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The tour round what looked like a fairly functional Soviet style fortress from the outside showed us highly automated production along with some quaint touches.
There was a nice tasting room with salty cheese for the wine, & chocolate for the brandy tasting. We are no experts but both felt the 7 & 20 year old Brandy we tasted was excellent. The red and white wines were both interesting blends of local grapes we had never before tasted.
They told us there are around 320 indigenous grape varieties.

I've been working at wine tastings for several years now.  Often these are very civilised private parties where I pour and present wines to a small group of friends who are keen to learn about wine, while having a good time doing so.  I love sharing that experience with these wine fans, and would love to hear from you if you'd like to host a Purple Teeth tasting for your own group.

I also really enjoy working at larger "walk around" tastings for the general public and the wine trade.  This hasn't stopped me developing a wry sense of humour, as I recognise the 5 main types of people you Do Not want to be at any wine tasting.  If you recognise yourself below, don't panic.  I have tips to help you blend right in at future events.

Ms “Lipstick Queen”
• Ms Lipstick is very pretty. And she has a beautiful smile. But she’s leaving a trail of wax on her tasting glasses that we will never get off. We are also left wondering if she’s tasting a floral note in the wine, or extract of beeswax from her lipsalve. By all means dress up for your wine tasting, but try to go for a non-waxy lipstick, and blot. 

Mrs Purple Teeth confesses she is an erstwhile Lipstick Queen.  She recommends Nyx Full Throttle lipsticks. They don't transfer too much, and they stay on during the whole day.

​

Mr “Pleasant”
• Mr Pleasant knows what he likes. He’s read the wine list and he’s figured out the most expensive wine we are pouring. He’s skipped the entry level wines and demanded to be served “the big one”. He’s described it as “pleasant”. In wine circles, that’s the equivalent of saying your girlfriend has “a nice personality”. When you’re drinking our most expensive wine, the cult classic, the one we love, the last thing we want to hear is “pleasant”. Hate it if you must. Don’t worry. We don’t expect you to buy a bottle. 

Mr Pleasant can get more from a wine tasting by asking the pourer for insights.  If he can't find the words to describe the aromas and flavours, the host will help by prompting with their own ideas.  
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Miss “Have you got Prosecco”
• Miss Prosecco knows what she likes. She also thinks she knows what she doesn’t like. She thinks she doesn’t like Chardonnay.
She thinks she doesn’t like red wine.
But she loves a bubble. Except, she doesn’t really.
What she really likes is lemonade.
Sweet Prosecco makes her day.
Related to Mr Beer, we’re not sure why she’s come.
She only wants to taste wines she already knows and loves. Seriously. That’s not the point of a wine tasting. Open your mind and let some of the bubbles out. 

Miss Prosecco could get more from a wine tasting by asking to taste the "fruity" wines, and she'll probably love all of the dessert wines on offer, white and red.

And finally, my insider tips for getting the best from any wine tasting.
 
Wine tasting is fun. It’s all about trying as many wines as you can and maybe learning something new. You could discover a new varietal, or what difference a vintage makes. Perhaps you’ll find out about a wine region, or whether or not oak is for you.

Ask questions. There's no right and wrong.  Although "pleasant" comes close. Don't be afraid to express your opinion. 

Have an open mind, tell the wine professional your likes and dislikes and they'll recommend for you.  

Don't be afraid to use the spittoon. That way you can taste many more wines and hopefully find the wine of your dreams. Hint: It won’t be Prosecco. 
Bonus Pro Tip: Wear black, or at least something that won't stain if your spittoon technique isn't up to scratch.  It's easy to get messy.

Use fizzy water to cleanse your palate between wines, eat the bread sticks or bread, but note that cheese etc will have an impact on the flavour of the wine.  

Take simple notes. If the tasting has a catalogue, simple ticks or scores will do.  Better still take photos of the wines you love with your smart phone so that you can find the wines again later, next time you're out wine shopping. 

Most of all, njoy your wine this weekend and try something new.  I recommend trying wine bars or stores which offer very small samples from oenomatic machines as a nice alternative to a formal tasting.  Eg Vagabond  or The Sampler (both have several branches around London), or The Tasting House in Reading.  
​If your local wine store doesn't have sampling on offer, put yourself on the mailing list to ensure you get notified of any tastings.
And, if you'd like a tasting at home, you can always host a Purple Teeth Party.

