The optimist's downfall

Optimism is a good and frequently necessary thing. I should know - just ask any other Manchester United fan in light of our current predicament. In the wine world, too, optimism is something of a driving force. Optimism is what made the early pioneers of New World wine take cuttings from Europe and see them thrive in previously unexplored environments (although it is arguably also responsible for experimentation in South Africa and the resulting godawful Pinotage grape). Optimism is what has ensured the success of many retailers and producers, small and large, since the global financial crisis of 2008. And when the mercury is hovering just above freezing as the delicate new shoots begin appearing on vines in the springtime, optimism is what reassures the best winemakers that they will still produce an outstanding end product. So, on the whole, optimism is a good thing.

However, even I thought I was overegging the optimism when I recently bought a bottle of the attractively-packaged Montagny 1er Cru 'Les Millières' 2010 (priced at £9.74 at Majestic) and wrote in my cellar notes: 'Do not touch until 2018'. How could I resist? A classical white Burgundy from a very good Côte Chalonnaise vintage, properly corked and at under a tenner? As sure as United will finish outside the top four this season, this wine would certainly be drunk before my suggested date.

That's not to say I approached the wine too early, however; I normally find a drinking window of between 3-10 years after the vintage for good white Burgundy is a solid rule of thumb. The tasting notes also suggested the wine was perfectly drinkable: Majestic's own description reads thus:

"A delicious, fresh Chardonnay which has been fermented and matured in stainless steel tanks to preserve the pure peach, pear and acacia aromas. Soft and rich on the palate."

The Telegraph's wine correspondent Susy Atkins also noted the wine's freshness, adding "well balanced, still tasting youthful, [and] lightly buttered" (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/wine/11147329/Wine-Review-Wines-to-serve-with-squid.html).

Personally, as a red wine drinker, it's often a pleasant surprise when whites announce themselves boldly in terms of weight and texture, and this example from the Vignerons de Buxy certainly fulfils that criterion. The wine is alluringly pale gold in hue with a translucent rim, and a soft bouquet of apricots and peaches, intertwined with a suggestion of minerality. The mouth is filled with more fleshy fruits (nectarines and pears) with the slight savouriness of green bell pepper and a not unpleasant lactic quality, whether butter or more animalistic. The wine is impeccably structured, with the acidity well-integrated with the clean, focused fruits, and is pleasurably medium/full on the tongue. In terms of a food match, white fish and seafood are the suggestions that most often crop up with a cool-climate Chardonnay such as this; however I cannot think of a more divine match than a white meat-based roast dinner. I slurped away happily on this wine with my Sunday lunch: the Montagny has enough texture and savouriness to match roast chicken, the lactic element and good acidity were perfect with roast potatoes, and the lively fruit notes really helped to accentuate the freshness of assorted veg.

This Montagny, then, represents a brilliant example of a well-priced classical European Chardonnay, which will reward those who hold onto it as well as the impatient drinkers like myself who approach it early in its life. Next time I arrive back from Majestic with a bottle in hand, I shall cellar it immediately and furiously underline the 2018 cellar note (for wouldn't this be an absolute pleasure with cold cuts of ham on a warm summer's day?). I think it would also be a perfect bottle with which to toast United's rampant dominance and eventual Premier League-winning season in May 2018. Although perhaps that's a tad too optimistic.

Rockin' Roussillon

First off, apologies for the lack of blogging recently - I was fortunate enough to take a Valentine's getaway break with my better half and have therefore spent some welcome time away from the draws of modern technology. We spent a lovely relaxing long weekend in the charming village of Seahouses in Northumberland, which is perfect for anyone wishing to escape the city walls in search of rural living, sea air and the odd seal or two! (www.seahouses.org) Coincidentally, on the big night itself we shared a cracking bottle of Veuve Monsigny Brut NV (£9.99, Aldi) which more than lived up to its critical hype; although her disbelieving remarks ("You've not actually bought proper Champagne, have you"?) should give you some idea as to how much of a tightwad I normally am. Nevertheless, it was a well-balanced wine with good structure and a creamy mousse, and an utter pleasure to drink on the most romantic of dates in the calendar.

