Two Classic Wines From Tesco

Two classic wines from Tesco - Riesling and Pinot Noir

Ask anyone who is enthusiastic about wine for their favourite grapes varieties and you will often hear Riesling and Pinot Noir cited.

They are wine geeks' grape varieties and until relatively recently were not that often seen in the mainstream; Riesling had fallen out of popularity while Pinot had a tendency to be expensive, unreliable and hard to find.

They are now coming back into fashion with plentiful reliable and inexpensive Pinot from cooler parts of the New World and Riesling providing a logical progression for those looking to move on from zippy, thrilling but slightly passé kiwi Sauvignon.

Both these wines are well-made and enjoyable with generous New World fruit; fresh enough to sip on a sunny day in the garden, but with enough structure to match up to food.

They are also made from two of the great classic grapes.

Tesco Finest Tingleup Riesling, Australia (£9)

Made by Howard Park, one of Western Australia's most celebrated wine producers, from grapes carefully cultivated in the Great Southern region.

Through all of the wine making stages, the Riesling grapes are managed under cool temperatures, allowing them to retain natural crisp, refreshing lime and citrus flavours with subtle hints of white pepper.

aromatic and floral with orchard and white stone fruits; crisp, refreshing, nettley zippy lime with pineapple, sherbet and white pepper; saline mineral and persistent.

Drinks nicely on first pouring, opens up with some air and can be cellared.

Good.

Serve as an aperitif or match the freshness to aromatic Asia/ Pac foods, oily fish or pork rillettes.

Leyda Reserva Pinot Noir, Chile (£12)

Leyda valley is nestled in the rolling hills of Chile's coastal mountain range. Located just eight miles from the Pacific Ocean it has a distinctly cool maritime climate. The Leyda winery created a new D.O. in Chile by being the first to plant grapes there in 1998.

Before then the valley was best known for the iconic blue train station that connected the capital city of Santiago with the Pacific coast and the port of San Antonio. Today Leyda is home to some of the most elegant, expressive cool climate wines from Chile.

Viña Leyda was founded in 1998, in Leyda Valley, today recognized as the last great innovation of Chilean viticulture. Traditionally, Leyda Valley has been an area of natural pasture lands and basic crops such as wheat and barley. 

Along the coast there is a strong influence from the Pacific Ocean, which is particularly cold because of the Humboldt Current. Granite soil along small rolling hills with up to 30° incline. Single blocks receive different levels of sunlight, resulting in a variety of ripeness and unique characteristics from each vineyard.

crushed, dried red berries with wild herbs and spice; fresh, juicy ripe strawberries, red cherries and herbs with a delicate smokiness and tobacco; persistent with very fine tannins.

Drinks nicely on first pouring, opens up with some aeration.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Match with Burgundian foods such as duck, escargots, beef bourguignon or coq au vin.