Returning from Chicago (blog post in the works), where we spent a lifetime's holiday budget in a week, this weekend was all about economy.
At least until tomorrow night's cocktail club!
Mr Purple Teeth was cooking while I was teaching late and as there was a hefty whack of garlic involved, I reached for the cheapest wine on my rack.
Meet Lidl's Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 (£5.99 from memory).
Until I met the Master of Wine responsible for the Lidl List (he happens to be a near neighbour), I'd shied away from our newish local store. But when economy is called for, Lidl is an interesting place to explore.
Coonawarra is world renowned as the best terroir for Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia and the terra rossa soil is said to be ideal for this grape. It was an easy wine to take a punt on. Mr Purple Teeth is a huge fan of Cabernet, but I don't often indulge him because it can be harsh and drying when young or cheap.
One cannot drink good St Juliens every day.
At least until tomorrow night's cocktail club!
Mr Purple Teeth was cooking while I was teaching late and as there was a hefty whack of garlic involved, I reached for the cheapest wine on my rack.
Meet Lidl's Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 (£5.99 from memory).
Until I met the Master of Wine responsible for the Lidl List (he happens to be a near neighbour), I'd shied away from our newish local store. But when economy is called for, Lidl is an interesting place to explore.
Coonawarra is world renowned as the best terroir for Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia and the terra rossa soil is said to be ideal for this grape. It was an easy wine to take a punt on. Mr Purple Teeth is a huge fan of Cabernet, but I don't often indulge him because it can be harsh and drying when young or cheap.
One cannot drink good St Juliens every day.
At £5.99 I tend to expect wines to taste like "red wine" rather than expressing real varietal character. This is a pleasant surprise. Good acidity, medium body, drying tannins yes, but they smoothed out as we progressed to the second glass, and good black fruit flavour, along with that hint of green eucalyptus. Describing it as "a great utility wine" and "a lot smoother than a claret at the same price", Mr PT added this to my "buy again" list.
I'd very much expected to taste a glass then leave the rest to him, but I happy helped him polish off the bottle.
If you like Cabernet, it's worth a £6 punt.
Cheers!
I'd very much expected to taste a glass then leave the rest to him, but I happy helped him polish off the bottle.
If you like Cabernet, it's worth a £6 punt.
Cheers!
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