Le Salare Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2013

Le Salare 2013 Montepulicano d’Abruzzo

12.5% €14.99

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo comes in many guises, including a great many poor quality wines. This is one of the good guys. Delicious refreshing red wine with lifted aromas of roses and cherry, and a juicy palate of dark cherry fruits with mouth-watering acidity. Try with pork and charcuterie.

Stockists: La Touche, Greystones; Sheridan’s Cheese Shops, Dublin, Meath, Waterford and Galway.

Lidl Cimarosa Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014

Lidl Cimarosa Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Marlborough, New Zealand

12.5% €8.79 per bottle

Visiting the massive (1,000 hectare) Yealands estate in Marlborough a few weeks back, I spied a bottle of this wine in the tasting room. Peter Yealands smiled and said, yes we do supply a Sauvignon to Lidl. It is not the same cuvée as the Peter Yealands, which sells for around €15, but those on a limited budget who enjoy Marlborough Sauvignon should stock up on this wine. Fresh and light with good lifted herby aromas, light fresh green fruits and classic Marlborough citrus acidity. Certainly the best white wine in the Cimarosa range from Lidl.

Stockists: Lidl

Ch Beauregard Mirouze 2012, Corbières

14.5%

€14.85 currently on offer at €13.35

Corbières comes in many styles depending on the location and ambition of the producer. This is made from organic grapes, 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah. The nose is a little barnyardy with swarthy spicy dark fruits too. It is rich and full-bodied with pleasant rustic tannins. Nice wine at a very good price.

Stockists: Le Caveau, Kilkenny.

GOING PINK

Going Pink

‘Neither fish nor fowl’ one of my former bosses would say of rosé wines. I knew what he meant; a rosé is either a white wine trying to be red, or a red wine that didn’t quite make the grade. But rosé deserves more than that. Properly made, it is one of the great hot weather drinks, refreshing, thirst quenching but still frivolous. It is not really a wine to write about; it is there to drink and enjoy. I enclose four possible options tow under €15 and two over; the last two, made from Pinot Noir, are in my favourite style; fragrant, light and dry.

 Delheim Pinotage Rosé 2013, Stellenbosch 12.5%

€12.99 or two for €19.40

Ample rounded fresh strawberry fruits with clean crisp acidity; a great all-purpose wine for whenever the sun comes out or as a summer party wine.

Delheim is one of my favourite South African producers, mainly because they don’t try to hard with their wines. Family-owned and run, they produce a series of well-made fruit-driven wines at very keen prices. O’Briens have  been importing them for many years. I am not a huge fan of Pinotage but it seems it can make very good rosé wines.

Stockists: O’Briens

Mirabeau 2013, Côtes de Provence 13%

€15.99 or two for €23.98

This is a very tasty modern exuberant ripe fruit-filled rosé that would suit any summery occasion, indoors or out.

This is part of a rather complicated but very successful rosé promotion that O’Briens are running all summer, whereby you buy two bottles and get the second at ½ price – which means 25% off, I think? In any case, this wine  is made by an English/German couple who moved from London to Provence seeking the good life. They have been hugely successful in gaining publicity and in making very gluggable rosé .

Stockists: O’Briens

TWO MORE SUMMER WINES

  Blauer Zweigelt 2013, Winzer Krems

€14.45

I didn’t have high hopes for this wine prior to tasting it, as inexpensive Austrian wine is frequently disappointing. However, I opened it last night and was very pleasantly surprised; lovely supple, lively, fresh, clean red  cherry and blueberry fruits. This would make for great summer drinking served cool. Sadly it was shipped to Ireland very recently so distribution isn’t great for the moment.

Stockists: Karwig Wines, Carrigaline www.karwigwines.ie

 The Exquisite Collection Picpoul de Pinet 2013

€9.99

I find wine tastings at both Lidl and Aldi tend to consist of a large number of very average unexciting wines with the occasional howler and a few wines that stand out as really good value. The Picpoul above is  one of the latter; fresh easy plump pear fruits, good acidity and a decent finish. Perfect for everyday drinking.

Stockists: Aldi

DUNGARVAN COMERAGH CHALLENGER IRISH BITTER -bringing back warm memories of last year’s Electric Picnic

The Dungarvan Brewing Company has just released their summer brew, an Irish bitter. With 3.8% abv, subtle floral aromas and a delicious light fresh thirst-quenching palate, the Comeragh Challenger has that perfect combination of low alcohol and lots of flavour. For drinking on those warm summer evenings. It brings back warm memories of last years Electric Picnic for some reason.

M&S WINES FOR €7

Two wines at €7

For the most part, Marks & Spencer avoid the heavy discounting and spurious special offers favoured by some of the other chains. However, even here discounted wines seem to be on the increase. I have no objection to real offers, but in many cases the wines are simply over-priced to allow later discounting. In most instances, the real price lies somewhere between the original and offer price. I also have reservations about really cheap wines; very few are worth the money. However, if you buy direct from the producer, €7 does allow a retailer pay a reasonable €1.50 and still make a 25% margin. Included in this €7 is €4.10 on government taxes and duties, leaving €2.91 for retailer and producer margin, as well as the wine, bottle, cork, label and transport. The M&S wines I tasted are not bad (this is part of a range they have introduced at €7), and considerably better than some currently being sold at €5-7 elsewhere.  The Reserve de la Saurine has nice peach fruit and good acidity although it does fall away a bit on the finish. The red Marques de Alarcorn, a Tempranillo/Syrah blend is ok too; a little bit light and scrawny but just enough fruit to cover the cracks.  Both wines were reasonable value for €7,and thankfully didn’t have the syrupy confected flavors I find in so many wines at this price.

MUSCADET FROM DUNNES STORES

Domaine du Bois Perron 2011, Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine

12%

On offer for €10 until 9^th April, down from €11.50

I am very fond of Muscadet and look forward to the day when it returns to some sort of popularity in this country. A few years ago, I tasted some thrilling wines at a fair in Angers, but it is not easy to fid good example sin this country. Dunnes Stores are to be commended for brining in this decent well-made Muscadet. It is light and fresh with a good intensity of green fruits, a slight prickle on the tongue, and a dry finish. Very good everyday drinking on its own or with shellfish.

Stockists: Dunnes Stores