10 wines to buy from Lidl

With supermarket wine aisles looking severely depleted it was good to hear this week that Lidl was going ahead with its usual bi-monthly Wine Tour in the UK, starting today. Not all the wines might be available in all branches and there may be restrictions on the number you can buy but take advantage while you can.

Here are the ones I picked out from the recent tasting - the whites on the whole being better than the reds

WHITES

Poggio Civitelle Orvieto Classico 2018 £5.99

Classic neutral food-friendly white from underrated Orvieto in Umbria. Ideal with spring vegetable pastas and risotti

Sassi del Mare Vermentino Toscana 2018 13% £7.99

I keep on waiting for vermentino to become as popular as pinot grigio but it never seems to happen. And this is much more appealing than most pinot grigios at the price - crisp, fresh and citrussy. A good all-rounder but particularly nice with fish or other seafood.

The best food pairings for Vermentino

Corte del Drago Chardonnay 2018, Friuli £7.99

You probably don't think of chardonnay coming from Italy but this is a delicious example - as smooth and creamy as a bourgogne blanc (basic white burgundy). Would be good with chicken with a creamy sauce or a fish pie.

Nivei Rioja Blanco 2018 £5.99

A real cocktail of grapes - sauvignon blanc, verdejo, tempranillo blanco, viura, chardonnay, malvasia and maturata blanco (the last, a new one on me) - making for an appealingly fruity, easy-drinking white that’s good to drink on its own.

Dereszla Tokaji Dry 2018 12.5% £7.99

A really classy Hungarian white (furmint) - elegant and dry with a lovely crisp edge. Would be really nice with light vegetable-based starters

Scheurebe Halbtrocken, Nahe 11% £6.99

Lush German white made from the lesser known Scheurebe grape that would make a great glass for a virtual wine hangout on Zoom. Or drink it with some south-east Asian-style noodles.

REDS

Domaine Couquihado Côtes du Rhône 2018 £6.49

My favourite of the reds in this release. Classic warm, generous Côtes du Rhône. Good with a beef stew or a steak pie

Dornfelder Trocken 2018 12.5% £5.99

I’ve recommended this a few times before - it’s an attractive medium-bodied dry German red that should appeal if you’re a Bordeaux fan

Piemonte Barbera 2016 12% £5.99

Ideally this would be a touch younger but it’s a decent buy for the money especially with meaty pasta dishes like a bolognese or lasagne

Top food pairings with Barbera

Terre Siciliane Appassite 2018 £7.99

A rich, slightly porty ripasso-style red. Bit sweet for me but if you’re an Amarone or Apothic fan you’ll love it. And it would go really well with blue cheese.

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