Learning about and discovering new wines
This deep red Tempranillo wine from the Rioja region of Spain is a well-balanced wine of medium intensity and medium acidity. Aromas of blackberry and cherry together with sweet spices and vanilla on the nose; and intense flavours of black fruits, vanilla and spices, with hints of hazelnut and liquorice, on the palate. It’s a smooth wine with medium tannins which pairs well with red meats, sausage dishes and casseroles. Also, goes perfectly with a hard cheese.
This Pinot Grigio is a simple but perfectly agreeable wine from Italy’s Veneto region. It has a subtle refreshing flavour of apples, lemons and pears, with overtones of melon. It’s perfectly fine as an aperitif, but also goes well with pasta dishes with light sauces, as well as chicken or fish dishes.
This Californian Chardonnay from Sonoma Valley is a very good wine. A refreshing, full-bodied wine with medium acidity, with flavours of apple pie, peach and nectarine, and secondary flavours of butter and vanilla. A very well-balanced wine – fine to drink by itself and goes very well with fish/seafood dishes.
I was initially a little sceptical when I first came across this wine in New Zealand earlier this year. My wife and I were on holiday when we spotted it on a supermarket shelf in Auckland and though we enjoy the Graham Norton Show, we doubted his skills extended to wine-making … But we took a punt and were pleasantly surprised – it turned out to be surprisingly good. Very good in fact. Crisp, zesty and refreshing, with tropical fruit flavours of passion fruit and kiwi. Delighted to see that it is now currently available at Asda, and so immediately rushed out to get a few bottles. It goes really well with pan-fried salmon!