The Sunday Times Magazine - UK (2022-02-13)

48 • The Sunday Times Magazine

Wines to try this month

SPARKLING

1 2018 No 1 Castillo Perelada

Cava Brut

Waitrose, £8.59 (11.5%) Spain

Reduced from £10.79 until February

22, this tangy cava is well worth

snapping up. From a renowned

family-owned estate in Penedes,

it’s fresh and invigorating, with top

notes of citrus giving way to a dry,

bready finish.

2 NV La Maison du Crémant

Prestige Brut

Sainsbury’s, £14 (12%) France

So coveted are the still wines of

Burgundy, it’s easy to forget that

the region makes more sparkling

wine than England. This rich,

toasty, nutty crémant has an alluring

golden hue and offers terrific value

for money.

WHITE

3 2020 Specially Selected

Chassaux et Fils Chardonnay

Limoux

Aldi, £6.49 (13.5%) France

This appealingly creamy, buttery

Limoux chardonnay is another real

bargain from Aldi. Full-bodied and

balanced, it brims with oak and

vanilla flavour and has pleasant

acidity, with a long, refreshing finish.

4 2020 The Best Aconcagua

Chardonnay

Morrisons, £8 (13.5%) Chile

Produced in partnership with

Viña Cono Sur yet reminiscent of

chablis in its clean, crisp taste, this

is just the ticket for those seeking

a palatable, no-nonsense white for

the fridge.

5 2020 Dr Loosen Slate Hill

Mosel Riesling

Majestic, £11.99 (8.5%)

Germany

Ernie Loosen is one of the world’s

best makers of riesling and this is an

exquisite off-dry example. Carrying

notes of apricot, peach and lime,

it finishes with a subtle sweetness.

6 2020 Petit Paradis Saint

Chinian Foncalieu

Fine Wines Direct, £10.99 (12.5%)

France

Saint Chinian is famous for hearty

reds, so to find a white is unusual.

This canny blend of grenache blanc,

marsanne and vermentino is laden

with fruit and has a rounded texture.

7 2020 Kratos Fiano Luigi Maffini

Lea & Sandeman, £22.95 (14%)

Italy

Hailing from coastal vineyards south

of Naples, Maffini’s fiano is a lovely

example of the grape, with a rich,

waxy texture and heady aromas of

wild flowers, apricot, lemon and lime.

RED

8 2017 Vila Real Rabelo

Co-op, £6 (13.5%) Portugal

There’s little to fault in this juicy, inky

touriga nacional produced in the

Douro. Smooth and easy-drinking, it

has a soft, supple texture and

comes with a handy resealable cork.

9 2019 Finest Primitivo Terre

di Chieti

Tesco, £7 (14%) Italy

Here’s a well-priced, bold, savoury

primitivo from the eastern Abruzzo

region overlooking the Adriatic. It’s

full of warming dark berry flavour,

with spices and a touch of plum.

10 2020 Summer Road Old Vine

Riverland Grenache

Waitrose, £6.49 (14.5%) Australia

Reduced in price, this is a powerful

yet silky red from South Australia.

Derived from 100 per cent grenache

and steeped in succulent fruit, it’s a

welcome addition to the winter table.

11 2021 Special Selection Norton

Mendoza Malbec

Marks & Spencer, £7 (14%)

Argentina

This has everything you’d expect

from a well-honed malbec. With

notes of ripe cherry and black

pepper, it’s ideal for a quiet night

with steak and chips.

12 2019 Domaine des Marrans

Lieu-Dit Champagne Fleurie

Tanners, £17.90 (13%) France

Beaujolais at its best, offering all the

lip-smacking fruity character of the

gamay grape with enough structure

and rustic complexity to rival some

of the grander villages in Burgundy n

Will Lyons

Twitter: @Will_Lyons

Instagram: @mrwill_lyons

Drink

2020 L’Épiphanie de

Bordeaux Blanc

£12.49 (13%) France

The club has done

a great job at sniffing

out a small parcel of

grapes from one

of the most famous

names in Bordeaux to

create this complex,

refreshing white. Aged

in oak, it combines

citrus and tropical fruit

with a creamy texture

and a crisp, dry finish.

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