Wine of the Week in The AnswerBank: Food & Drink

Nom, anxious people awaiting your update in CB, DTc;s q

JP Chenet Sparkling Brut. I`m on hols at the moment and they`ve got this with the breakfast buffet. I`ve seen JP Chenet around and never taken much notice of it. It`s got a pink foil and label but it`s not a pink sparkling. I really like it. I like the brioche tasting champagnes rather than the citrus ones and this is much more like champagne than Cava or Prosecco. I`ve googled it and the mainstream supermarkets don`t seem to sell it but it is available online. I might get some when I get home. I think I might treat myself with a glass at breakfast in a minute (with organge juice - I don`t want anyone thinking I`m a lush)!

DTCwordfan

I have had the Marques De Almeida before and it is as NoM says.

My own offerings this week include:

Yume Caldora 06 - a Montepulciano D'Abruzzo - rich, full, very full of tannin, plummy, spicy (chilli), classic for the area, down the east coast of Italy around Teramane. May not be for everybody as it is "heavy" - good for drinking with casseroles, hotpots etc, rabbit stews....and strong cheese. £10-95

L'Arrivet Haut Brion 04, a Pessace Léognan - Not the best 04 I have had and I much preferred the Bordeaux last week which was £1-50 cheaper - yes, it was smooth, rich in Merlot and reasonable on its berrys esp cherries, but, to me, it lacked some tannin (not just the lack of aging either) and I found the palate muddled. Much prefer a Haut-Bailly, get that if you can - this was £13-75

Moving back down the price scale, an Aussie, Karoola Ridge at £6-75 for the 08 (the 09 can be found for £6), Cab Sauv-Shiraz-Merlot from South Australia (The Byrne family who also own Thomson Estate, Scott's Creek etc ...Good value - dry with lots of blackcurrant and blackberries, reasonable on tannin.....would work with most roasts, and even with things like a good Mac Cheese...

sunny-dave

Just done an emergency Asda run - unexpected croissant shortage in dave's freezer area - and picked up a bottle of

http://groceries.asda...hs-cap-clpwine-banner

Straight from Asda's chiller, to fridge, to glass in less than 30 minutes :)

Initially quite an alarming surfeit of the usual "Cat's Pee on a Gooseberry Bush" flavours - but now that it's settled down (or I've got used to it) I'm really quite taken with it ... goes nicely with chilli peanuts too.

sunny-dave

Hmmm - crappy asda site and links - actually the Brancott Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc @ £6.

NoMercy

Question Author

Hi guys, sorry it's taken me so long to respond.

237, I've not tried that. I see they have the Blanquette de Limoux on offer in Tesco - £6.99.

DT ... I've never tried a Montepulciano. What is it comparable to?

Dave, J'adore the Brancott Estate Sauv. It's like an old faithful...

beanebabe

Current fav is Barefoot Shiraz. Orange label with a bare foot on it. Merlot variety not quite as good. Approx. £6.75 a bottle

sunny-dave

Nearly picked a bottle of the Barefoot Shiraz up when i was in Asda today - will give it a go next time - thanks for the pointer :)

tinkerbell23

Whatever wine is in my glass right now.....lol its doing the trick...im having a rare old time x

tinkerbell23

237sj i LOVE LOVE LOVE jp chenet....but i try to avoid it as it gets me pretty drunk xx

DTCwordfan

I am amazed, NoM, but then this is what this site is for, surprises,mand we all learn off each other

Montepulciano is a red Italian wine grape variety that is most noted for being the primary grape behind the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) )as you probably are aware - teaching to suck eggs and all that),and the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Colline Teramane (as well its larger DOC outside of Colline Teramane) and the DOC wines of Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno.

It defintely should not be confused with the similarly named Tuscan wine Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, (which you probably have had - I hope) which is made from predominantly Sangiovese and is named for the village it is produced in, rather than for containing any Montepulciano grapes in the blend.

The grape is widely planted throughout central (esp East coast on the lower mountains) and southern Italy, most notably in Abruzzi, Latium, Marche, Molise, Umbria and Apulia, and is a permitted variety in DOC wines produced in 20 of Italy's 95 provinces. Montepulciano is rarely found in northern Italy because the grape has a tendency to ripen late and can be excessively "green" if harvested too early.

When fully ripened, Montepulciano can produce deeply colored plummy/curranty wines, with moderate acidity and noticeable (in italics or caps) extract and alcohol levels - closest grape I would say is the Carignan, given the history of both, the Montepulciano being even more intense in its true form..........

Hope this helps - want a search to where you are?

237SJ

I had closer look and the JP Chenet they have here is the blanc de blancs. It`s not though, it`s a blend. It`s on offer for £5.99 a case online. Good price. (the bottle looks expensive too)!

NoMercy

Question Author

Thanks for the info, DT. I will keep my eye out.

Beanebabe, Barefoot is quite a nice drinking wine and it's won a few awards.

Tinks, the Co-op are doing a JP Chenet Sauvignon Blanc/Gros Manseng for under a fiver right now. It's flavoursome but not overpowering, with subtle minerality.

NoMercy

Question Author

Is anyone partaking of a nice wine this evening?

I'm just sipping a nice glass of the Blanquette de Limoux. It's fresh and lively with a beautiful persistent fizz and gorgeous citrussy flavours with a hint of brioche on the nose. Well worth the offer price of £6.99.

DTCwordfan

another bottle of that Ch Peyre Lebade 07 and excellent it is too, NoM.

How's the old boy?

DTCwordfan

BobJ that is, not Alfie.

My sis has a 7 year old called Shamus...they have had big hip problems with him but ok now (some £4k later) but he is a great dog, - loves picking up rocks and chasing fish.....lives right above a rocky shore on the Fal.....

NoMercy

Question Author

He's in much better health tonight, thanks. He ate well this evening, so I am taking that as a good sign. X