Toast of Spain – Time for Rioja Christine Austin November 4, 2018 Drink, Wine Now that leaves are falling off the trees and there is a definite chill in the air it is time to move to the Rioja end of the wine rack. Loved for its soft, round, warming flavours, raspberry fruit, maybe a...
Off the Shelf – Best Wine Buys this Weekend Christine Austin November 4, 2018 Drink, General, Wine Extra Special Barossa Chardonnay 2017, Australia, Asda £5.98 Not on offer but a great value, easy-drinking Chardonnay with ripe, aromatic melon and pear fruit. Good on its own or with creamy pasta and...
Off The Shelf – Best Wine Buys this Weekend Christine Austin October 27, 2018 Drink, Wine Taste the Difference Furmint 2016, Hungary, 12.5%, Sainsbury down from £10 to £8.50 until 30 October Furmint is one of Hungary’s local grapes and it is delicious with notes of honeysuckle, peach and...
Northern Highlights – Best wine buys from Morrisons and Booths Christine Austin October 23, 2018 Drink, Wine In terms of size and market share Booths and Morrisons are at opposite ends of the supermarket spectrum, but they have a lot in common. Both are northern-based and were founded back in the 19thcentury, with...
Off the Shelf – Best Wine Buys this Weekend Christine Austin October 20, 2018 Drink, Wine Maree d'Ione Organic Fiano 2017, Puglia, Italy, 12.5%, Waitrose down from £8.79 to £6.49 until 30 October Herb-dusted ripe apple, pear and peachy notes with a rounded texture and crisp, clean finish. Try...
Amour and more – the names to look out for in Burgundy Christine Austin October 17, 2018 Drink, Wine There are several things wrong with Burgundy. It is very complicated, very expensive and sometimes it can be a bit of a gamble. Only last week when I opened a rather good bottle of red Burgundy at the York...
Off the Shelf – Best Wine Buys this Weekend Christine Austin October 13, 2018 Drink, Wine Plaimont Côtes de Gascogne 2017, France, 11.5%, Sainsbury down from £7.50 to £6.25 until 30 October Crisp and refreshing with notes of pink grapefruit and lemon. Ideal as an aperitif or pour alongside...
Discount me in – Best Wine Buys from Aldi and Lidl Christine Austin October 6, 2018 Drink, Wine A few years ago the value of your house would go up if a Waitrose store opened nearby. These days you have to wait for a Lidl or Aldi to open at the end of the road to get an uplift in the value of your...
Off the Shelf – Best Wine Buys This Weekend Christine Austin October 6, 2018 Drink, Wine Peter Yealands Sauvignon Blanc 2017, Marlborough, New Zealand, 13%, Sainsbury down from £8 to £7 until 9 October Terrific value for this fresh-tasting, thirst-quenching, palate-cleansing gooseberry and...
Heaven can’t wait – South Africa’s heavenly wines Christine Austin September 28, 2018 Drink, Wine As Yorkshire heads into autumn the southern hemisphere is at last waking up to springtime. Here in South Africa where I am visiting for a few days to check out new vintages, there is blossom on the trees and...