First the Red Option
2022 Eje Monastrell Rotwein (£7.49 at Lidl while stocks last and 14% abv):
Given the recent focus on Lidl Rioja and Chenin Blanc, I was concerned that a full post on the latest Wine Tour could amount to over exposure.
Instead I will pick out a couple of stars to feature as a Top Tip or elsewhere – and this is one.
Yes I know I recommended it last July but, for me, it is the pick of the cheaper reds in the current Tour.
Smooth with violet aromas it contains touches of espresso, dark chocolate and menthol along with a trace of oregano to add savouriness.
All that successfully underpins and enhances the wine’s base of acidity embellished ripe cherry, damson and bramble flavours.
Turning to Whites
Baker Street White Blend (£7 – instead of £9 until 15 July with a Morrisons Loyalty Card and 10.5%):
This non-vintage, four-grape combination carries the “South Eastern Australia” label – a designation that can be a blenders’ paradise.
The area encompasses a deliberately large part of Australia’s winelands and was created to allow fruit to be drawn, where appropriate, from multiple (and often distinctly different) locations.
This wine itself – wherever it was sourced – offers a soft mouthfeel with beautiful clarity and pleasing viscosity that gives natural balance to the whole package.
Pear and apple flavours form its foundation along with ripe melon richness, subtle apricot notes and hints of camomile in support.
Well-integrated acidity adds rounded grapefruit influences to provide freshness without being intrusive.
STOP PRESS
The promotion containing that White Blend also reduces the price of the Best Palo Cortado Sherry.. It drops to £6.50 – instead of £7.25 until 15 July for 37.5cl for holders of a Morrisons Loyalty card. Being sherry, the abv is 19%.
This is a good (and great value) example of a “middle of the road” style of sherry, and works well with chorizo and serrano ham.
With a chestnut colour plus apple and caramel aromas, it features nutty, bruised apple and saline flavours leading into a long finish.
Coffee, chocolate and sultana influences add richness but there is a lively contrasting freshness too.
Drop by again on Thursday when parts of the new Morrisons Block Series wines go under the microscope.
8 responses
I’ve always bought Eje Monastrell when it appears. It is, in my opinion, a very nice introduction to Monastrell (aka Mourvedre), if a little on the Rustic side. It’s savoury, a little on the sweet side but not jammy, more sun-baked, firm tannins, nutmeg, chocolate, coffee, but it doesn’t feel heavy, great looking bottle as well.
Palo Cortado is by far my favourite style of sherry, often described as an ‘accidental Sherry’, it starts under a layer of ‘Flor’ ( a layer of yeast that develops on the surface of the sherry during aging. This yeast creates a protective barrier against oxidation and contributes unique flavors to the wine.) but loses is covering of flor and then it’s fortified to the strength of an Oloroso ageing oxidatively, resulting in a sherry with a little more texture and aromatics.
That Morrisons one is pretty good if you want to try the style
I prefer a full-bodied red. If you can see through it, or if it’s a red from the Loire, it is probably not for me. Would it be possible please, to provide some scale of full-bodiedness, as the Wine Society does? I know it’s only one indicator but the description above, for example, contains no clue
Jerry, it’s very dark in colour (not see-through), but I’d say a touch on the lighter side of full-bodied, this is more savoury, This comes from the warm Alicante region in Spain
Jerry … I will try to give you a steer (and often use “light”, medium bodied” and “full” to differentiate). As Dave says, I think it would be described as full – or pretty close to it.
The Morrisons Palo Cortado is my favourite supermarket sherry and what amazing value on offer price.
The Co-op rescheduled online tasting last week was unusual in that the Co-op host and wine buyer had to leave the presentation because of a fire alarm and did not return until near the end – unharmed.
The two Argentinian representatives kept going and introduced us to the very remote and semi desert El Esteco winery and the extreme high altitude conditions of the vineyard distribution 50/ 50 at 1700m- the valley one!- and 2000m the higher one.
Don David Blend of Terroirs Malbec- Malbec 14% £11.25
Lovely dark cherry ,plum and hint of mint ,solid expression of the Malbec grape.No oak.
Don David Blend of Terroirs Cabernet- Cabernet 14% £11.25
More than decent Cab Sav. Ripe black fruit, paprika and white pepper.No oak again, very good ageing potential.
Two concerns- low rainfall 200mm a year so dependant on river flow from glaciers and snowfall- climate change- and the potentially catastrophic effect of Trump’s tariffs.
Fairtrade and the workers and community have benefitted from a sports facility/ ground being built.
The price of both has gone up significantly, reflecting our increased alcohol duty taxes, and I would probably wait for them to be on offer.
I might be a minority of one, but I would like to see a Malbec and Cabernet blend!
PS The height of Ben Nevis is 1345m.
Having recently been in Jerez (well worth a visit btw) and had a guided tour/tasting of the Lustau bodega, I’m delighted to see the Morrisons Palo Cortado is one of theirs. Especially as we only had carry on. Time to stock up, and try to forget the price at the bodega.
Went today to Morrisons and got very confused …
– they are offering 25% of six bottles or more
– they are offering 30% off three “The best” bottles or more
– the individual wines are also discounted in some cases, like the Palo Cortado above.
So far as I can see I got the 25% but that is all, despite all the wine I bought being “the best.” The receipt is very unclear. And only £1 off two bottles of sherry, even though they are also “the best.”
I ought to complain but frankly, life too short.
There does seem to be confusion about this – but, as you imply, why waste time arguing when there is good wine to drink (and at a good price whichever discount is applied).