To be in the know, look for regions that remain overlooked and search for value there – start with our pick below
What do those in the wine trade buy for themselves when they’re not getting showered with freebie samples? We’re a spoilt lot, it’s true, but one of the perks of working in the industry is that we have the opportunity to taste – and perhaps even drink – some of the best wines in the world. We bounce in and out of highfalutin tastings, sometimes greeted by hundreds of bottles of open wine, chatting to winemakers and tasting as many as we possibly can; we even have the temerity to spit some of them out – not because we don’t approve, but because it means we can taste more without falling over. Dedication to the cause, and all that.
One of the true joys of coming across a new wine, however, lies in unearthing an unexpected gem, a cheeky underlier, a bottle that makes us throw a cartoon double-take in disbelief that it doesn’t cost twice as much – especially if we’re spending our own cash, for once.
You increase your chances if you look for regions that, for whatever reason, remain consistently undervalued for quality and value: Galicia in the north-western corner of Spain, say, is a great hunting ground, with the delicate local mencía grape delivering pinot noir-esque character at a modest price. Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna – the proper dry stuff – is another that comes to mind, offering masses of snappy, frothy fun that works exceptionally well with salumi and cheese. Banish memories of those sickly, sugary examples that flooded the UK market in the 1970s and 80s; the bona fide stuff is a real thrill and will convert disbelievers, while also giving you kudos for being “in the know”.
Even I’m not lucky enough to be chugging back fine burgundy and bordeaux every day – two regions that, for the most part, require you to shell out £30-plus to get a decent glimpse as to why, historically, those two regions are so beguiling and, ultimately, pricey. A rare gem of silky, supple burgundian-style pinot noir for a relative snip is the excellent Domaine Girard Pinot Noir (£14.25 Yapp Brothers, 13.5%), from the western edge of the Languedoc, which, at 350m above sea level, is a much cooler site – it really is cracking value.
It’s also worth shimmying over to another classic French region that is relatively excellent value: the Rhône and, in particular, the northern villages of Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage. One spanking example is the Wine Society’s own-label Exhibition Crozes-Hermitage 2021 (£14.50, 13.5%), which is fair brimming with crowdpleasing, brambly fruit, and also has the area’s characteristic savoury twang. Beaujolais is another option: try the excellent Morgon Château de Pizay (£14.99, or £11.99 on mix six, Majestic, 14%) for an example of serious cru beaujolais from one of its finest villages. Perks of the trade are a real treat, but we do keep it real the rest of the time. Honest.
Five of the best in-the-know reds
Winemaker’s Lot Pinot Noir 2021 £9.99 Aldi, 12.5%. Burgundy for under a tenner? An example that delivers a glimpse of the prettiness of pinot.
Pepe Porter Mencía 2021 £9.95 The Wine Society, 13.5%. Galician, cherry-scented charmer with snappy raspberry and redcurrant character.
Saumur Vignerons de Saumur Rouge 2020 £11.95 Yapp Brothers, 13.5%. Breezy, summer-berry panache from the Loire. Chill it a touch and serve with charcuterie.
Monte Delle Vigne Lambrusco 2021 £15.95 (or £14.50 in a case of six) Lea & Sandeman, 11.5%. Bundles of frothy, red joy, with enough perky acidity to slice through Parma ham and mortadella.
Domaine Villard “Poivre et Sol” Saint-Joseph 2019 £21 The Wine Society, 13.5%. Dense and savoury syrah with bags of blackberry fruit and a twist of black pepper.
Source: The Guardian
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