Cheers!

I originally published a version of this article for The Grapevine Social. 

It is very rare that I buy a wine at £5.99 and rarer still that I find one worthy of blog post. But as Voltaire's Candide reminds us "all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds".
And so this namesake rosé, and the insanely high UK temperatures, inspired a bout of optimism. This little pink number found its way into my Lidl basket. With 89 points from MW Richard Bampfield, I felt confident that this pink might chase my Monday blues away.


Pleasingly pale, it wouldn't look out of place at the finest of dinner parties, if you can get past the fact that the label doesn't exactly scream class in a glass.
Serve it chilled or even on ice, at your summer parties and barbecues, though, and this cheeky little blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan will bring a smile to everyone's face.


Dry, crisp and fruity, it has more flavour (to my mind) than the Brangelina Miraval rosé which will set you back over 3x the price. And against a blue sky and little fluffy clouds, it looks just as good.
Cheers!

I purchased this lovely Italian white Valentino Roero Arneis in Lidl around Easter when they were having their 20% off any 3 from their "wine crate selection". We finally got around to opening it this week and it was a stunning little white for, if I remember correctly, around £9 before the discount. A great price, almost amazing for a wine with a 90 point rating.
Similar Arneis wines from the renowned Roero region in Italy's north western Piedmont region could set you back as much as £15 so I was happy to give it a try.

Crisp, floral and complex, Mr Purple Teeth was immediately impressed with the long finish.
Sadly, my local branch had already sold out, but you may be lucky, and it looks like there is still stock online.
We enjoyed ours with a Salmon "wellington", fresh local Chatenay carrots and British green asparagus. The complexity of the wine paired well with our midweek treat.
This would also work well with light and fresh pasta dishes with fish, seafood or herbal sauces.

Sadly the "buy 3 save 20%" offer is no longer in place. Nevertheless, I took a chance on what looked like a new arrival.

At £9.99 this 90 point Bourgogne Chardonnay from the hills above Beaune, the part of Burgundy I used to visit when I lived in Switzerland, again seemed like a bargain.
We've enjoyed a few Chardonnay wines in the last week and this more than held its own. With just a hint of oak, the freshness of the fruit meant this worked well as an aperitif and didn't completely collapse under the weight of a confit duck leg with roasted carrots, purple sprouting broccoli and garlic.
I'll buy it again if I get the chance. Whether your preference is towards Chablis or Macon styles, there's something here to appeal.

At a similar price point (£10) with up to 25% discount if buying any 6 bottles at Marks & Spencer, the Honeycomb Chardonnay by South Africa's Journey's End wines proved a hit at a mini blind tasting we held for fellow wine blogger Perfect Friday Wine, in preparation for her upcoming wine exams. It has a little more oak than the Lidl wine, but is still fresh enough to enjoy without food.

Less oaky than the Catena (a regular favourite at Chateau Purple Teeth) it's nonetheless creamy and rounded with a decent body and another good value wine I'll buy again.

Back to Lidl again, I was delighted to restock the Salento Primitivo I wrote about a couple of weeks ago. http://www.purpleteeth.co.uk/blog/a-lidl-tipple
At just £7.99, we have now enjoyed this 89 pointer 3 times and have a few more bottles on the rack. If you like your reds big and juicy, then go grab one. And it was great with that confit duck I mentioned above. #TipsyTuesday is definitely "a thing" in these parts, with side by side tasting of a white and red with dinner. Sorry doctor! At least the bank manager is a little more pleased with me.
Cheers!

A blog drought for months then 2 posts in 2 days, both written & published on the phone while still drinking the wine. It can only mean one thing. Another little bargain for Lidl.
Again, at £7.99 (I paid £6.39 with the 20% discount offer), the Val de Salis Saint Chinian blend of Syrah, Carignan & Grenache was better on day 2, Mr PT advised.

He'd enjoyed the Primitivo a little too quickly and we had to open a second bottle - tipsy Tuesday indeed.
I tasted it only on the day after opening, so suggest decanting or perhaps using an aerator, if you have one. Less dark than the Primitivo but with a little more body, notes of the famous southern French garrigue and a round, taniin structure backed by plenty of vanilla. Considering it was following on from Gambas al Ajillo (served with a white) with epic amounts of garlic, it had enough flavour to cut through. Mr PT also enjoyed it with some vintage cheddar.

