Big White And Big Red From Tesco

Two summer barbecue reds from Tesco

If your idea of summer drinking is light sippers for the garden, then look away now; these two wines from Tesco are designed to stand up to griddled foods with strong flavours.

With plenty of sun-ripened warmth, they have enough easy-drinking fruit to be crowd-pleasers - in the best sense of the phrase - but they also have the freshness and food-friendly complexity to impress even the most discerning of palates.

The white is a classic oaked Chardonnay from California's Monterey County; like much of the new World, California seems to have found the sweet spot for Chardonnay with a bit more fruit ripeness than Burgundy without the overoaked, monolithic pantechnicon thing.

Lirac in France's southern Rhône sits opposite the rather more famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, just the other side of the river; it has similar terroir in terms of soil type and sunshine hours, resulting in a bit more of everything in the wines.

Tesco is celebrating summer by adding over 40 new wines to its award-winning selection. These exciting new bottles are the perfect accompaniment to any summer get-together, from hanging out with friends in the sun or splashing out for a special occasion.

Whether you’re sipping on a refreshing white wine in the garden, celebrating with a bottle of rosé in the park, or looking for something special to serve with your Sunday barbecue, there are plenty of new wines at Tesco to explore this summer

Estancia Chardonnay, 13.5% abv, £15.00

From Monterey County in California, this creamy oaked Chardonnay is medium bodied with zesty citrus and grapefruit flavours and aromas of vanilla. 

ripe yellow stone fruits, blossom and honeysuckle with sweet, toasty spices; rich, full and apricotty with citrussy lemon-lime, honeydew melon and creamy-leesy brazil nut underpinnings; savoury, spicy and persistent.

Drinks nicely on first opening; can be cellared.

Good.

Match with barbecue herby pork sausages or griddled peppers.

Domaine d’Arbousset Lirac, 14.5% abv, £12.00 This delicious red from the Rhône is made from the highest quality Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Syrah grapes. The result is a velvety smooth wine, with ripe dark fruits and spices, making it the perfect pairing for grilled steaks and miso aubergine.

baked red and black fruits, eucalyptus, dried herbs and roasted spices; fresh with baked berry fruits, full, supple and inky with rounded, harmonious and well-integrated tannins; savoury, long and persistent 

Drinks nicely on first pouring and opens up with air; can be cellared for a few years.

Good.

Match with lamb skewers or merguez sausages.