Sunday roast Archives - It Must Be Wine O'clock

A well-balanced wine with a lingering, herby finish …

Cru des Côtes du Rhône Vinsobres 2021 (Southern Rhône)

Situated at the northern tip of the southern Rhône, where the grapes benefit from mountain breezes and cool summer nights, Vinsobres, one of the seventeen ‘crus’ of the Rhône valley, produces fresh, smooth, fruity wines with notes of garrigue.

This is a full-bodied wine with aromas of cherry, raspberry and vanilla on the nose, leading to blackberry, cassis, liquorice and chocolate on the palate. A blend of Syrah and Grenache grape varieties, it is a well-balanced wine with a lingering, herby finish.

A perfect match for a Sunday roast, grilled meats or with ripe cheeses.

Available from Sainsbury’s (£12)

A smooth, well-balanced Shiraz from New South Wales

PepperBox Shiraz, 2020 (Southeastern Australia)

Having recently tried the PepperBox Chardonnay from the Casella winery in New South Wales, I was keen to try other wines from the winery and I was very impressed with this Shiraz.

Deep ruby in colour, this rich, well-balanced PepperBox Shiraz is very good value for money. With blackberry, cherry and plum on the nose, and black fruits, chocolate and tobacco, with a hint of spice on the palate, this is a smooth wine with plenty of character, medium tannin and acidity, and a lengthy finish.

Perfect for a Sunday roast, with grilled meats, or roasted vegetables.

Available from Sainsbury’s (£9)

A great value Haut-Médoc, perfect with a Sunday roast

Château Dasvin-Bel-Air, Haut-Médoc 2019 (Bordeaux)

This smooth, elegant wine is from the heart of the Médoc wine area, just to the north of the city of Bordeaux. A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, it has vanilla, blackcurrant and dark cherry on the nose, and blackcurrant and plum on the palate.

A hint of smokiness reflects the oak ageing and there is a slight earthiness in the finish. This is a well-balanced, medium-bodied wine with medium tannins, offering very good value for money.

This is an excellent match for a Sunday roast and will also go well with hard cheese.

Available from Co-op (£13.50)

A very appealing organic Tempranillo from Toledo …

Finca Constancia Entre Lunas Organic Tempranillo 2019 (Castilla-la-Mancha)

Located near Toledo in Castilla-la-Mancha, the winery at Finca Constancia is a pioneer in biodynamic winemaking practices and this very appealing red wine is 100% organic. It is made from indigenous Tempranillo grapes, which flourish in the long hot summers and cooler winters of the region.

This is a full-bodied wine, smooth, silky and well-balanced, with medium tannins and a lengthy finish, and has been aged in oak for eight months, giving it a hint of smokiness in the background.

Aromas of vanilla, blackcurrant, raspberry and plum on the nose lead to raspberry, cherry and damson, with hints of cloves and chocolate, on the palate. This is a bold, expressive wine, which will go very well with a traditional roast lunch.

Available from Sainsbury’s (£8.50)

A little gem from Suffolk

For something from a vineyard a little closer to home, this St Edmundsbury Pinot Noir 2020 is from Giffords Hall near Long Melford in Suffolk. The vineyard was planted on the site of an ancient glacial riverbed about 30 years ago and several grape varieties, including Madeleine Angevine, Bacchus, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc flourish in the sandy, clay soil here. This Pinot Noir 2020 is a little gem.

With aromas of bramble and blackberry on the nose, and flavours of plum, strawberry and rhubarb on the palate, this is a smooth, well-balanced wine with medium tannins and a lengthy finish.

An attractive and appealing wine that pairs well with duck or a Sunday roast.

Available from Grape Britannia (£15.99)