But I digress. As we move away from the season of fizz and rosé, it is time to consider some solid options for the rapidly-approaching springtime. It's at this time of year where I like to start drinking red wines that put me in mind of warmer days to come - think brambly Garnachas, smooth Tempranillos and volcanic Nero d'Avolas. One of my favourite wine regions to visit for summery reds is Roussillon in Southern France. Often lumped together (unfairly, in my view) with its northern sibling Languedoc, Roussillon is really more Catalan than French in terms of its origins, food and culture, and the Grenache-based regional blends reflect the area's unique nature. With over 22,000 hectares of land given over to viticulture in Roussillon, with Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Mourvèdre being the star grapes, France's Catalan region really is the place to go for good-value, hearty summer reds.

Without question, the wine that I've selected to review today certainly ticks all the right boxes. Priced at £6.66 at Majestic, the Château de Triniac Côtes du Roussillon Villages 2011 is both a fantastic value bottle, as well as a slightly different alternative to the region's usual offerings. Côtes du Roussillon Villages is Roussillon's northernmost appellation, and slightly more selective than the larger Côtes du Roussillon, with a permitted blend of maximum 60% Carignan, a minimum of 30% Syrah/Mourvèdre, as well as Grenache. The Château de Triniac in fact originates from Latour de France: only one of four villages permitted to add their name onto the CdRV appellation. The village is recognised as being the origin of higher quality wines from the region, with the vines which grow along the valley slopes of the Agly River benefitting from heat-retaining granite soils and an average of 325 days of sunshine per year.

With 2011 generally accepted as being a good vintage for Roussillon reds, the wine had a lot to live up to. Certainly the critics seemed to love it, with Ned Halley scoring the wine top marks in his 2014 edition of 'The Best Wines in the Supermarkets'. Describing Château de Triniac as "theatrically rich and opulent", Halley went on to comment on its "gorgeous limpid spicy-garrigue black fruits and surpassing sleekness". Although I can't quite agree with his remarks on opulence (I found myself yearning for more texture), I can confidently attest to the wine's sleekness: you'd never guess it at 14.5% alcohol. The Independent's critic Terry Kirby was also taken by the wine, calling it a "spicy and satisfying" red which "punches way above its price range" (http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/wines-of-the-week-marques-de-casa-concha-cabernet-sauvignon-2010-verdicchio-dei-castelli-di-jesi-classico-2012-chteau-de-triniac-cotes-du-roussillon-villages-2011-8646591.html).

Certainly, I found the wine to be an excellent example of what Roussillon can really produce. Dark clarety-red in colour and with a nose of red berries, new leather and a slight sweetness, the wine went down very easily with no alcohol burn or unwelcome tannic bite. The red fruits on the nose are consistent with the palate, where they are joined by a sprinkling of black pepper and an alluring creamy note on the finish. Although I found slight fault with the linear texture and short finish, I was nevertheless impressed by the wine's poise and elegance, and could think of no better word than 'breezy' to describe the sensation of drinking a quality wine with grapes grown at an altitude of 300m. Make no mistake: this is not your average rustic Roussillon red, but a wine of serious charm and aspiration. For my money, the wine would pair best with roast venison or game, but I couldn't blame you for sipping it on its own outside in your back garden, watching the fading sun and dreaming of warmer days to come. So here's to a cracker from French Catalonia: salut!

Valentine's wines!

Happy Valentine's everyone! The most polarising of celebration days is fast approaching once again, so do take this as your reminder to stock up on roses, chocolates and whatever array of erotic lingerie for your other half you so desire. Whether you get on board fully with the day or not, the 14th of February is always a great excuse for wine lovers to stock up on an alluring little number or two, or perhaps to splash out on a special bottle for the occasion. So here are some of my Valentine's picks to help make the night memorable.