You will enjoy this if you like Cotes-du-Rhône wines, softer Shirazes and Merlot blends. But don't leave it too late - stocks are already low.

It appears we have struck gold with our random purchases. But then, our neighbour, Richard Bampfield, Master of Wine, had selected and rated both wines highly. Even we pros follow the advice of experts we trust.

I doubt they will have any of the white I bought by the time I drink it next week, but if you fancy taking a gamble on my luck so far, it was the £8.99 Roero Arneis.
I'd love to hear from you on our Facebook page or via the comments below if you try this or any other bargain recommended by me. Meanwhile, I think Mr PT will be visiting Lidl for the third time this week.
Cheers!

We won't get into why I haven't written a blog in about 6 months,
This is a quick post to suggest that you hotfoot it to your local Lidl. Stock will disappear quickly from the wine cellar crates - particularly with the current "20% off any 3 bottles" (from the crates) offer.
I picked this Salento Primitivo up yesterday at £7.99 (-£1.60 - more on the other 2 bottles if they deserve it.)
At £6.39, this is the best wine I've had at that price point in a very long time.
Medium bodied, but robust black fruit and spicy flavours with decent length. If you like Zinfandel or Shiraz - put this on your budget shopping list. But don't wait till the weekend.
Cheers!

I am a bit of a failure as a wine blogger at the moment. I am taking medication that severely curtails my partaking. And, I've been so busy in my other role, I've barely converted a scribbled tasting note into a blog in the last few months.

While we are talking of me being a failure, today is Saint Andrew's Day, the patron Saint of my home country, Scotland. And I foolishly booked my flights for the annual pilgrimage home for... tomorrow.

As a domestic goddess, I'm an even bigger failure.
No haggis or Scottish fayre adorned dinner table tonight, and I've not even played a single tune by Capercaillie or Runrig.

To prevent Mr Purple Teeth thinking I've become completely anglicised I reached for the wine rack.

No. Scottish wine is not yet "a thing". I believe someone a lot more optimistic than me is planting vineyards in Fife, though. Fools and their money...
​
Instead, I opted for a bottle from The Wine Society that had lain on my wine rack for some time: Campbell's Bobbie Burns Durif (2010 Rutherglen). It was £12.50 in March 2015, but is not currently available.
​
This is an Australian wine with a Scottish heritage. (See back label below for the full story.) The winery's founder hailed from Saint Andrews, no less, so it's about as apt as I could muster in my current failure state of mind.

At a stonking 15.5%, it's anything but subtle. But then, subtlety is not a quality that I'm known for.
Durif is not a widely planted grape variety, though it is coming to be recognised a lot more in its Californian guise "Petite Sirah", where it has quite a cult following.

​Inky black in the glass, with a bright ruby rim, it's as dark and alcoholic as that other Robert Burns. Punchy with a full body, it has powerful yet integrated tannins and a spicy, black fruit core. There is a nose of something almost animal, leather or game, that I can't quite put a name to.
Reminiscent of an Aglianico I had a while back, this is a proper winter wine. Perfect with comfort food, homesickness, and despair. Luckily, just the one glass is plenty.
​Cheers!
​

We have recently returned from Madrid and every time we go there, we are more and more surprised at how many of Spain's regional wines are available in bars and restaurants around the city. It wasn't always that way.
Txakoli, however, we found just once. It's fairly tough to find anywhere outside of its Basque homeland of Bilbao and San Sebastian's Pintxo bars.

Here at home, it's not much easier to find.
I recently introduced some friends to the delights of this light (10.5% abv) and spritzy white in Jason Atherton's Japanese Farrington restaurant Sosharu. An interesting wine list indeed.
There, the lightness was a perfect follow to the several pre dinner cocktails we had imbibed and, the wine's natural saline notes are a great match for the umami and complexity of the Japanese sharing plates.
​

One of my friends was immediately hooked by this fun wine so I decided to try (to my knowledge) the UK's most widely available version.
M&S may be suffering in lingerie and ladieswear but their wine department goes from strength to strength, with a value and variety proposition almost unsurpassed on the UK high street (so long as you take advantage of the frequent multibuy discount offers - currently 20% off any 3 and 25% off any 6.)

