Green Spain and the eastern side of the Andes come under the spotlight today.
Both featured wines from there should give taste buds a real treat and, better still, currently enjoy discounted prices for Loyalty Card holders – a major reduction in one case.
Starting with a red.
2024 Taste the Difference Zurriago Malbec (£7.50 Nectar price – down from £9 until 1 September – at Sainsbury’s and 13% abv):
Everyone knows that Argentinian malbec is a major success story but why is not so well known.
Here, then, are three factors that make its main growing area different.
- Conditions: Because Mendoza (Malbec Central) sits in the Andes’ rain shadow, its grapes are essentially desert grown – the water its vines need comes from mountain snowmelt, not rainfall.
- Altitude: Some of the best plots are a kilometre or more above sea level. Daytime sunshine is fierce, but the height makes temperatures drop substantially at night. That daytime warmth ripens the fruit well, while the cool nights help preserve much of the contrasting acidity.
- Authenticity: Because Mendoza’s soils repel the phylloxera pest that ravaged Europe’s vineyards years ago, many of its vines were never grafted onto resistant rootstock — they still grow on their own original roots, a rare link back to how wine was made before the pest struck.
Turning to this specific example, then, it is dark and generously fruity, but with real substance behind it. Ripe bramble, mulberry and plum sit at the core.
Hints of spice, nutmeg and minerality linger on the finish, while the acidity (preserved by those nocturnal temperatures) and well-judged tannin keep it all in check.
Moving to a white
2024 The Best Block Series Albariño (£9 – down from £18 until 30 August but the hyperlink may not pick it up – with a Morrisons Loyalty Card and 13% abv):
Morrisons’ Block Series (a level above ‘The Best’) is a welcome initiative. The aim is to showcase the growing site’s strengths and its winemaker’s skill with single-block or single-vineyard wines. Inevitably, some will work better than others, but this example is excellent.
Albariño does grow elsewhere but its characteristics seem to work best in Rías Baixas, on Spain’s northwestern corner. Here, Atlantic rollers bathe (and sometimes batter) Galicia’s coastline.
The resulting cool and wet climate suits the variety perfectly, but what pushes it from good to great appears to be geological.
The sandy, granite-based soil not only drains quickly but is so short on nutrients that vine roots burrow deeply to survive — apparently sharpening the wine’s stony, saline edge.
This version is crisp and well-textured, with zesty quince, melon and nectarine flavours. Sharp grapefruit acidity then gives it the lift most white wines demand.
However, softening honeyed notes, touches of lime and a subtle saline edge add extra complexity.
BUSY SHOPPER SUMMARY
Which wine should I buy? 2024 Taste the Difference Zurriago Malbec(£7.50 Nectar price – down from £9 until 1 September – at Sainsbury’s and 13% abv):
Where, how much and what abv? £7.50 Nectar price – down from £9 until 1 September – at Sainsbury’s and 13% abv:
Why should I buy it? It brilliantly showcases what has made Mendoza malbec so successful.
What does it taste like? A ripe bramble, mulberry and plum base is neatly enhanced by hints of spice, nutmeg and minerality
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Which wine should I buy? 2024 The Best Block Series Albariño:
Where, how much and what abv? £9 – down from £18 until 30 August – with a Morrisons Loyalty Card and 13% abv:
Why should I buy it? It’s an excellent example of what Morrisons Block range does so well.
What does it taste like? Crisp and textured white wine centred around zesty quince, melon and nectarine flavours.
So as well as buying these wines, this week’s to-do list should include a visit to our sister MidWeek Wines Guild website and, naturally, a reminder to call in here again next Monday.
22 responses
Regular readers may recall my absurdist theory that wine bottles with birds on the label are bound to be good.
Started off another unscientific theory that the better albariño/ alvarinho wines are in blue bottles . I cited Coop Alvarinho- on offer at £6.92 for two-and Morrison’s Cuba Azul as evidence.
Guild member Dave backed me up with Mar de Frades .Richard was sceptical and Keith was silent.
Good to see that you ,Brian have added weight to my theory with your Block albariño in a dark blue bottle!
I would add Tesco Finest Passerina to support your to arguement.
Hirondell is just a memory now
Tesco’s Passerina is indeed a lovely wine and, encouragingly, it is seldom expensive in their stores.
Not sure about the universal application of Davies Blue Bottle Law but the content of that one is good and the bottle does look stylish
The Malbec will be a very good buy as Sainsbury’s have a 25% off 6 or more this week.
Hadn’t caught up with that multi-buy promotion, David, so thank you for pointing it out.
I would add Tesco Finest Passerina to support your to arguement.
Hirondell is just a memory now
The Rías Baixas Albariño is delicious, however the Littlehampton store is selling it at £13 today.
On the positive side this does give me the opportunity to recommend the Mâcon Lugny Wine – 2025 from LIDL at £9.99.
Variability between stores does seem to be increasing (not just Morrisons), Richard, but their PR folk assured me that the promotion is confirmed. As you say, though, that Lidl White Burgundy is a great example and good that it just sneaks under the £10 bar.
It may be that your PR contact failed to mention the 25% discount on six bottles. I could not trust myself with six bottles in the house at one time….
The Albarinho is still priced at £13 today in Solihull. Has anyone got it at £9? And of course there is the 25% off 6 bottles offer which would make it £6.75 a bottle
I will check it out with the PR people tomorrow as you are the second person to raise that, so thanks for getting in touch Rick
Sadly, my local Morrisons in Huddersfield stocks only about six bottles of Block series wines in total, none of which are Albariño. They do their regular one order The Best label, but it isn’t despite the discount.
As you say Brian, they are very inconsistent in their stocking practice.
(Having said that I did complain about this and they ended up sending me 10,000 points.)
Frustrating I know, Alf., it irks me too.
Update.
My local store had a few bottles of the Albariño last week, reduced to £10 and with a further ‘buy 3 get 30% off’. £7 a bottle, now that was a bargain which I snapped up. Very tasty it is too!
Glad to see this report that (like Rick’s local store in another comment) several Morrisons stores are combining their multibuy promotion with a healthy discount on this excellent wine. Well done for taking advantage of it Alf.
Have Morrisons PR confirmed the £9 price?
Still pressing them for a response.
That’s me off to Morrisons for the Albarinho
One of Michael’s favourites 😊🌻
Hope they have some in stock and, if so, raise a glass to him for me.
Block Series Albarinho down to £10 at Solihull, and with the current 30% off 3 bottles of their Best wines offer, I purchased 3 bottles for£21
That is a great result Rick – enjoy the wine, but prices seem to be fast becoming (to use a hackneyed phrase) a post code lottery.