great example in the Lidl seasonal collection – the grape is the Avesso, the location is the Vinho Verde region, specifically Amarante, situated in the Minho in the north west of Portugal on theContinue reading “Encostas de Caiz, Avesso, Vinho Verde 2023”

£8.50 (currently £7.00), Rhone, France For a ripe, warming, yet dry white for the colder months, but also for the perfect match to spicy food, head straight to the Viognier grape. It hails originally from the Rhone Valley, and produces the most delicious, ripe,warming whites – fleshy, warming and bursting with super ripe sun-kissed mediterranean stone fruits,Continue reading “Taste the Difference Viognier 2022, Sainsburys”

 £9.00, 50cl, 20%, Jerez, Spain Many of us in the wine world have long extolled the virtues of Sherry, and in particular bone dry Fino and Manzanilla styles. But at this time of year, it’s time for something a little warmer and comforting. I’m a huge fan of the Sainsburys range of Taste The DifferenceContinue reading “Taste the Difference Oloroso Sherry, Sainsburys”

Switzerland, Co-Op, £10.00 Hats off to the Co-Op for venturing into unknown territory with the launch of a relatively rare swiss red, as an addition to their premium ‘Irresistible’ range. From the warmer Valais region in the south-west, it’s made from the Pinot Noir, and the little known Gamaret grapes. Ruby red, with a lightish,Continue reading “Irresistible La Courbe”

Lidl, £11.99, South Africa A great value fizz, about to hit the shelves at Lidl for the Christmas season. Made from the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, in the champagne method, this will be a great party sparkler to see you through the next few months. Delicious aromas of buttered toast, red berries, and a gentleContinue reading “Lidl Deluxe Cap Classique Brut”

Marks & Spencer,  £8.00, Lisboa, Portugal For memories of warm summer days, and to cling on to the fresh, crisp whites of the summer season, here’s a tangy delight from southern Portugal, home of so many great quality and great value wines, both white and red. From the west coast, bathed by the sea breezesContinue reading “‘Found’ Arinto 2022”

£9.00, 13.5%, Marks & Spencer, Georgia I was delighted to see M&S celebrating a little known grape from Georgia, one of the oldest wine producing countries in the world.  It took me a while to get round the pronunciation of the grape, but it’s well worth it, simply for the pure delightfulness of this zesty,Continue reading “‘Found’ Mtsvane 2022”

Vento’z Alvarinho 2022.   £9.99 Waitrose. Vinho Verde Portugal Produced by Casal de Ventolosa, in northern Portugal, this is a true expression of the bright and floral Alvarinho grape. Super fresh, and inviting in its juicy freshness, this little gem, discovered by the clever buyers at Waitrose is jam-packed with flavour – quite perfumed, with exoticContinue reading “Vento’z Alvarinho 2022”

Single vineyard, Maipo valley, Chile, Waitrose £13.99 Voluptuous, velvety rich and intense are words that sum up this dark, brooding red, from a very unique vineyard in the Maipo valley, Chile, the wine produced from ungrafted vines planted way back in 1964. Packed with intense, luscious dark fruit, blackcurrants, ripe blackberries, and dark chocolate;  rich scentsContinue reading “Cabernario No8 Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, Sur Andino”