March 2022 - It Must Be Wine O'clock

A fresh, zippy Albariño to brighten up your day!

Paco & Lola, Albariño 2020 (Spain)

Though Spain is best known for its red wines, it is quietly making a name for itself as a key white wine producer, with lots of interesting indigenous whites to discover. One of the best known is Albariño from the Rías Baixas region of Galicia in north-west Spain. Albariño is one of my favourite wines and this Paco & Lola 2020 is a fine example of what this grape variety is capable of.

With its Atlantic climate, moderate year-round temperatures, ocean mists and above-average rainfall, the Rías Baixas region is more reminiscent of Ireland than the sun-drenched beaches of holiday-destination Spain. But despite the dampness, the area is also blessed with many hours of warm sunshine, enabling the Albariño grapes to ripen and produce wines that are naturally high in acidity, with floral aromas, and citrus and stone-fruit flavours.

This wine from Paco & Lola is a fresh, lively wine, with zippy acidity and a lovely long finish. It has aromas of apricot and peach on the nose, and flavours of lime, lemon, peach and a hint of minerality on the palate. It’s a well-balanced wine which makes for an ideal aperitif but is also a perfect partner for seafood.

Available from Tesco and Sainsbury’s (£12-£14)

Wine of the Month

This month’s Wine of the Month is a Georgian qvevri wine.

Tbilvino Qvevris Rkatsiteli 2020 (Georgia)

Although wine cultivation is believed to have started in the Caucasus region as early as 6000 BC, Georgian wine is perhaps not as well-known as it ought to be. The traditional method of vinification using ‘qvevri’ – clay pots – whereby the juice, skin and seeds of the crushed grapes are placed in handmade clay pots, then sealed and buried underground for fermentation to take place, is still used today.

The qvevri maintain a constant temperature and allow the wines to breathe and evolve in relatively stable conditions. For white wines fermented this way, the prolonged skin contact gives them their distinctive amber colour and subtle tannic grip.

This Georgian wine from Tbilvino Winery is produced from Rkatsiteli grapes, the most widely planted white grape variety in Georgia. The grape is also popular in Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania and Moldova, and in recent years it has found a home in the Finger Lakes region of New York State, where the climate is similar to that of Georgia’s main winegrowing regions.

With peach, pear, apricot and blossom on the nose, and honey, peach and orange peel on the palate, this is a robust wine with a creamy mouthfeel. A dry wine, it is well-balanced with a lively acidity, and has a slight nuttiness in the finish. A very good match for a lamb dish, roast chicken, or salmon in a creamy sauce.

This is not a Sauvignon Blanc, a Chardonnay or a Pinot Grigio but it is an appealing wine with a character very much of its own. It’s a fine example of a qvevri wine and well worth trying.

Available from Majestic (£13.99, £11.99 Mix Six)

An elegant, slightly quirky wine from Portugal

Adega de Pegões Colheita Seleccionada 2020 (Portugal)

Portugal has many indigenous grape varieties which distinguish its wine from other Mediterranean wine-producing countries and make it an interesting area to explore. There are five main Protected Designations of Origin (Denominações de Origem Controladas /DOCs), as well as a number of regional wine designations (Vinho Regional). One of these is the Peninsula de Setúbal, directly to the south of Lisbon.

Best known for its sweet, fortified wines made from Moscatel grapes, Moscatel de Setúbal, the area also produces a range of regional wines, both red and white. And for a wine to be classified as a Vinho Regional Peninsula de Setúbal, it must be produced with particular grape varieties.

For white wine the blend must contain at least 50% of Arinto, Chardonnay, Fernão Pires, Malvasia Fina, Muscat of Alexandria and Roupeiro. The other 50% can be made up with Antão Vaz, Esgana Cão, Sauvignon Blanc, Rabo de Ovelha, Trincadeira das Pratas, Verdejo or Ugni Blanc.

This Adega de Pegões Colheita Seleccionada 2020 is a selected harvest wine. An elegant wine, a little quirky, yet full of character and very good value. A blend of Arinto, Chardonnay, Verdejo and Fernão Pires, it has pronounced aromas of peach and lime, with a touch of oak-derived vanilla, and refreshing flavours of citrus and stone fruits. There is also a noticeable burst of Chardonnay shining through with buttery notes. This is a smooth, deliciously crisp, original white wine which is a perfect match for a seafood dish.

Available from Majestic Wine £9.99 (Mix Six £7.99)

Crossword clue: A red wine in tavern, and cousin began raving (8,9)

(Answer: Cabernet Sauvignon)

Quodammodo 2017, Alexander Valley, Sonoma

The Alexander Valley appellation in north-eastern Sonoma County in California is the county’s largest AVA (American Viticultural Area). Set against the backdrop of the majestic Mayacama Mountains, this is a region with over 15,000 acres of vineyards. The hot, dry summers, early morning fog, and gravelly, well-draining soils are perfect growing conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon, which is the dominant grape variety here. Alexander Valley has a reputation for soft-textured, fruit-driven Cabernet Sauvignon wines with balanced acidity, which are dark in colour and elegant in structure.

This Quodammado 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon has been aged in French oak. It is a smooth, velvety wine with medium acidity, medium tannins and a lengthy finish. With blackcurrant, plum and vanilla on the nose, and cherry, cassis, liquorice and smoky overtones on the palate, this was an excellent match for a lamb casserole. It will also go very well with steak.

It is currently very good value at Majestic with 50% off. (£22.99, Mix Six £11.49)