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12 wines you probably wouldn’t expect to find in Marks & Spencer
If you’re an adventurous drinker who likes to try new wines it’s well worth heading for your local branch of Marks & Spencer especially right now (August 2015) when they have 25% off if you buy six bottles.
Just as they’re pushing the boundaries when it comes to their food range they stock some really unusual wines - at a very good price. Here are 12 that took my fancy - but take note, some are only available in a limited number of branches and some seem to be out of stock (hopefully temporarily) online. You also need to buy two 6 bottle cases to get the 25% discount online
Lambrusco Secco Reggiano 11% 235 stores £9.00 down to £6.75
Forget the sweet, pissy lambrusco you drank as a student: this is dark, red and frothy, the real deal. There’s also a less common still version, the 2014 Reggiano Rosso (12% in 437 stores £6 down to £4.50) I recommend in the Guardian today. Both would be great with Italian salumi and cheeses.
Penedes Xarel.lo 2014 12.5% 145 stores £10 down to £7.50
Basically this is a still Cava - a light fresh summery Spanish white that would make great summer party drinking. (OK Cava is cheaper but it’s worth trying something new! You should also try the Fresquito dry Pedro Ximenez I made my wine of the week the other day)
Tikves Smederevka Rkaciteli, Macedonia 14/15 12% 173 stores £7 down to £5.25
One of the advantages of buying wines in a supermarket is that you can just pull them off the shelves rather than have ask for them. I certainly have no idea how to pronounce this but it's a lovely light fragrant white that would be great with mezze.
Atlantis Santorini 2013 13% 217 stores £10.50 down to £7.88
The Greek island of Santorini produces some show-stopping white wines from the local assyrtiko grape. This is a great example - perfect for grilled fish
Tbilvino Qvevris 2012 11.5% 191 stores £9 down to £6.75
If you’ve heard people talk about ‘orange’ wines here’s a chance to try one at an affordable price. They’re made like red wines so they’re quite strong-tasting and tannic - despite the low alcohol. Drink with middle eastern or Moroccan food such as a tagine or with alpine-style cheeses like Comté
Savoie Blanc ‘Coeur Terroir’ 2014 11% 216 stores £9 down to £6.75
Another unusual wine, this time from the Savoie region of France. Really light, really crisp, deliciously fragrant. M & S suggests cheese and herb tarts as a food match which would be a great pairing. Otherwise think shellfish and salads.
Dominio del Plata by Susana Balbo Terroir Series Torrontes 2014 14% 189 stores £9.50 down to £7.13
Torrontes is Argentina’s main white wine variety - a highly aromatic white that you’l love if you’re a gewurztraminer fan. Susana Balbo is one of the best producers and Salta the best region. Delicious with ceviche and other bright citrus-spiked salads.
Mesta Organic Old Vine Tempranillo 2014 14% 252 stores £8 down to £6
A bright modern juicy Spanish red I recommended for barbecues in the Guardian last weekend. Delicious.
Red on Black 2013, Nemea, Greece 13.5% 206 stores £9 down to £6.75 N/A online.
An exciting dark, spicy red from the local agiorgitiko grape. Perfect for grilled lamb and exotic middle-eastern stews.
Recanati Carignan Petite Sirah 2013, Israel 13.5% 158 stories £10 down to £7.50
In a similar vein to the above but a touch riper and juicier so it might appeal more if you’re more of a new world wine fan. Again perfect for grilled meats and bright Ottolenghi-ish salads.
Pisano Cisplatino Tannat 2014 13% 200 stores £9 down to £6.75
If you’re a Malbec aficionado you should definitely try this lush full-bodied red from Uruguay. Looks - and tastes - far more expensive than it is, especially at this price.
Hush Heath Manor Pinot Noir 2014 12% 20 stores and online £18 down to £13.50
I hesitated whether to include this as it’s more expensive and only available in 20 branches but it’s thrilling to find that England can produce such a fine, silky elegant pinot. A must-try if you can get hold of a bottle (it is fortunately also available online) Make your friends taste it blind and guess where it comes from!
9 good reds to buy from Marks & Spencer
Following on from my pick of the white wines from M & S's current 25% off six bottles promotion here are eight reds I’d recommend from my most recent tasting in May 2014
Note that some wines are available in a limited number of branches and that the online offer, where applicable, is slightly different - you have to buy two unsplit cases of six of the wines that are on promotion - i.e. 12 bottles in all. Both deals run to September 1st.
Loretto Sangiovese Rubicone 2013, 12% £6.49 reduced to £4.87 N/A online
A cheap, cheerful but surprisingly drinkable Italian red - ideal for a takeaway pizza
Chateau Triniac, Latour de France 2012 14.5% £8.99 reduced to £6.74
No, not THAT Latour at this price obviously. This comes from the Roussillon village of Latour de France and is a robust, unoaked blend of old vine carignan, grenache and syrah to line up for the autumn and winter nights ahead. Think beefy stews
Tapa Roja old vines Monastrell 2013, 14.5% £8.99 reduced to £6.74 N/A online
Another big chunky red, this time from Monastrell (aka mourvedre) from Spain’s Yecla region. Lots of juicy but not over-jammy fruit. Ideal for steak.
Domaine de Rosette Chinon 2013 12.5% £9.49 reduced to £7.12
If you’re a fan of Loire reds (which I am) you’ll love this fresh-tasting Chinon with its bright berry and redcurrant flavours. Chill lightly and serve with tuna.
