Gavi Di Gavi DOCG Broglia
With a 30% discount in the fine wine section taking it down to under a tenner from £14.99 I decided to try this Broglia. I rarely drink Gavi at home, though have enjoyed it in the past.

Mr Purple Teeth was tasting blind - his initial flavour shout-out was cool, Galia melon with a tangy citrus behind it. He does have a way with words!

I found it zesty, mineral and refreshing with a tinge of red grapefruit - it almost tingled as if it had a spritz. Warming alcohol, with some candied citrus peel, fruit notes as well as something vaguely nutty. Brazil? How would it pair with food?
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Not many wines improve with salad dressing, but this one stood up to the assault of a brown & white crab meat salad dressed with balsamic. The sweetness played well with the bitter green leaves.

For the same money, I would choose the Greco Di Tufo, below, that's currently down to £8.24.
​Though I can see how this Gavi would appeal to those who prefer sweeter flavours, and Mr Purple Teeth seemed to love it, for me, the alcohol was a little off balance.

Finally, I wrote about this Greco a couple of weeks ago and have sampled it again since l, along with wine buddies. If you like zingy whites with some body, a hint of floral and some tropical fruits, snap this up during the special offer.

If you've any great whites for summer, do let me know. And remember, when we say that you should drink red wine  "at room temperature", we don't mean 25c.  Drinking lighter reds, slightly chilled, such as Pinot Noir, Cinsault, or Valpollicella might be more rewarding if you cannot bring yourself to drink white wine. Rose is a hit at this time of year too.
Cheers!

As a self-confessed wine-o, I'm often asked to name my "favourite" wine.
To me, that's like asking someone else to name their favourite child.
Of course, there are those standout wine moments, those incredible and iconic bottles, those perfect pairings. But there is so much more than just that, when it comes to wine.
​Wine is liquid art, and would you want to look at just one piece of art for the rest of your life?

I've been very lucky to study wine a bit, to travel with wine and to explore many of the world's wine regions.
I admit, I love wine!  And while there are those I prefer less, and of course, there I styles I choose more often, there is a time and a place for all kinds of wine.  Are you eating? Are you in company? Is it a celebration? Is it just a tipple?  Only allowed one glass? And perhaps most important of all, is someone else paying?
I love exploring the world of wine and finding new wines to enjoy, as well as relying on those wines we choose when writing a blog is too much work, or we just want to relax with an old, reliable friend.
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But for the very insistent, I will choose a few fine favourites and their alternatives.

Let's start with an icon.

While individually not the most I've ever spent on a bottle, probably the fine wine I've enjoyed most times is
Valbuena 5° by Vega Sicilia.
A stunning Ribera del Duero I've enjoyed on great occasions such as my 40th birthday, Wedding anniversaries, and at Christmas.
It's been both a great wine gift and a gift to myself.

Last supped at Restaurant Arzak in San Sebastien, the 2006 was divine. The fact that we were married in 2006 and drunk this on our wedding anniversary last year surely added to experience. A memorable wine, from an impressive winery, it probably would take the crown of overall favourite it I had to choose.

Find out more.

Affordable Alternative
While in no way in the same league, one cannot drink iconic wines every day, or even every month. And though I love to give Purple Teeth readers a nudge to spend a little more, I would be foolish to expect many of you to part with £100 or more per bottle.

So, welcome Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero 2011 (by far the best vintage I've tasted) and currently available in Sainsbury's for £17. Accessible to most readers and still a bit of a splurge, I know several of you have sampled and enjoyed this in Spain based on my recommendation and it's a real regular favourite around here.
In fact, Mr Purple Teeth bought it for his team last Christmas.
Bold, smoky and almost chewy, it's a big wine for it's price, 

Find out more about this second wine of another iconic estate, Pesquera, here.

Choosing an iconic white is a lot harder.

My head and heart say Burgundy, but my memory brings Stag's Leap Karia Chardonnay to mind first.

Probably half the price of a Vega Sicilia, and many incredible Montrachets, it's still a stand out.

