Domaines et Châteaux - Part Deux

Two new releases from Domaines et Châteaux, available at Tesco

Domaines et Chateaux is an evolving range of wines from small French estates; the wines are available in the UK from Tesco and have a sophisticated Old-World elegance and substance.

These are balanced, accomplished wines with excellent fruit, freshness and savouriness.

Domaine des Bouts 2015, Côtes du Rhône (£9) rich, waxy and spicy Rhône white with good underpinnings; fresh peach and citrus fruits with some nuts and touches of fresh mint.

Deft and adept.

Match with smoked salmon, creamy cheese sauces or crab

Château Briand 2014, Côtes de Castillon (£12) Merlot-based Bordeaux blend; cherries, red fruits and raspberry leaf with spices; fresh with soft tannins and good underpinnings.

Fresh, savoury and rounded.

Match with red meats, such as duck breast in cherry sauce.

Chateau Brown Rosé 2017

An impressive pink Bordeaux from Chateau Brown 

Bordeaux is not just red wine and rosé is not just for summer.

Obviously, it helps if the weather is warm and sunny, but this is a substantial, sophisticated and complex rosé from Bordeaux's Pessac-Léognan that you can drink at any time of the year..

Château Brown Rosé 2017 delicate red-berry fruit with zippy lime and a complex, leesy minerality; fresh-yet-full, long and precise.

Very Good.

This is very much a food wine - match with earthy salads, risotto with sun-dried tomatoes or chicken cacciatore.

Co-op Irresistible Limestone Rise 2016

An English wine for St. George’s Day from The Co-op

English wine is now becoming A Thing - and with St George's Day approaching, this English wine, made by Denbies for the Co-op, makes for an affordable, patriotic aperitif.

Co-op Irresistible Limestone Rise 2016 £8.99 aromatic hedgerow and elderflower with tropical fruits and fresh minerality. Nicely rounded, if perhaps a little lacking in definition.

Match with light vegetable starters, white meats and mild cheeses.

Il Sangiovese - Noelia Ricci

A Sangiovese from Emilia Romagna - available from The Knotted Vine

Emilia Romagna is all about food and wine - and plenty more besides.

This Sangiovese is from family-owned Noelia Ricci and available from The Knotted Vine, a young wine importer based in London, specialising in hand crafted wines.

Il Sangiovese, Romagna DOC Sangiovese Predappio fresh, vibrant and pure, with red plum and cherry fruit and spice. Good underpinnings with fine tannins and a saline minerality.

Very adept. Good.

Improves with some aeration and will age.

A versatile food match, it goes well with local food - think pasta (tortellini, lasagne, tagliatelle), cheeses (Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano), hams (Parma, mortadella, prosciutto) and balsamico di Modena.