Macon Rouge 2013 12.5% £9.99 reduced to £7.49
If you tasted this blindfold you’d say it was Beaujolais - it’s made from the same gamay grape. A really attractive light red you could drink with charcuterie or fish like salmon or tuna
Underwood Pinot Noir, Oregon 2012 13% £12.99 reduced to £9.74 N/A online
Oregon state to the north of California is noted for its pinots but they don’t normally come at this attractive price. A very pretty wine with delicate sweet fruit that should please any burgundy-lover. Gorgeous with duck.
Frares Priorat 2012 14.5% £12.99 reduced to £9.74. Only in 157 stores
A very good price for a cracking Priorat, one of Spain’s darkest, densest most intense reds. Would be great with an ox cheek or oxtail stew or some braised venison (see these Priorat pairings)
McHenry Hohnen Margaret River Grenache 2013, Western Australia 14.5% £14.99 down to £11.24. 157 stores
A grape variety more usually associated with south Australia but a really gorgeous expression of grenache made with natural yeasts from biodynamically farmed fruit. Warm, generous and spicy - would be good with turkey, guineafowl or flavourful roast pork
Canoe Ridge Vineyard Cherry Tree Red 2011 £15.99 down to £11.99. Only in 171 stores
A glorious ripe red from Washington state made from a crazy cocktail of grapes - about 50% syrah with merlot, grenache, cabernet franc, pinot noir and malbec. Think roast beef or lamb or steak.
12 good white wines to buy from Marks & Spencer
It says a lot about Marks & Spencer’s usual prices that they can afford to run a 25% off deal if you buy any 6 bottles of wine or champagne* for a whole month rather than the usual week but you might as well take advantage.
Their range is pretty strong across the board at the moment but particularly so from France and Italy and in wines that are off the beaten track - they currently list wines from Georgia, Japan, Morocco and India.
Here’s my pick of the white wines I tasted in May 2014. Reds will follow in the next couple of days. Note that some wines are available in a limited number of branches and that the online offer, where applicable, is slightly different - you have to buy two unsplit cases of six of the wines that are on promotion - i.e. 12 bottles in all. Both deals run to September 1st.
Marques de Alarcon Blanco 2013 12.5% £7.99 down to £5.99. N/A online.
A unusual, fragrant fresh Spanish white from Castilla made from Macabeo and Verdejo grapes grown at between 700m and 1000m altitude - that’s high! Ideal for a relaxing glass after work or for seafood.
Tapada de Villar Vinho Verde 2013 10.5% £7.99 down to £5.99
At just 10.5% crisp, fresh Vinho Verde from the north of Portugal makes perfect summer drinking, especially with a fishy barbecue.
Mayne de Beauregard Bergerac Blanc 2013 12% £7.99 down to £5.99
Bergerac is just next door to Bordeaux and produces similar wines that are quite a bit cheaper. This blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon is a classic for the region producing a richer slightly less sharp wine than you get from Sauvignon alone. Perfect for summer salads.
Friuli Sauvignon Blanc 2013 12.5% £8.99 down to £6.74
Regular readers will know I’m not a massive fan of Sauvignon Blanc - mainly because there’s just too much of it about - but the Friuli region of Italy produces some good ones. This is intense and lemony rather than gooseberryish like Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc. See these matches for citrussy Sauvignons
Chateau de Flaugergues Blanc 2013 £8.99 13.5% £8.99 down to £6.74
And here’s what to buy if you’re bored with sauvignon: an attractively smooth handsomely bottled white from Languedoc in the south of France made from Rolle (Vermentino) and Grenache Blanc. Think chicken or salmon.
Tbilvino Qvevris 2011 12.5% £8.99 down to £6.74 N/A online
Admittedly this extraordinary Georgian wine which is aged in amphorae is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea but I love it. It tastes of Hunza apricots and would be delicious with a middle-eastern lamb stew or a tagine.
Mestizo Viognier Marsanne 2013 13% £9.99 down to £7.49
A really lush exotic viognier from Vinedos Emiliana in Chile’s Rapel Valley. (See my viognier pairings here )
Saumur Blanc Les Epinats 2011 13.5% £9.99 down to £7.49 N/A online
Saumur tends to get overlooked in favour of its better known Loire neighbours but this is a really lovely off-dry Chenin that outstrips many Vouvrays on the market. Gorgeous with creamy sauces
Charles Smith The Honourable Riesling 2013 12.5% £11.99 down to £8.99
If you’ve come across maverick Washington State winemaker Charles Smith’s Kung Fu Girl riesling you’ll love this very similar bottling - a dry riesling made in a pretty flowery style. Brilliant with noodle dishes and Asian salads. And see this match with fried chicken.
King’s Ridge Oregon Pinot Gris 2013 13% £12.99 down to £9.74
Pinot Gris is a speciality of Oregon state in the North West Pacific but it’s rarely found at this price. A rich, lush white that’s made in the Alsace rather than Italian style - one for roast chicken, creamy sauces or mildly spiced curries. Another one you’ll like it if you’re a Viognier fan.
Le Clos St Odile Obernai riesling 2011 12% £13.99 down to £10.49
One of the reasons I admire M & S is that they’re prepared to list less popular wines and mature vintages like this classic Alsace riesling. With its slight touch of sweetness it would be ideal for lighter Japanese, Chinese and south-east Asian food. A real bargain.
Domaine Pierre de Préhy Chablis 2010 12.5% £14.49 down to £10.87
At full price this is a touch expensive for a basic Chablis but with 25% off it’s a steal. The vineyards are organically managed and it comes from the very good 2010 vintage. Intense, mineral and creamy - a lovely wine. It’s hard to buy mature Chablis like this.
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