Zoom Wine Tasting

A Zoom tasting with two wines from Cambridge Wine Merchants

There are a couple of ways to do virtual wine tasting: a) same grapes but different wines, or b) all the same wines.

Format a) works well for those who want to study grape variety characteristics for blind tasting; format b) works better where people want to compare and contrast the exact same wines.

For this Format b) tasting, I chose a Languedoc Picpoul and a Puglian Primitivo, both from Cambridge Wine Merchants.

First, a couple of wine facts:

- Picpoul is the grape, Pinet is the place (France normally does not include grape names in appellations); it comes in blanc, noir and gris versions and is little found outside Languedoc.

- Primitivo is the same grape as California's Zinfandel and originated in Croatia as Crljenak Kaštelanski / Tribidrag; it is thin-skinned, likes the heat and produces high-alcohol wines.

RC Picpoul de Pinet, 2018 (£10) produced by Sainte Croix, it is fresh and saline with orchard fruits, honeydew melon, white flowers and sweet spices.

Opens up with a bit of aeration.

Thoroughly pleasant.

Drink as an aperitif or match with seafood starters.

Vigneti del Salento, I Muri Primitivo, 2018 (£12) expressive ripe, dark fruits, concentrated if slightly jammy but finishes fresh with well-integrated, ripe tannins.

Thoroughly pleasant.

Match with roast beef or lamb.