Sparkling

Of course, the most obvious wine style to opt for at this time of year is sparkling, and more specifically Champagne. For me, there's nothing quite like the real thing on a special occasion, although a fantastic budget option would be Tesco's Cava Brut NV (£5). Made by Catalan giant Cordoníu for the UK retailer, this bona fide sparkler boasts fresh orchard flavours on the nose and on the palate, complemented with good acidity and a lovely creamy finish. A fraction of the price of other sparklers, let alone Champagne, Tesco's house Cava has received praise across the board, with the Telegraph's wine correspondent Susy Atkins commenting that it "beats the socks off many fancier high street cavas".

If, however, you do fancy the real deal, then look no further than Veuve Monsigny Brut NV, produced by Reuil-based vintners Philizot et Fils and sold in the UK by the German retailer Aldi. Currently offered at an astonishing £9.99, this wine was rated Highly Recommended by Decanter magazine in January 2015 in a panel tasting of own-label Champagnes, seeing off competition from more prestigious retailers costing three times as much. Of Aldi's Champagne, tasters Michael Edwards, Antony Moss MW and Angela Mount - who gave it a score of 90 - said:

"Smooth, creamy stone-fruit character with a certain vinosity. Bold and fruity with vibrant, yet well-integrated acid. Good structure and weight with a refreshing lift and balance on the finish".

I have a bottle held back for this Valentine's Day, and my mouth is positively watering at the prospect of tasting it. Aside from anything else, this really does go to prove that it is eminently possible for wine lovers to buy fantastic wines without needing to take out a second mortgage.

Rosé

A cliché perhaps, but for poetry's sake, you might wish to opt for a bottle of the pink stuff to see in this Valentine's Day. Often panned by some in the wine trade, there is no doubt that rosé wine is an increasingly popular choice for many consumers, with 1 in every 8 bottles of table wine sold in the UK being of the pink variety (Ned Halley, The Best Wines in the Supermarkets 2015, p. 12). Speaking on a personal level, at this time of year when it seems apt to go for rosé over white, the best examples come from the south of France, and specifically the Côtes de Provence appellation. If elegant, restrained, perfumed rosés are your thing, then you could do a lot worse than the Co-op's Coeur de Cardeline Provence 2013, Lidl's Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Nuit de Provence 2013 or Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Côtes de Provence 2013. However, if you want to broaden your horizons, one of my favourite rosés is the perennial Tesco Finest Nero d'Avola Rosé. The current 2013 vintage is on sale at £5.79, which makes it a slightly better value alternative to the Riviera rosés. Strikingly salmon-pink with a sweet cider applely nose, the wine is light-bodied and refreshing, with a reasonably sharp citrussy tang and one of the longest finishes on a rosé I've ever tasted. Serve this with some breadcrumbed white fish or a simple salad, and your other half will never know that you parted with fewer than six of your pounds for such a superb bottle of pink!

Red

If, on the other hand, your Valentine's meal calls for something fuller, then a bottle of red should be your stopping point. Forcefully tannic New World Cabernets might be the first choice with a nice piece of rare sirloin, but for my money Old World reds offer the perfect amount of poise and sophistication for a night of romance. Classic Bordeaux blends would be great, as would seductive Burgundies from the Pinot Noir grape. If you have cash to spare, splash out on a bottle of Premier Cru Bourgogne, like the Lucien Jacob Beaune 1er Cru Les Toussaints 2004 - which I would probably consider the best wine I've ever had the pleasure of drinking. Alternatively, you could visit another one of Europe's fine wine regions, Rioja, for a bottle of Asda's Extra Special Marques del Norte Rioja Reserva 2009.

