Helen McGinn First things first: sending love to you and yours. Uncertain times but one thing I can do here is provide free wine advice on tap. Not as good as providing actual free wine on tap. Still, I’ve doubled up on the wine recommendations this week. All are available for home delivery and one’s from one of my favourite independent wine shops. And if you’re stuck at home this weekend I’ll be (fingers crossed) on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen. Which reminds me, host Matt Tebbutt is up for Personality of the Year at this year’s Fortnum & Mason Food & Drink Awards. Matt somehow manages to interview his guests and whip up a proper feast at the same time. I know I’m biased but he’s brilliant and I’d love to see him win. Click here if you want to cast your vote (and be in with a chance to win a Fortnum’s hamper). In the meantime, stay safe and keep washing those hands. And drinking wine, of course.
Current white in the fridge: Castellore Pecorino
Price: £4.99 - Buy From Aldi
One of the last press tastings I went to before everything was cancelled was the Aldi Spring Tasting. And this was one of the standout whites for the price, nicely balanced with lemony fruit and lip-smacking freshness. It’s available online now and in stores in a couple of weeks, apparently. Stock up whilst you can (it’s a seasonal parcel).
Current white in the fridge: As Caixas Godello
Price: £8.49 - Buy From Majestic
Galicia, up in the top northwest corner of Spain, is famous for its crisp-as-clean-sheets Albarino wines. But the warm, dry Monterrei region in Galicia is where the aromatic Godello grape thrives. Made by a great co-operative (named after a famous troubadour, as it happens), this is bright with citrus and pear fruit flavours, the kind of wine you need to get the mouth watering and the appetite up. Salty snacks essential but loves a bit of fish, too.
Current red in the rack: Ricca Terra Bullets Before Cannonballs
Price: £14.99 - Buy From The Solent Cellar
This is a bonkers but brilliant blend of grape varieties, ones that you wouldn’t necessarily expect to find hanging out on vines in the Riverland region in Australia. It’s big, bold and juicy with bags of blackcurrant fruit flavour and lots of warmth. Tannins like a cashmere blanket. The grapes in this blend include Tempranillo, Lagrein, Nero d’Avola and Montepulciano (told you it was bonkers) but it all comes together beautifully. Boom.
Current sparkling in the fridge: Blanquette de Limoux Reserve
Price: £10.95 - Buy From The Wine Society
The Languedoc region in southern France was making sparkling wine back in 1531, long before they were doing the whole second-fermentation trick required to get bubbles in the bottle in Champagne. The blend is quite different though, with local hero grape Mauzac taking the lead. From a great producer, this is crisp and apple-y with a touch of biscuit. A great bone dry alternative to Prosecco if you’re looking for one.
I started following your great blog after going to wine tasting at my mum’s church and the host recommending it! Keep up the good work
Glad you found it! Cheers!