The Lidl July Wine Tour is now underway, though I unfortunately missed the press tasting last time around due to being on holiday, ironically, within reach of Puglia, where this particular wine originates. Still, Lidl kindly sent me a few bottles from the range to try for myself.
These Wine Tours tend to run for around two months, with a fairly short window to pick up the bottles while they’re available. Popular options often disappear quickly, which seems is part of the wider approach to keep the selection exciting and ever-changing. The wines are assessed by Richard Bampfield, a Master of Wine, whose tasting notes you’ll find printed on the wooden display crates in-store.
One of the highlights from the tour is this 2021 red made from Malvasia and Negroamaro grapes, produced by Botter. It’s already scored a solid 4.1 out of 5 on Vivino and comes in at 14% ABV. The colour is showing a touch of maturity, with a slightly browning edge, entirely expected for its age.
Straight out of the bottle with no airing, it gives off rich dark fruit notes with a hint of smokiness, a faint caramel element and a touch of burnt aroma indicative of Negroamaro. The texture is satisfyingly round with impressive length. It’s undeniably full-bodied, with a strong sense of depth and concentration. Though it comes across as sweet on first impression, that sensation is predominantly from the fruit, not residual sugar. I even double-checked with a hydrometer. It’s got such richness and weight that it edges towards a port-like character, which is rare to find in a red at this price point.
Negroamaro of this quality is hard to come by at this price and this bottle is genuinely outstanding value at £8.99. Even with my shelves at home full of bottles waiting to be opened, I’ll be heading to my local Lidl to pick up more of this one while I still can.