With one year spent in the barrel and another two in the bottle before release, this Reserva from Asda is brilliantly pitched between fruit and oak: offering the balance of ripe red fruits and warming vanilla that buyers of Rioja wines love. The 2008 vintage was highly sought-after, scoring 90 points in Decanter magazine's September 2013 panel tasting. Ned Halley in The Best Wines noted the wine's "sweet, plump, silky fruit", and Martin Smith in the Star commented on the "big juicy flavours, rounded vanilla from the oak and sweet, strawberry spice" (http://www.thestar.co.uk/what-s-on/out-about/food-drink/top-tipple-extra-special-marques-del-norte-rioja-reserva-2008-5-from-7-48-until-april-24-asda-1-5566878). The 2009 vintage (a full £2.50 cheaper at £5.75) also fared well with the critics: Susy Atkins in the Telegraph describing the wine as "a great-value reserva from a fine vintage year in Rioja" (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinkadvice/11361111/Why-Ill-be-drinking-red-wine-not-whisky-with-my-haggis.html). Like Atkins, I too thought that the wine offered great value, and I'd happily buy it at a higher price point. For me, the attractively aromatic nose of strawberry bonbons and vanilla would be perfect for Valentine's Day, followed up by a serious Rioja full of grip, texture and dark fruits. I would advise a couple more years in the bottle before the wine really opens up and expresses itself fully, however it's perfectly drinkable now and very difficult to resist doing so!

So whether you're a fan of the day or not, I hope I've given you some useful suggestions of very good wines to help celebrate this Valentine's Day. If you've got any brilliant bottles or preferred styles for February 14th, please feel free to share in the comment section below. Happy Valentine's everyone!

Winter warmers

Those of you, like myself, with some sort of asthma were probably able to foretell the impending freezing temperatures to which we have been subjected in recent weeks. The increasing tightening of lungs and bronchial tubing and the sudden inability to walk 50 yards without gasping for air like it's going out of style are just a couple of the omens that indicate to the weak-chested among us that Jack Frost is well on his way. Cold temperatures do funny things to others as well: in my household particularly, the weather forecasts appear on screen with such regularity that I become on first name terms with multiple presenters, and spades and bags of salt start mysteriously appearing on the driveway. And that's not to mention the sheer dread that appears on my mum's face with the mere utterance of the word 'snow' (although it is very useful to know one of her potential weaknesses in the event that she is exposed to nuclear radiation and becomes a bloodthirsty despot). But that aside, for all the traffic reports and gritter lorries in the world, sometimes it's just best to stay wrapped up indoors and cosy up with a nice glass or two by the fire. And this week, I've selected a couple of bottles that should do just the trick- a comforting red from Languedoc and a zippy Galician white.

Although we think of the south of France as a sun-drenched utopia of warm temperatures and beautiful weather, its wines often have a canny knack of matching quite well to warming casseroles and stews, which makes them perfect fare for the British winter. The first wine I have chosen is from a small Languedoc appellation called Saint-Chinian (a "hidden gem of the South" according to 'The Wine Pocket Bible'): Tesco Finest Saint-Chinian 2013. Currently on offer at £5.99, this rustic red united the critics: for Victoria Moore in the Telegraph, the wine represented "a very cosy red, mellow and brambly" (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/wine/11121403/Perfect-autumn-wines-for-cosy-nights-in.html); while Jane MacQuitty in the Times wrote of a "cracking, stomach lining spicy winter wine brimming with rich, herby, dusky earthy fruit". Olly Smith echoed the comments on fruit and herbaceousness in the Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/article-2814460/OLLY-SMITH-Nights-drawing-weather-turning-frosty-uncork-central-heating-soul.html) whereas Ned Halley noted the wine's gentle oak treatment and adherence to Saint-Chinian terroir (http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Wine-St-Chinian-s-robust-reds-finally-arrived/story-23252163-detail/story.html).

