Marco De Pegoes 2010

Grape:  Castelao, Alicante Bouschet, Syrah
Price:     £6 - £7.50
Store:    Majestic Wines
Country:Portugal
Region: Peninsula De Setabal
ABV:       13.5%

The shortening days, turning leaves and drop in temperature has finally taken effect and I am thinking more and more about red wines.  What is it about the change in seasons that brings this shift in desires?  There must be something in the make up of red wine that predisposes us to think how nice it would be to drink it during colder months.  Maybe it is the warming effect it can often provide, whereas crispness and acidity of white wine stirs the need to be refreshed in warm summer months.

This week's wine has quickly found it's way onto my frequent buyers list.  The price of the bottle is very reasonable and the quality of the wine inside certainly stands up to it.  Coming from Portugal, this wine is made from a blend of indigenous and international grapes, all grown in a well established co-operative community.  

 

This wine feels slightly perfumed on the nose before faint woodsmoke comes through and sits nicely alongside warm black cherries.  Very easy drinking with obvious dark stone fruit including black cherry and damsons.  The strong tannins are tempered by the fruit to give a grippy mouth feel which adds a warm, full-bodied depth.  The aftertaste is dominated by tannins which relinquish hints of spice such as cloves in the dying moments.  This is easy to drink straight out of the bottle and with a slight chill gives good fruit, however, this wine performs so much more if allowed to breathe and brought up to room temperature.  The flavours open and provides a nice intensity which makes it easy to match with food, however, the wine stays light enough to be fine without.

This wine is a great winter warmer and eases you in nicely to the approaching colder months.  

See......good things happen when we work together.

Majestic have numerous stores throughout the UK and have extended their reach into France.  

Offering a home delivery service also, Majestic can be found at www.majestic.co.uk

Wild Valley Taste The Difference Chenin Blanc 2011

Grape:       Chenin Blanc

Price:         £9 - £6

Store:         Sainsbury's

Country:    South Africa

Region:      Wellington

ABV:          13.5%

  

The time of change is upon us once again.  The temperature has taken a definite step downwards, the wind has picked up and the rain is more persistent.  The inevitable transformation of trees as they shed their summer coats coincides with my growing urge to leave crisp white wines behind and hunt out full bodied, spicy reds. 

Now, I do appreciate the beauty in this season's change and why for some people, Autumn is their favourite time of year, however, I am not one of those people.  I dislike the short notice we get between light and warm evenings, to dark and wet nights;  I know which one I'd rather walk the dog in.  The problem is, I do love Winter and you can't get there without passing through the dampest, most turbulent season first.  So, my plan to fend Autumn off as long as I can is to keep drinking like it is Summer until things become twinkly and crisp.

This week's, I'm determined to not quite let go of the Summer just yet, choice is a surprisingly good Chenin Blanc from Sainsbury's Taste the Difference range which also comes with Fairtrade accreditation. The Chenin Blanc grape is grown worldwide but is most notable in France, South Africa, New Zealand and USA.  It is very versatile and will respond to different climates by presenting very different flavours (much like Reisling or Chardonnay) and can be made in styles to fit the spectrum all the way from sweet to bone-dry.  This makes confidence in buying Chenin Blanc difficult because there can be confusion with what to expect;  a problem compounded by a market laden with cheap and nasty bottles which gives Chenin Blanc a bad name.

Medium lemon in colour, this wine smells gently of pineapple and soft citrus. Other blended tropical fruits can be detected in the background and the sensation of crispness also comes across. The first attack contains the aforementioned fruit with a pleasant portion of acidity present. It feels medium or even light in body, making it very easy to drink in these, 'late summer months'.  A surprise comes at the end with a slightly oily or buttery texture which adds a touch of depth before the short but well structured aftertaste.

If you aren't quite ready to admit defeat, this wine will make it easy to block out the rain hammering on the window or the growing pile of leaves at the front door.  I am also grudgingly prepared to admit that it tastes just as well in front of a roaring fire.

Sainsbury's have numerous stores throughout the UK and can also be found on line at www.sainsburys.co.uk.