WHILE doom and gloom in financial and property markets forces us to tighten our belts, supermarket and off-licence shelves are brim full of promotions and discounts to entice us to continue to spend.
I gave myself a credit limit of £6 per bottle this week. I have not enjoyed the experience as much as I thought I would – and I have been particularly disappointed with the reds. At this price you don't really expect much varietal character, but you
do expect drinkability. The best of the whites were squeaky clean, juicy and crisp – but many of the reds were so austere they made my mouth feel as if it had been sandpapered.
The best budget wine countries are Chile, Argentina and South Africa. In Europe, the best regions for current bargains are Puglia in southern Italy and Languedoc Roussillon in southern France. It is getting much more difficult to find anything good at this price from New Zealand and Australia.
WHITE
LA GRILLE COOL FERMENTED CHENIN BLANC 2007(£4.99 each for 2 bottles, or £5.99 a bottle, Majestic Wine)
Loire winemaker Gwanael Guihard sourced very ripe chenin grapes then cool-fermented them to retain white flower and peach fruits. The off-dry, leesy palate is freshened with a zip of natural spritz. 16/20
PETER LEHMANN RIESLING 2007(£5.95, The Wine Society, 01438 741177, www.thewinesociety.com)
Surely the best value Aussie riesling on the market. Very limey, citric, zesty palate, balancing natural acid and a fine dry finish. 15.5/20
KEN FORRESTER HANDMADE CHENIN BLANC 2007(£4.33 each for 3 bottles or £6.49 a bottle, Wine Rack)
Great value chenin blanc from South Africa's Western Cape. Crisp, fresh structure and honeyed undertones. Restaurateur/winemaker Ken Forrester is one of the few to have taken this grape to heart. 14.5/20
MONTES RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2007(£4.99 each for 2 bottles, or £6.24 a bottle, Majestic Wine)
Maybe it's because they play classical music to their vats, but Montes in the Casablanca Valley are way ahead of the pack in Chile for both whites and reds. Slick, polished, clean precise sauvignon with good balanced natural acid. 15/20
CHARDONNAY/TORRONTES TIERRA DEL SOL 2007(£3.49, Aldi)
There are better Argentinian whites under £6 (such as Norton sauvignon blanc) – but this white blend is so cheap. Torrontes is very aromatic, bolstered by chardonnay's broad citrus flavours. 14/20
QUINTA DE AZEVEDO VINHO VERDE 2007(£5.99, Waitrose; Majestic Wine; The Wine Society; Wine Rack)
A perfect summery white wine from Northern Portugal; fresh grapey aromas, lively petillance and a fresh mouth feel. 14/20
RED
YERING FROG PINOT NOIR 2007(£5.99 each for 2 bottles, or £7.99 a bottle, Majestic Wine)
I would normally choose a Chilean pinot noir at this price point, but this Victorian pinot has that extra edge of complexity. Yering Station's Frog wines all have a depth of concentration and structure. Partially fermented in old French oak casks, their pinot has a touch of cedar and a savoury undertone without dominant oak flavour. Ripe raspberry and black cherry flavours, soft easy tannins. 15.5/20
VIN DE PAYS PINOT NOIR 2006 Bouchard Aine(£5.99, Sainsbury's)
An unusual find from Limoux, which is better known for its chardonnay and sparkling wines. In 2003, Limoux acquired an AC for reds, but there are still a lot of lean, poor pinots being made in this region. Now that burgundy prices are getting too steep, it makes sense for burgundy negociants Bouchard Aine to look for cheaper alternatives for this grape. This soft, smooth, light style makes an ideal summery red. 15/20
MALBEC DU CLOS TRIGUEDINA 2006(£5.59, reduced from £6.99, Waitrose until 26 August)
Malbec needs little introduction as a grape, as it is so popular in Argentina. Most Cahors examples are stringy and lean at this price, but Clos Triguedina's winemaker, Jean Luc Baldos, is a renowned master. This new wine is powerful with concentrated blackcurrant fruits. 16/20
NORTON BARBERA 2007(£5.19, Waitrose)
This Argentinian take on a Piedmontese grape, from the Mendoza region, beat all our northern and southern Italian entrants for its purity and freshness. Bright, juicy and succulent cherry fruits. An ideal barbecue wine. 14.5/20
THE BEST DEALS THIS WEEKEND
ROSE PERDIDO ROSE 2007(£4 each for 2 bottles, or £5.99 a bottle, Wine Rack)
Aromatic strawberry fruit rosé, very crisp, clean and dry from Rioja's neighbouring region, Navarra.
RED CAB MAC CABERNET 2006(£4.99 each for 3 bottles, or £7.49 a bottle, Wine Rack)
Gutsy cabernet made using beaujolais carbonic maceration techniques in Australia's high-altitude King Valley.
WHITE JACKSON ESTATE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2007(£7.99, reduced from £9.99, Waitrose until 26 August)
A top quality, pungent, zingy Marlborough sauvignon from a leading estate in New Zealand.
The full article contains 822 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