Like the critics above, I was also taken in by the wine's charms. The inky purple hue and typical nose of liquorous blackcurrant and hedgerow fruits betray the wine's southern French origins, yet the wine is somewhat restrained in style and not as rustic as some. On the palate are mature blackcurrant and blackberry fruits coupled with a medium body and a smooth mouthfeel (although some might find it to be a little lacking in tannic backbone). On the whole, Tesco and its producer Skalli have done a good job at creating an elegant Grenache-Syrah blend in what was a difficult vintage in the Midi, and one which will satisfy those looking for a hearty winter red. Tesco advises that the wine might be cellared for up to three years, and it would certainly be interesting to see how the wine develops in time for winter 2016.

The second wine I have chosen is another corker from Tesco, this time their Finest Pazo Das Donas Godello 2012, also currently at £5.99. Admittedly, a Spanish white might not be top of your list for a comforting winter tipple, but this example is fresh, vibrant and zingy, and will do wonders for reawakening your slumbering tastebuds. In his informative piece on the vintage (http://winereviewsbyivorfan.com/2014/07/27/finest-pazo-das-donas-godello-2012/), wine blogger Dave Cronin talks about the grape's capacity to produce wines of intense flavour and aroma, specifically finding "ripe peaches, lemons, spiced apples" in Tesco's offering. Cronin also advises that the wine not be drunk overly-chilled as a lower temperature masks much of the wine's aromatics and flavour, something which I would second after tasting.

As something of a novice to Spain's indigenous white varieties, I must say that I found the wine to be an intriguing and uplifting experience. The delicate pale gold hue beguiles the intense, zippy nose of green apples and gooseberry, which leads into a medium-bodied refreshing wine. The fruits are pitched at the sharp, tart end of the spectrum (think Granny Smiths) coupled with a bit of delicate white hibiscus and an attractive saline quality. For a food match, anything caught from Spain's north Atlantic coast would be delightful, although I can help thinking that a roasted joint of gammon would also work a treat. In short, whether you plump for a reassuring red or a winning white to chase away your winter woes, you won't go far wrong with either of these great value warmers. Cheers!
    

Wine lovers unite!

One of the beautiful things about wine is the sheer variety of the stuff available. From country to country, region to region or grape to grape, and even from one vintage to the next, such is the diversity of wine that you could go your whole lifetime and never drink the same bottle twice. Just like wine, its disciples come in varying guises too: some prefer to stick to the larger producers whose wines can be found on every supermarket shelf, whereas others opt for lesser-known winemakers in independent merchants; some prefer to purchase and re-purchase the styles of wine that they know, whereas others are quicker to venture out into the world of more obscure grapes and regions. For what it's worth, I think I'm somewhere in the middle of these descriptors: I know what I like and like what I know, but at the same time I have that adventurous side in me that likes to take a punt on the odd Romanian Pinot Noir or an Argentine Bonarda blend. But for me, for the best chance of satisfying every type of wine lover, there is no better place to buy your bottles than in the supermarkets.

This week, I have chosen a perfect wine to illustrate my point, which is the Tesco Finest Côtes de Gascogne 2013. A blend of the Gros Manseng grape (native to Southwest France) and the ubiquitous Sauvignon Blanc, this is a delicate dry French white, which should have no problem satisfying both those who yearn for grape discoveries and those who appreciate the comforts of familiar Sauvignon. What's more, whether you're an adventurer or more conventional, everyone loves good value, and this Atlantic Coast charmer is a steal at Tesco's current price of £5.99.

Of this vintage, the Times' Jane MacQuitty commented:

" [...] if it's chicken nuggets, herby chicken breasts, or even chicken kiev on the menu, then tuck into Tesco's palate-perking, floral, lemon-zest finished 2013 finest* Côtes de Gascogne - southwest France's gros-manseng-grape-based cracker, with a squirt of zingy Sauvignon Blanc".

