Villa Mare 2008 - Laithwaites

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this Laithwaites Italian wine is that the grapes come from both the island of Sicily right to the south of Italy and the Abruzzi hills just outside Rome.

However, there's not much sense of place here; it's pleasant and thoroughly inoffensive, with plenty of juicy, red berry fruit - if a little jammy and baked - but reasonably well-made. Nothing to get upset about, but not that much to get excited about either.

It's only £4.99 a bottle (plus delivery), but I can't help feeling I'd rather shell out a couple of extra quid and get something I really liked.

It apparently has a Decanter World Wine Awards 2010 and a International Wine Challenge 2010; however, the Laithwaites website is rather coy about the exact level of award.

£4.99 from Laithwaites, I picked it up as part of a mystery case.

Links

Laithwaite's - http://www.laithwaites.co.uk/