Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference, Jurançon Sec, France, £9
This is a Taste the Difference wine from Jurançon in the south west of France. It is a traditional still wine-producing area which fell from fashion, with much of its production given over to Armagnac or obscure sweet wines. It is now on the up again, producing fresh, zesty and flavoursome wines which are bright and zingy with a clean palate of white peach. This is a well-made example that offers fair value at the price.
Asda, Extra Special Chenin Blanc, South Africa, £6.24, Asda
The fruit here comes from old dry-grown bush vines, given gentle barrel fermentation so as not to mask the purity of the ripe apple fruit. It’s nicely textured on the creamy, nutty palate, with lovely spiced honey notes and a tropical lift on the finish. It also has aromas of ripe mangoes and nectarines. Layers of cream, nuts, honey and peach make it a good match with roast chicken with all the trimmings.
WINE OF THE WEEK
Lidl, Winemaker’s Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, South Australia 2018, £5.99, Lidl
If you like reds to be intensely fruity, try this 14 per cent Australian Cabernet. It’s an explosive blackcurranty fruit bomb – smooth but not heavy. In the mouth, there’s good concentration of sweet plum and black fruit flavours, with sweet spices and a fragrant vanilla. A more elegant style of Cabernet that will match well with a variety of dishes.
