Two Greek wines you really should try

There are so many interesting wines in Marks & Spencer’s new ‘Found’ range that it’s hard to single out the best, but as it’s Greek Easter this weekend I’m going for the two Greek ones.

My own favourite is a blend of two indigenous grape varieties Moschofilero and Roditis which have created a gorgeously fragrant white wine that M & S recommends you drink with ‘saganaki’ - a dish of prawns in a rich tomato and feta sauce. (I really love the imaginative wine pairings too!) It would also go brilliantly with Marianna Leivaditaki’s prawns with ouzo, orzo and courgette or simply with a selection of meze. It’s a very reasonable £8.50

The accompanying red, a blend of xinomavro and mandilaria is rich, dark and briary, better suited to roast lamb or kid which is what many Greeks would be eating this weekend, a moussaka or, as M & S suggests, a stifado (slow cooked beef stew) That’s a bit more expensive at £9.50 but really to find wines of this quality and interest for under £10 is remarkable. I remember someone from M & S once telling me that they make a smaller margin on more unfamiliar wines that they want people to try so take advantage!

Both these wines - and others in the range - have been widely written about in the wine press* so I would snap them up if you spot them. You can also buy a mixed case if you want to experiment

* I’ve recommended the pais and the cabernet franc myself in my Guardian column

Great Heart Chenin Blanc

I'm sure you're familiar with Fairtrade wines but it’s good to see a project which, although not certified, has similar aims and raises the bar both in terms of content and ambition.

It’s described as the ‘staff empowerment project’ of Mullineux and Leeuw family wines in South Africa, and is owned by the winery employees. Proceeds from the sales are designed to improve the livelihood of the staff and their families - it has that aim in common with Fairtrade but the co-ownership aspect is unusual. (You can read more about it here.)

I personally like the richly textured chenin blanc which comes from Swartland and would be great with scallops or roast butternut squash* The red’s OK - a robust barbecue-friendly blend of syrah, tinta barocca and cabernet sauvignon - but not really worth the £14.99 that Waitrose will be charging for it going forward. (It’s currently £10.99 at Waitrose Cellar). I reckon it would benefit from double decanting (pouring it out of the bottle into a jug then back into the bottle to give it a bit of air) and then chilling it lightly.

The bottles both have a very beautiful label showing a sculpture of the Cape Wagtail by Jaco Sieberagen, a bird which is apparently known for its selflessness and courage which they feel reflects that of the staff.

*for other chenin blanc pairings see Which wine to pair with South African chenin blanc

Domaine Roc de Chateauxvieux Touraine Gamay

If you like Beaujolais you’re going to love this 2019 Touraine gamay, from Domaine Roc de Chateauxvieux which has the same bright juicy happy-making fruit.

It’s a bit of a bargain too on a mix six deal from Majestic and is, alas, out of stock online but it’s worth seeing if you can track it down in your local branch.

I’d definitely serve it lightly chilled - they say 15-16° which is quite a bit cooler than our centrally heated homes. Great with French picnic-style food such as paté, saucisson and soft cheeses like brie, obviously, but also with duck, seared tuna - and asparagus you may be surprised to hear, especially when it’s grilled. It would work well with this week’s recipe of the week too.

See my post on Beaujolais for other pairings

Top food pairings for Beaujolais (and other gamay)

A cut-price amarone and some other good wine buys from Asda

It’s easy to overlook Asda as a source of decent drinking because so many of their wines tend to be downright dreary but there are exceptions and their prices - cheaper than Aldi and Lidl in many instances - are hard to ignore.

And with the current 25% off six bottles deal they’re even more of a bargain. (I can’t see from the website how long this goes on to but it almost certainly won’t apply in Scotland or in branches attached to garage forecourts.)

The amarone is the standout option as the perfect show-off wine for the Easter table but there some other good deals too. Note the vintages listed are the ones I’ve tasted. They may have moved on and recently bottled 2020s may not have settled yet.

Orbitali Amarone della Valpolicella 2016 14.5% Asda £14 until 18.04, £10.50 on this deal

OK this is not the best amarone EVER but at half the price you can easily pay for it it’s hard to complain. Lush and ripe, as you’d expect and smartly packaged too. Would work with lamb, especially on the barbecue or an Easter turkey if you’re having one. Or blue cheese. Or dark chocolate . . .

The best food pairings for amarone

Asda Extra Special Palacio de Vivero Rueda Verdejo 2019 13% £5.50 down to £4.13 on this deal

If you like sauvignon blanc you’ll love Rueda - especially at this price. An easy-drinking partner for salads.

Asda Extra Special Pinot Grigio, Trentino 2019 12% on offer at 6, £4.50 on this deal

It’s easy to be sniffy about pinot grigio but it absolutely hits the spot with antipasti and light pasta dishes. Fresh, crisp and clean.

Cru des Cotes du Rhone Vinsobres 2018 14.5% on offer at £7.50, down to £5.63 on this deal

Big rich and spicy - an extraordinary price for a Rhône ‘cru’. Handsomely bottled too. Would work with the Easter roast.

Extra Special Sainte-Cécile Côtes du Rhône Villages 2108 14% £7 down to £4.50 on this deal

Warm, lush, ripe, generous. Good value at £6, ridiculously cheap at £4.50. Just a great all-rounder.

Extra Special Douro 2019 13.5% on offer at £6 down to £4.50 on this deal

Rich dark and plummy. This Portuguese red is perfect for a steak pie or casserole.

Cotes de Provence Rosé 2019 13% £8 down to £6 on this deal

If you’re already in rosé mode snap up a few bottles of crisp citrussy Provence rosé in the classic curvy bottle. Good out in the sun with a picnic spread.

Champagne Henri Cachet 12% on offer at £12.50 down to £10.38

A little short but at barely more than a tenner who’s complaining? It’s perfectly decent. It's champagne!