MARCH 2014 WINE BLOG – Bargains at Under a Fiver

Its been a while since my last blog and it was hinted that I had gone into hibernation to recover from the 90 days of continuous West of Scotland rain. Well the lighter days and the improving weather  have cajoled me into searching out a few bargains for my friends and followers.  I have found four crackers which are unbelievably priced at under a fiver. Wine experts and connoisseurs proclaim that there is nothing worth drinking at under a tenner – well this selection has blown them out of the wine lake. Two of the reds and one white are own label but are IWSC Silver medal winners

Toro Loco Tempranillo Superior , Spain  - 2012 Aldi  - £3.69

Toro Loco means Crazy Bull. Yes a Crazy Bull of a wine at the crazy price of £3.69. I came across this wine when I was accosted by friends in Aldi who insisted that I try this wine. I couldn’t believe the price nor the quality. Made from Spain’s most popular grape Tempranillo, grown near Valencia. Tasting like a full bodied Rioja, Toro Loca has cherry fruits infused with pepper and cedar wood. It is smooth and dry with a good finish. It benefits from decanting or opening an hour or so before drinking. Enjoy this red with tapas, at your summer barbecue or simply mid week with mince and tatties or steak pie. You would be crazy to overlook this bargain basement wine.

ASDA Wine Selection Chilean Chardonnay, Chile - 2013 - £4.50

Here’s another Silver Medal winning wine from the Asda Wine Selection range. This Chilean Chard is from the 2013 vintage and although young, it is velvety smooth & fruity and bursting with creamy, pineapple and tropical fruit flavours followed by a touch of oak and a decent finish. This is a white to really savour with fish or pasta or simply drink on its own when well chilled. As James Martin says repeatedly on Saturday Kitchen, , “ A bit of a bargain”.

Asda The Wine Selection, Cabernet Sauvignon, Langhorne Creek, South Australia - 2012 - £4.98

As mentioned before this Cabernet Sauvignon is from Asda’s Wine Selection range and is a beautiful wine for the price. If you are worried about serving own label, you can pour this into a decanter and tell your friends it is a Silver Medal winner at three times the price. It is a full bodied red from Langhorne Creek, one of the up and coming wine growing  areas in South Australia. This red wine has a beautifully fruity nose with a complex flavour of eucalyptus and deep cassis. You can savour a lovely soft feel in the mouth with just a touch of tannin. Definitely a wine for all occasions, priced at only £4.98

Wolf Blass Winemakers Selection Chardonnay, Australia – Morrisons - £4.69

A golden coloured young chardonnay with good fruit and acidity. A beautiful fruity noses is followed by flavours of melon, peach and tropical fruit. There’s a nice touch of fresh acidity which leads to an enjoyable citrus finish. This wine should be well chilled and drunk either on its own or with a succulent chicken breast. Sold be Morrisons at a rock bottom price for chardonnay this is an Aussie Beaut. The one downside is that it is imported in bulk and bottled in the UK.