In less egalitarian times, the rich and famous would start heading for “the Med” at this time of year.
So, in its much more modest way, the Top Tip feature does the same this week.
It offers a rich red from Sicily for those days when a stuttering British summer demands it.
More seasonally, it is accompanied by an impressive white from a part of the South of France that was involved in a rare regional re-shuffle.
Both demonstrate excellent local winemaking skills as well as offering great value for money.
I hope you enjoy them both.
In the usual way, hyperlinks and pictures are used where possible to help you locate the bottle in question.
First, then, the red.
2020 Extra Special Sicilian Reserve Red (£8.75 at Asda but may currently be on offer – and 13.5% abv):
Sicily’s winemakers demonstrate their brilliance through this substantial Italian red, expertly extracting maximum richness and texture from the indigenous nero d’avola grape.
Almost black in appearance with liqueur-like aromas, the wine delivers dense flavours of prune, mulberry and black cherry.
Those are neatly enhanced by hints of molasses, liquorice and cocoa which are all supported by firm tannin and good acidity.
This is exactly the kind of heartier wine that can put sunshine back into your life when cloudy skies prevail – even during summertime.
Next time overcast weather calls for something more substantial than conventional seasonal fare, reach for this remarkable example of what Sicily has to offer.
Moving west to France.
2024 Specially Selected Costières de Nîmes Blanc (£8.99 at Aldi and 12.5%):
It was only 20 years ago that Costières de Nîmes switched from being Languedoc-Roussillon’s easternmost outpost to become one of the most southerly parts of the Rhône Valley’s wine region.
White wine production there is relatively small but the grapes often used for those wines still reflect Languedoc’s influence.
Although this bottle is coy about the varieties involved, I guess that the classic Rhone options (marsanne, roussanne and white grenache) are joined here by a minority Languedoc involvement.
Bourboulenc, vermentino and clairette are not unknown in wines from hereabouts.
Whatever the constituents, though, this ably demonstrates how successful Aldi are at adding slightly higher priced wines to their range of bargain options.
Rounded and decidedly classy, the result here features rich mango, greengage and quince flavours.
Accompanying components include good grapefruit acidity together with a balanced combination of texture, orange peel hints and peach fragrances.
See you again on Thursday when we catch up with the latest Lidl Wine Tour.
9 responses
Warming to Brian’s Med travel idea,I fancy a nice trip to Italy.
“Per Bacco” is slang for “Goodness gracious”.So an element of surprise and that was certainly the case when I sampled two Wine Society Italian everyday wines last weekend.
Both at £8.25, they have impressed me for their cracking value; first up-
Baccolo Appassimento Bianco Puglia.2024.
An unlikely combination of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Fiano which really works.Soft,smooth,13% abv and a welcome touch of complexity.*
My new go-to fridge magnet white wine.
Then a sister wine- Baccolo Appassimento Rosso Veneto red wine, a fruity smooth combo of Merlot and Corvina.
Lightly oaked and again a touch of complexity above the very reasonable price.
Baccolo is a nod to Bacchus the god of wine and revelry and both these wines could certainly get the ( affordable) party started.
On the sea front in Bari, Puglia would be nice, plenty of room for dancing.!
*Appassimento in this case means some of the grapes have been lightly air dried to concentrate the flavour.
Hi Paul,
I opened a bottle of the Baccolo Bianco last weekend, and enjoyed it, for the price it had some complexity, as you say, soft , with a hint of almonds in the background, Chardonnay drinkers would no doubt love this.
Paul, Those 2 Baccolos are favourites of mine from the company I work for. We actually import them and at staff prices are great value for money
Hello Erik,
Lucky you! I am envious.
I first came across the Baccolo white in a recent Wine Society tasting event in Llandudno.The ticket price was £30 and we tasted 31 wines.But TWS offer a 10% discount on any of the featured wines for seven days after the event for participants.
Five of the wines impressed me,so I ordered them on discount.
The money saved meant that the ticket cost was effectively just over £15.Exceptional value from TWS and a great bonus for going to enjoyable tastings.
Good shout on the Costières de Nîmes Blanc. It’s a lovely wine and delivers above its price point. I too tried to guess what was in there. I thought definitely Roussanne (red apple), perhaps Viognier, picked up some honeysuckle and there had to be something there that was giving it the acidity. Clairette or Grenache Blanc? But as you say could be any of those Southern Rhône varieties!
Spot on with the viognier. I woke up in the night thinking “should have mentioned viognier” and then forgot all about it. Thank you, Lisa, for covering for my deficient memory.
Morning Brian
Normal service resumed today then, after last week’s cycling frenzy at MWW! Well done Simon Yates for nailing the Giro d’Italia over the weekend. Let’s hope he can have a similar success on Le Tour as well.
From an aspect concerned with my own connection to the upcoming French classic, (I drive a big Škoda Auto too, the organisers’ choice of support vehicle for the race!), when I ”did the Col du Tourmalet” stage in the Pyrenees a few short years ago my best friend always reminds me when speaking about this achievement not to be so fanciful and that I should also mention that our mode de transport was not an actual bike but an ascent and descent of that terrific stage in the aforementioned Škoda!
Even though not exactly real-deal-biking, doing it en piste was nevertheless a big thrill to add to the bucket list, as much as driving around the grande prix circuit at Monaco just a few days after the big race when the grandstands, hoardings and pit lane were still intact. Such are the sad lives of francophiles. Ha!
My last French teacher, (my better half in attendance at lessons too I might say!), was a lovely woman from Nîmes we’ve known a long time and lots of wine-speak ensued whenever we had lessons. So I enjoyed you bringing up this stuff today about the Aldi bottle and will as I very often do with your recommendations collect one next I’m in store to try it out.
But mention then of Aldi brings me to page 3 of today’s The Guardian and a very interesting article on the Lyme Bay Winery in Devon, with the heading … Burgundy eat your heart out’: A lot of plaudits then, for their most aspirational offering of still wine including a Chardonnay.
Although located at Axminster it seems much of their grape stock is sourced in Essex and indeed from all over southern England to have a quality pick and an ethos that’s not just about quantity. This white and an accompanying Pinot Noir that the IWC judges were gushing about both came in at prices I cannot afford myself at 30 quid or more.
However, it was mentioned there were cheaper bottles to be had through … yes … Aldi, who they sell too. You may remember on several occasions over the last 6 months I’ve waxed lyrical about the Bowler & Brolly Aldi own label Pinot Noir-Précoce Rosé that is labelled Lyme Bay Winery, so we are not in the dark about the provenance here. There’s more English still B&B at Aldi to be had and a sparkling offering this time from Denbies near Dorking in Surrey. Some still tend to be on the pricier side but not outrageously so. The latest English Rosé , taller, thinner bottle than before is a reasonable £8.69.
Like-say, I’ll be in for the Costières de Nîmes Blanc and specifically go for a full house of all the other English stuff on the shelf too. Oh to be in England …. and France … and Italy … I can dream …
Cheers for now Brian ..
The Asda Extra Special Sicilian Reserve Red is indeed on Rollback offer and is £7.47 in my local store.A very attractive wine and price.
I hadn’t realised Costières de Nîmes switched sides – we were there on holiday and asked for a Tavel as a local rose and the waiter said: M’sieur, ‘ere we are Costières de Nîmes! And brought us a bottle from a winery just up the road. Here are two good, serious Costières de Nîmes tasted not long ago: https://medium.com/p/21c9e6012a09