I cannot help but agree with MacQuitty's food match with chicken, even if my immediate thought was of a delicate Thai salad. Nevertheless, this is certainly a wine to be served as an accompaniment to food: its mouth-watering acidity and medium bodied-plumpness ensure that it will sit quite happily alongside a range of meals. The wine is a very pale straw gold, with a citrussy nose and a characteristically-Sauvignon gooseberry twang. I'm almost tempted to say that there was something of a coriander whiff on the nose, which I also found in the mouth. On the palate are more citrus fruits and gooseberries: both of which are very shy, but this adds to rather than subtracts from the wine's delicate style. The finish is long and moreish, and urges you to return for another sip. I very much like this wine indeed: it is almost aloof in its restraint, and yet shows just the perfect amount of fruit to be utterly alluring. For my money, with a glass of this glorious Gascony number, Tesco succeed in appealing to both the Sauvignon brigade and the adventure-seekers - no mean feat indeed. Cheers!

An Extra Special Garnacha

Following on from my inane ramblings on the virtues of Carignan earlier in the week, I return with more musings on another Spanish grape- this time, its Aragonese relative, Garnacha. Garnacha (or Grenache if you prefer the French) is another late-ripening, warm climate grape which is one of the most widely-planted in the Mediterranean, and which can produce hearty, brambly reds both as a varietal and as a constituent. For me, the best examples almost invariably come from plantings with a low-yield of fruit (look out for 'old vine', 'vieilles vignes' etc.) as the super-concentrated grapes they produce often result in food-friendly, fruit-driven reds. Grenache/Garnacha varietals are relatively common in UK supermarkets (see Ned Halley's informative annual guide 'The Best Wines in the Supermarkets' for the top ones) and are often very reasonably priced, so wine lovers really have little excuse for not getting accustomed to this exciting grape.

One of the best recent examples I've tried is the Asda Extra Special Old Vine Garnacha 2013, as was recommended by the ever-reliable Susie Barrie MW and Peter Richards MW for the BBC's Saturday Kitchen on 27th December (http://susieandpeter.com/saturday-kitchen-nye-2/). I was tempted by the promise of a "bright and perfumed" red with "a generous fruit character" and "gentle spiciness" that Barrie and Richards found. In addition, the fact that it made for a good match with a mouthwatering-looking slow-cooked mutton dish by top chef Thomasina Myers was encouraging, as I normally cook a couple of tomato-based red meat dishes in any given week. When this was taken into account with the positive reviews in Decanter and the Telegraph for the 2012 vintage, which was almost £3 dearer (http://www.decanter.com/dwwa/2013/wine/asda-extra-special-old-vine-garnacha-2012/3324, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/wine/10199616/Wine-tasting-notes-Garnacha.html), it was no wonder that I couldn't wait to get my hands on a bottle to taste.

And what a bottle it is. The wine is young-looking (2013 vintage, natch) with a bright and jovial cherry red hue. On the nose, seductive aromas of purple fruits tantalise your taste buds, with blackcurrant, blackberry and vanilla intermingling beautifully. The first thing I got in the mouth was a big hit of friendly vanilla, which slowly adds more purple fruits to cleverly evolve into blackcurrant ripple on the mid-palate. The balance of oak is extremely well-pitched, and the density of fruit is such that you forget the wine's substantial alcohol content (14% abv). The wine finishes pleasantly fruity, with a suggestion of leather and palate-cleansing acidity. As expected, the wine worked perfectly with some moderately spiced Jamie Oliver meatballs (for those interested: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/meatballs/#z1OuY2ppiOk4Muyd.97) and my very own lemon rice (recipe far too valuable to share), and will be making a reappearance on my wine list very soon.

Overall then, this is one of those wines that manages to put a smile on your face: not just because of its inviting nose and densely-packed bramble fruit palate, but also because of the incredible value it represents at £5. How Asda manages to offer such a good Garnacha at this price, I will never know. My advice would be to go out straight away and grab a couple of bottles for yourself, as you'll be very glad you did. An Extra Special wine at an Extra Special price: ¡viva Garnacha!

