July and August have very few press tastings, so I decided to host some tastings at home. I invited a few PR agencies, importers and retailers to submit wines for these tastings. This first event featured award-winning wines, tasted by nine family members and friends, all of whom share my enthusiasm for wine. We enjoyed the wines together with canapés, allowing us to assess how well each wine paired with food.
The wine submissions turned out to be very affordable, award-winning wines primarily available from supermarkets. As previously, this event provided interesting insights into the variability of people’s tastes as well as the wines themselves. The observations shared here represent collective comments, not just mine, providing a richer and more comprehensive critique.
Irresistible Fairtrade Tilimuqui Sparkling NV from Argentina has earned an IWC Bronze and a Decanter Silver award. Decanter described it as having an “Interesting nose with a perfumed and floral character, very fruity and rich. Lovely texture and volume on the palate”. Made from 100% Torrontés grapes sourced from Argentina’s Famatina Valley, this wine is produced using the Charmat method, the same as Prosecco. With an alcohol content of 10.5%, it’s a good option for those seeking a lower alcohol wine. Our tasting revealed a sherbet and golden delicious nose. The taste was dry with an acidic freshness, featuring apple citrus lemon, grapefruit and kiwi. One person remarked that it paired well with food, even complementing orange-flavoured chocolate. The group guessed its price to be between £11 and £12. This wine, being unknown, can be overlooked on the shelf and is actually a hidden gem. It’s a limited edition that has only just hit the shelves and is currently discounted at £6.50 for Co-op members (down from £9) which we thought was excellent value.
Feteasca Regala NV from Romania has received a Decanter Bronze and an IWC Bronze award. Decanter describes it as having a “Delicate bouquet with acacia flowers, nectarine, and mirabelle plum. Off-dry, with a rich, almost oily texture and a spritzy citrus to support the sweetness of the ripe pineapple. Mouth-watering”. This wine is made from the Feteasca Regala grape, a traditional Romanian variety. Initially, people compared it to a lighter Sauvignon Blanc, perhaps with a hint of peach. We found it to be very fruity with prominent tropical fruit notes. There’s a contradiction at the end in that although the finish tapers out quickly, the taste lingers in the mouth afterward. There was a consensus that it paired well with smoked salmon. We all loved it, and some appreciated its medium alcohol level of 11.5%. It has been one of Asda’s most popular wines in their Wine Atlas range, priced at £6 and only £4.50 during their 25% off offer periods.
Villa Maria Blush Sauvignon 2022 from New Zealand has been awarded a Decanter Bronze. Decanter described it as having “Strawberries and cream aroma, with a grassy hint of gooseberry, a touch of sweetness, and a red and stone fruit palate” . This wine is made from 90% Sauvignon Blanc and the 10% Merlot, gives it its blush colour. We noted passionfruit and cranberry notes. While our group generally loves Villa Maria, some members were confused by this blend. Mentally expecting a Provence-style rosé and instead encountering a somewhat reduced Sauvignon Blanc style can be disorienting the first time. Personally, I liked it, having tried some other Blush Sauvignon wines previously, but I prefer the non-blush version. This wine is available at Morrisons, Asda, Tesco, and Sainsbury’s. Its RRP is £10.50, but it is almost always priced around £8.50.
Cune Crianza Rioja 2020 from Spain has received an IWSC Bronze award. This wine, made from Tempranillo and Garnacha, is aromatic and light to medium-bodied. We noted a slight wild strawberry flavour with a dry finish. One participant compared it to dried rhubarb compote, and another described it as a typical young, fruity Rioja. There was an observation that it might be nice to enjoy chilled on a hot summer day. The RRP for this wine is £11.90, but it is typically sold for about £8 at Sainsbury’s, Majestic, Ocado and Booths.
Irresistible Organic Malbec 2022 from Argentina has received an IWC Silver award. It is described as having “Bright, pretty florals with black plum, sweet spice, lifted acidity, and fine integrated tannins”. Made from 100% Malbec, it has an ABV of 13%. It has an inky colour and an aromatic profile. It was more full-bodied than expected, which might have affected our perception of subsequent wines in the tasting. The wine was well-rounded, with people describing flavours of chocolate, coffee grinds and black cherry fruit. Strangely, one person described it as having a note of decomposed venison, though we’re not sure where they previously encountered that flavour. Personally, I don’t tend to favour Malbec and usually like only a few examples, but I liked this one a lot and will become one of my picks. Someone else well-versed in Malbecs noted that this one was not typical. The wine is available at Co-op for £8.50.
Extra Special Carmenere 2021 from Chile has been awarded an IWSC Silver for its previous 2020 vintage. The IWSC described it as having “Great fruit concentration on the palate with spiced oak dark soy. Grippy tannins give it a backbone balanced by the fresh acidity. Savoury and smoky notes add real character”. Our group found it aromatic, with notes of charcoal, spice, coffee, and some dried herbs, such as bay leaf. Only about half of the group liked it, indicating it is probably an acquired taste. I still like it, but as previously mentioned, the 2019 vintage was better. This wine is available at Asda for £8.00.
Terra Organica Primitivo 2022 from Italy has been awarded Silver in The Drinks Business Global Organic & Vegan Masters 2023 and was highly commended in the IWC 2023. The group described as having a fruity, deep flavour with notes of blackberry liquor. The wine is very well balanced with a very slight tannic aftertaste and came across as slightly sweet. I wasn’t sure if the sweetness was due to sugar or fruit, but with a 14.5% ABV, it suggests that most of the sugar has turned to alcohol. Testing with a hydrometer confirmed that it was indeed dry. This wine was very popular with the group. Currently available on offer at Ocado for £9, reduced from £12.
Chateau Tanunda Grand Barossa Shiraz 2021, with an ABV of 14.5%, has received many awards and high scores from wine critics. Our Shiraz expert liked it but suggested it might be a bit strong for drinking on its own and would be better enjoyed with food. We detected rubber and burnt notes, along with fruitiness and a smooth texture. The wine has low to no tannins, making it easy to drink despite its strength. It is currently available from Sainsbury’s for £14.00, reduced from £16.00, and from Waitrose for £9.99.
In this tasting, we unearthed the delightful Tilimuqui Sparkling, consolidated the reputation of Feteasca Regala and discovered the impressive Terra Organica Primitivo. Tilimuqui and Feteasca Regala emerged as the equal favourites of the event, closely followed by the Primitivo. I particularly liked the Irresistible Organic Malbec 2022, which didn’t garner as much love from the group. However, I am less concerned with typicity and welcome great-tasting, non-typical wines.
Thanks to the PR agencies, wholesalers and retailers who provided samples for this tasting.
