Life

Wine: A silky smooth with a plummy, ripe palate

M&S Primitivo 2019, Puglia, Italy, £7, Marks & Spencer
M&S Primitivo 2019, Puglia, Italy, £7, Marks & Spencer M&S Primitivo 2019, Puglia, Italy, £7, Marks & Spencer

M&S Primitivo 2019, Puglia, Italy, £7, Marks & Spencer

A great all-rounder, juicy reds with low tannin levels are the safest option with spice, especially this plump winter wine with appealing morello cherry fruit that makes you want more, followed by succulent black fruits, chocolate, pepper, warm baking spice and touch of oak. A perfect match with stone baked spicy beef pizza with chilli tomato sauce, and it’ll soak up the heat of spicy curries.

Banrock Station Sustainable Bottle Merlot 2019, South Australia, £7.50, Co-op

A first for eco-friendly Banrock Station, the producer has released a fully recyclable flat-bottled wine and is 87 per cent lighter than an average glass bottle. Shatterproof and space-saving, it’s akin to a giant hip flask. The wine is silky smooth with a plummy, ripe

palate, flash of oak and dash of soft spice – try not to knock it over before you’ve replaced the screwcap.

WINE OF THE WEEK

Tempus Two Quartz Series Chardonnay, Australian, £7.50 until February 9, Sainsbury’s

Rich and elegant, with a polished use of oak, there’s a lot of flavour built around citrus and tropical fruit, ending with subtle butterscotch and well-integrated acidity keeping the flavours tangy and vibrant on the long finish. Really nice on its own but would perfect be seafood risotto. A great all-rounder wine...