When summer holidays abroad are harder to plan, this week’s top tips bring the sunny South of France and beautiful Rioja region to you – and at a great price! I also bring you news of a new promotion just launched at Sainsbury’s.
2019 Pierre Jaurant French Coteaux de Beziers (£6.49 at Aldi)
Sidestepping the most popular Languedoc grape varieties, this “far better than £6” red uses a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Rich and smooth, it delivers soft cherry and bramble flavours supported by minty aromas and background touches of caramel, aniseed and tobacco with good acidity, but only mild tannin.
2020 The Best Marquis de Los Rios Rioja Blanco (£6.50 – instead of £7.75 until 24 August – at Morrisons)
When I gave Top Tip status to the Marquis de Los Rios Crianza a few weeks ago, one subscriber commented “a big shout out [also] for their white Rioja…. which is stunning”. Happily, this is now on promotion too.
So, enjoy (at a great price) its apple and ripe melon flavours, lively acidity and a texture that encompasses chocolate and toast elements along with a long nutty finish.
Later: Looks like this may have gone “Out of Stock” online this morning but should, I guess, still be available in Morrisons physical stores.
Current offers and promotions
At Sainsbury’s
A new promotion at Sainsbury’s will run until 31 August. This good value fizz (which I recommended back in March) is among the offers:
- Taste the Difference Conegliano Prosecco (Down to £7.50 until 31 August)
At Co-op
Don’t forget the current offers at the Co-op end tomorrow. This red is worth snapping up if it’s available in your local store:
- Muriel Tempranillo Rioja (Down to £6.50 until 17 August)
At M&S
The summer Drinks Festival continues at M&S with offers on a selection of beer, wines and spirits, including this fruity red:
- Lock Keeper’s Reserve Shiraz (Drops from £9 to £6 until 30 August)
At other retailers
Promotions also continue (for another week) at Morrisons and Waitrose. See my previous post for details and my top picks.
This Thursday, I once again focus on wine from a particular country – this time, Austria.
4 responses
Nice one Brian! I’ve been singing the praises of the Jaurant Beziers for a while now! The Jaurant range at Aldi has some very winning bottles but I particularly like the Beziers because it is that typical Bordeaux blend that delivers way more than a lot of clarets do at the same cheaper price end. OK it’s not trying to be a claret, but I bet those cabernet grapes especially are just that bit more ripe over in Beziers, towards the Med’, than the Bordeaux crop at harvest time, and the lovely fruit would give provenance to that. I pick up a bottle most times I’m in Aldi that for me has currently replaced Lidl as my weekly go-to preference for entry level bottles of all kinds.
Hi Eddie and good to hear from you as ever. I think it was the extra notch or two of ripeness you mention that appealed to me with this wine. For sure, the graphite bite the climate in Bordeaux engenders has real attractions but the fruity richness on display here from similar grapes has real charms too.
PS Brian …. I was in my usual Aldi store yesterday and bought the Beziers for £5.99. That’s only a 50p reduction but given they don’t do a lot of discounting it was a welcome coincidental that connected to the wine under discussion. So I had some more!!! Cheers as ever …
Well done for seizing the moment Eddie – or at least the wine!