roast meat Archives - It Must Be Wine O'clock

This Negroamaro from Puglia in the heel of Italy is a delightful Southern Italian red offering very good value for money.

Vanitá Negroamaro, Puglia 2023 (Italy)

The heat of Southern Italy means it is able to produce full-bodied red wines made from grape varieties such as Aglianico, Primitivo and Negroamaro which flourish in the hot, sunny climate. This Negroamaro from Puglia in the heel of Italy is a delightful Southern Italian red offering very good value for money.

With aromas of bramble fruits, vanilla and a hint of spice on the nose, and flavours of blackberry, prune, and cherry on the palate, this is a smooth, velvety, well-balanced wine with medium tannin and a lingering finish.

A bold, full-bodied fruity wine, this is a perfect match for steak, roast or grilled meat dishes, roasted vegetables or mature cheeses.

Available from Co-op (£8)

A smooth, expressive red wine from the Douro, Portugal

Feuerheerd Reserva Douro 2020 (Portugal)

Though this wine comes in a bottle wrapped in thick grey paper and has a label tied round the neck with string, don’t be misled by the gimmicky packaging!

The Feuerheerd Reserva Douro 2020 is an expressive red wine, aged in carefully selected old oak barrels, and is a very good example of the high-quality, good value red wines produced by Feuerheerd, a renowned Port producer.

A blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz grape varieties, the wine is a smooth, elegant, well-balanced wine with medium tannin, medium acidity and a long, silky finish.

With plum, cherry and vanilla on the nose, and blackberry, chocolate, liquorice and a touch of spice on the palate, this is an excellent match for a grilled or roast meat dish, or with roasted vegetables. It will also go well with a strong cheese.

Available from Sainsbury’s (£11)

An expressive red wine from Bergerac. Perfect for a barbecue!

Château Bel-Air, Bergerac 2020 (France)

This expressive red wine from Bergerac in the Dordogne, just to the east of Bordeaux, is a very good example of the high-quality, good value wines from this appellation.

A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, this Château Bel-Air 2020 is an elegant, well-balanced wine with generous tannins and a long finish. With plum, cherry and black fruits on the nose, and blackcurrant, plum and vanilla on the palate, this is an excellent match for a grilled or roast meat dish, or with roasted vegetables. Perfect for a barbecue!

Available from Majestic (£8.99; Mix Six £7.99)

A smooth, rich, full-bodied red wine from Languedoc-Roussillon

Les Hauts de Saint Martin, Saint Chinian 2021 (France)

This Saint-Chinian wine is from vineyards located at the southern end of the Massif Central and just 20 miles from the Mediterranean coast, which enables the grapes to benefit from long, hot summers and mild winters, resulting in a smooth, rich, full-bodied wine. It won a Gold Medal in the Concours des Grands Vins de France in 2022.

A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre grapes, this is a dry wine with medium acidity, medium tannins and a lengthy finish. With bramble, plum and cherry on the nose, and an array of red and black fruits, with a hint of spice, on the palate, this is an appealing wine offering very good value for money.

A very good match for a grilled or roast meat dish, or roasted vegetables. We enjoyed it with lamb chops.

Available from Co-op (£9)