In defence of Carignan

Carignan, Cariñena, Carignane, Mazuelo... Whatever you prefer to call it, this much-maligned grape of probable Spanish origin is not one often mentioned when discussing desirable grape varieties and wine styles. This is certainly true in the UK, where good Carignan varietals are few and far between (Tesco's perennial Finest Côtes Catalanes Carignan at £6.99 being the best I have tried); the grape often being resigned to the rather undignified category of 'blending variety'. This unpopularity is not without rhyme or reason: Carignan has suffered horrendous press by association with France's 'wine lake', as well as it being one of the biggest victims of the European Union's vine pull scheme in 1988. Additionally, the grape has a reputation for being one of the most difficult to cultivate well, with great skill required on the part of the vintner to produce a wine that makes the most of Carignan's natural high acidity and aggressive tannins. When made badly, Carignan (as noted by Jancis Robinson MW in her well-written 2004 piece 'Can Carignan(e) ever be great?', http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/can-carignane-ever-be-great) displays "high acidity and green, unripe flavours", both of which wine lovers often wish to avoid. However, for me the picture is not so bleak for the poor Carignan grape, and I have firm belief in the grape's ability to produce red wines of great weight and complexity. If you are someone who prefers your punchy Primitivos to your Pinot Noirs, or your big-hearted Barolos to your Beaujolais, then Carignan is a grape with which you can fall hopelessly in love.

I do hold some sympathy, however, with those like Robinson who are not partial to the misunderstood grape's charms. In my experience, the sad truth for those of us who don't have the good fortune to live in Languedoc-Roussillon is that the very best Carignan wines tend to be reserved for the domestic market (a constant source of anguish for my Uncle Loz and I). Pop into any Carrefour or other retailer in any major town in France's picturesque south and you can leave awash with plenty of big, heady Carignans around the €5 mark, whereas - aside from the Tesco offering mentioned above - I think you'd struggle to find a good one in the UK for anything less than a tenner.

Yet, perhaps the grape's fortunes in the UK are changing. In a fascinating 2012 article entitled 'The rise in popularity of the Carignan grape', the Telegraph's wine correspondent Victoria Moore spoke of the variety's brighter outlook and reported positively on her feelings towards Carignans under the £15/£20 mark (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/9103680/Red-wine-the-rise-in-popularity-of-the-carignan-grape.html). One such wine, which was rated highly by both Moore and Robinson, was the 2011 vintage of Alain Grignon Vieilles Vignes. In his superb video blog series (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sniA7zOICac - I haven't seen a bad one yet!), Tom Cannavan of wine-pages.com also spoke highly of the 2011 vintage, noting the spice and black fruit nose and the "creaminess to the texture and the fruit" on the palate. For me, Carignan should always announce itself boldly, so it was pleasing to hear of the wine's vinosity too (as Cannavan remarks, "it smells like red wine!"). Overall, the reception to the wine boded very well indeed for my tasting of its younger 2013 sibling.

And once the top came off (irritatingly a screw cap, which should never be the case for Southern French reds) I certainly wasn't disappointed. The wine displayed Cariginan's softer side, with its medium body and its slightly peppery edge - I'd be surprised if there wasn't a dosage of Grenache involved - as opposed to its big, bold personality: but it was nevertheless a lipsmackingly-good quaffer. On the nose, I found a touch of cinnamon mingled amongst juicy red berries and savoury notes, which evolved into redcurrants and cranberry on the palate. The merest suggestion of vanilla oak lingered in the background, which added to rather than overshadowed the wine's character. As so happened, I enjoyed the wine with moderately spiced Mexican food: a combination which worked surprisingly well (I normally avoid red wine and spice at all costs). Perhaps this was not so unexpected however, as one of Cannavan's food pairing suggestions was chilli con carne. This was then a good value, well-poised wine with characteristic Languedocien charm, which proved the renaissance of the Carignan grape is well on-track. However, it missed out on the dense, brooding and heady characteristics of some of the best that I've tried, and this will heart-wrenchingly lead to another sortie to the South to pick up France's finest examples. Yet somehow, I don't think either myself or Loz will mind.