If you’re looking for a little treat to help you while away this Halloween weekend, then this Somborne Estate Reserve Red 2014, a delightful Rondo wine from Somborne Valley Vineyard in Hampshire, ticks all the boxes.
Rondo is a hybrid grape variety, created in 1964 when Zarya Severa, a grape variety of Russian origin, was crossed with St Laurent from Austria. Given its hardiness and high resistance to winter frost, it generally fares well in Northern Europe and is widely cultivated in the UK. It typically produces rich, deeply-coloured wines with good fruit flavours. This one is no exception.
Deep ruby in colour, this is a rich, smooth, medium-bodied wine. It has blackberry, plum and black cherry aromas, with notes of cinnamon and vanilla, on the nose, and rich black fruit flavours with savoury notes on the palate. It is a wine with depth and complexity, and very well-balanced.
A wine to sit and relax with, or to enjoy with lamb chops, beef casserole or your favourite cheese.
Available from Grape Britannia (£15.99)