Tuesday, 26 August 2014

6 Sensational Wine Deals to Brighten A Rainy Day

Was your bank holiday weekend a washout? Is this miserably wet Tuesday adding to your back-to-work blues? Never fear, I've found 5 brilliant wine deals that mean you can stock up on some delicious bottles to cheer you up... (most of which you can pick up on your way home...)

All of these are wines I've tried before and really do champion as a bargain, rather than those 'too good to be true' discounts you sometimes see, so you can buy with confidence.

1. Luis Felipe Signature Series Viognier, £6.66 down from £9.99 (save 1/3!)

As a long-time viognier fangirl, I'm always aware that you don't often get a good'un for much less than a tenner, so imagine my delight when I saw this latest price-slash at Majestic!

You have to buy two bottles to get the deal, so we picked up a couple over the weekend as part of our Bank Holiday booty. It's a mouthwateringly good, textbook viognier - charmingly aromatic, and packed with the usual apricot and pear flavour, with a fresh, grippy texture that left me wanting another glass.

And if you're looking for another bargain to make up your 6 bottle case (you have to buy a minimum of 6 bottles at Majestic)...

2. Ravenswood Lodi Zinfandel - £8.99 down from £11.99 at Majestic if you buy 2 bottles (save 25%!)
OR £44.96 if you buy six bottles at Tesco Wine (equivalent £7.49 per bottle)

This was very much my 'first love' of Zinfandels and the benchmark by which I measure all others to see if they come up to scratch. It's exactly what a Zinfandel should be - rich, concentrated fruit (cranberry, blueberry, plum) and silky spice that lingers in the mouth for a wonderfully long time.

It's divine to sip on its own (although beware the hefty 14.5% alcohol when you reach for another glass) but I've also had this with Christmas dinner (or Sunday roast chicken with all the pigs-in-blankets, stuffing and cranberry sauce trimmings) several times and it's a dream.

If you're unsure, I'd at least grab two bottles at Majestic while they're on offer, but if you're happy to take my word for what a delight this wine is, then grab the case of six from Tesco. £7.49 a bottle is BONKERS for this wine.

3. Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Navarra, £5.44 from £7.25 (save 25%!) - UNTIL 16TH SEPTEMBER

Every time this wine is on offer I dive at the shelves like a deranged lunatic - it's my family's go-to midweek bottle.

This is one of the best Taste the Difference wines available - maybe because Spain provides such exceptional value at the moment, or maybe because not many people have heard of Navarra so the price isn't inflated by popularity - but it's an easy-drinking, fruity sipper that has a balance and complexity that far exceeds my expectations.

For just over a fiver this is an absolute must-buy (at the full price... well, it's fair, but not a bargain.)

4. Tesco Finest Fiano - £5.49 (down from around £7.99!)

If you're used to grabbing a cheap, big-brand white Chardonnay or Sauvignon while you're doing your mid-week shop then you'll probably spend around £5-7, right? Well, stop that, because there's far better value to be found here.

Fiano is a gorgeous, sunny grape that puts similarly-priced chardonnays to shame, big time. And this Fiano - from Sicily - is made by a stupendously good co-op on the island called Settesoli - and believe me, they know what they're doing. Peach, apple, a little spice, and loads of complexity and verve.

It's hard to imagine how I survived without fiano and this is a perfect example of the grape.

5. Wirra Wirra Church Block, £9.99 down from £13.49 at Waitrose (25% off!) - UNTIL 9TH SEPTEMBER

Okay, I'll level with you - Church Block isn't worth £13.49 in the first place. But it's definitely worth a couple of quid more per bottle than £9.99, and it's such a legendary Australian producer and a crazy-delicious wine that I'm happy to say this is a GOOD DEAL.

I've loved this wine for years, and it's utterly perfect for rainy days like today, especially if you're choosing a comfort-food dinner of sausages and mash or a hearty, wine-filled beef stew with dumplings. To get this wine for under a tenner is a very good thing - I'll be picking up a few bottles  before the offer finishes.

6. Tesco Finest Frappato, £6.49 from £7.99 - UNTIL 23RD SEPTEMBER

Fan of the silky, cherry notes of Pinot Noir? Like a red wine to be graceful and refined rather than in-your-face bold? Then you need some frappato in your life, and this Tesco Finest example illustrates all this Italian grape's good points.

Subtle, smooth, lightly aromatic and packed full of red fruit flavour, tied up with a little sweet spice. A delight with tuna steak or Italian chicken dishes.

You've got almost a whole month to grab this one, too - I'm pretty sure I'll be returning for seconds and thirds.

Pick up a bargain and let us know which wines impressed you most - or let us know any other irresistible wine discounts in the comments!

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