This Alaia (£10) is a relatively simple white; dry, lightly spritzy, with bags of green apple. Great as an aperitif (its lower alcohol won't leave you falling asleep in your main course), with seafood, salads or sushi, or simply, a Sunday jigsaw puzzle while dreaming of brighter days.
​

There are wines that you just know are going to be great.  I first reviewed Clos Triguedina (a predominantly Malbec wine from Cahors in south west France), back in 2013.  We were then lucky enough to enjoy the 2004. 

​My only trepidation was that a wine whose name loosely translates as "I'm ready for my dinner" (from the old Occitan language of Languedoc), almost demands food.  Dinner was over and it hadn't warranted this particular wine.  I wanted to serve something that Mr Purple Teeth would be sure to enjoy, particularly as he's been relegated to chief skivvy status during my post-surgical sofa sojourn. 

Initially the nose indicated some "dustiness"  and a hint of leather, that to me, instantly means France. A huge black fruit core, liquorice and woody spices like nutmeg, then sing on the palate.  This is followed by a deeply velvety finish of dry bitter cocoa, echoing the dusty note, that is intensely satisfying.  I felt sure, just from looking at the blackened cork and almost inky black wine in the glass that Mr PT would love it.

​Initially the nose indicated some "dustiness"  and a hint of leather, that to me, instantly means France. A huge black fruit core, liquorice and woody spices like nutmeg, then sing on the palate.  This is followed by a deeply velvety finish of dry bitter cocoa, echoing the dusty note, that is intensely satisfying.  

Always game for a bit of "uneducated" blind tasting, Mr Purple Teeth is usually very perceptive.  His "non-wine-speak" descriptions are often bang on the money and if only he had a memory, he'd be awesome in blind tasting exams in a way that I simply am not...

He loved it:  "Big in the beginning - but with 3 layers of complexity, some youthful character".  Could it be new world, he asked?  Well, a little off base there, but with the spiritual home of Malbec in Mendoza, it's fair to say, think Malbec (even if he wasn't), think new world.
"Full bodied and black fruit filled with a tannic texture and length - slightly bitter in the middle."
A little later:  "Really very good with a lovely lingering flavour of dried bitter cocoa and blackberries".  
Boy that man is good.  Picking up on the smoky dark notes, he came round to it being French but was flummoxed by this hand sorted blend of Malbec with around 15% Merlot and 5% Tannat. 

I lost count of how many times he said, "This wine is really, really, very good indeed."  

The acidity is well balanced and prevents the tannins becoming too chewy and drying. It felt like a serious wine to buy again.  And next time to enjoy with a hearty, autumnal beef dish...

Before the first glass was over, I was onto The Wine Society (where I'd purchased this a year ago) to get some more. At just £13.95 though, this bargain was long gone.  
If you like the sound of it, Essex-based Purple Teeth fans should be able to pick up a bottle of this vintage at Joseph Barnes Wines in Saffron Walden, for £21. (They also ship around the UK.)
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You may find some younger vintages, but you really wouldn't want to drink this much younger than 6 years... It could easily last (if well kept) for up to 15. 

The 57-hectare Clos Triguedina estate was founded in 1830 by Etienne Baldes. Still in the hands of the Baldes family, 8 generations on, the emphasis is still on Malbec. Much of the harvest is from old vines, some of which survived devastating frosts over 60 years ago. 

I've tried a number of Cahors Malbecs, and this one continues to reign supreme as the benchmark of what Malbec in France can produce.  A terroir driven wine, that's full of character, and nothing like as jammy as some Argentine Malbecs at a similar price point. 

My intention had been to do a side by side Malbec taste-off between this and a Mendoza Malbec, but my impatience got the better of me.  I needed to keep my man sweet for another week of nursemaid duties.  It worked.  

The question is, will he enjoy the Argentinean wines on the rack as much? No more 2002 Catena on there, I'm afraid!

We'll have to wait and see.  

​Meanwhile, if you want to know what Malbec tasted like before the southern hemisphere claimed the grape as its own, you'll be hard pushed to find a better, (almost) affordable version than this.  Try it and let me know what you think via the comments section below, Twitter, or our Facebook page. 

Cheers!