​Recalling the first time, as one so often does with these iconic experiences, I remember a Christmas Eve in a lovely hotel in Tenby, Wales, and enjoying this so much with friends that we ordered another bottle to have with out Christmas Day turkey. And yes, by Boxing Day, we had extinguished their stock.

I've had some amazing Meursault, Montrachet and other top French Chardonnays, but the memory of this one is stronger. And it's not insanely priced either, at around £40 a bottle.


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Affordable Alternative

Still a little rich for many of my readers' blood, in the £20 or so price bracket, there are other great Californian Chardonnays.  
Sticking with Majestic, the Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara Chardonnay at £22 is a good choice, although I'd probably spend a pound or two more at Islington's The Sampler and buy a Clos du Val from the Carneros area of Napa. Oh wait.. I did. And I will sample and write about it soon.
​At £28.50, it's probably still a little way off affordable for many readers.  

So I'll opt for the £12.99 Argentinean Chardonnay by Catena that I've written about several times.
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​Bag a Bargain
One of the great things about a wine education is knowing a "bargain" when one sees it. Around 12 years ago, hard though it is to believe, My local Tesco was stocking Penfold's Grange for just £99!


"Just" probably doesn't seem an appropriate word to describe ~£100 retail for a bottle of red, but compared with today's prices... Let's just say I wish I'd bought a caseload.  I can find stock of a recent vintage for £300 a bottle at The Wine Society.

​Grange is arguably Australia’s most celebrated wine and is officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia. Pre-dating the smartphone, I have no notes nor a photo to recall the vintage, but I vividly recall the sensation of pulling the cork on Christmas Day, giving it a good old sniff and crying out with joyful anticipation.

This house loves a bold wine, and they don't come much bolder than this. As memorable wine moments go, that Christmas Day is etched in my mind forever. 

Affordable Alternative

Australian Shiraz is omnipresent now and ranges from sublime to dreadful.
Price is important, and there are many great Penfold's wines that come in at around 1/6 of the price of the average bottle of Grange, nowadays.
Sadly that still puts them in a bracket of £50 or more!

If Chateau Purple Teeth is known for any one "old friend" wine, it's probably The Hedonist Shiraz (£13.99 from Waitrose).
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Many a friend of Purple Teeth has been turned on to the little piggy and while it's never going to beat the Grange in a blind tasting, it certainly knocks its socks off in relation to affordability and ease of access.

Dessert
When comes to dessert I've had some amazing wines. Ranging from incredible and unctuous Pedro Ximenez sherry through Tokay's most incredible Aszu wines all the way to Sauternes and Barsac.

But while amazing Ice Wine is probably the "best" dessert wine for me, my favourite would have to be the Elysium Black Muscat we served at our wedding.

Almost affordable, at around £10 for a half bottle from Majestic and other stockists, this Quady winery gem has flavours of violet, lychee and rose and is as at home with chocolate as it is with blue cheese. Versatile, and highly enjoyable, you must try it if you like a sweet wine.

I have many more "favourite" wines, from the icons like Opus One to the less well known such as Swiss Petite Arvine, and maybe I'll share more of them another day.

Yet, I keep exploring. Always looking for that supermarket bargain, the local gem, the interesting experience, the off the beaten track surprise is what Purple Teeth is all about.

And if anyone wants to let me sample again some of the wine icons I've been lucky enough to try before, and those that remain distinctly out of reach (e.g. Screaming Eagle, Romanee Conti etc), I'm fairly sure they'll leap to the top of my friend charts!

Whichever wine is your favourite, please keep exploring, and keeping your wine mind open, and do let me know via Twitter or Facebook about those gems you've found that you'd like me to share with the rest of the readership.

Cheers!
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Italian Reds don't get much of a look in at Purple Teeth.
Merlot gets even less of a write up.
So it's a brave man who buys me a bottle of Italian Merlot.

The Corte Figaretto "La More" Merlot from the Veneto region of northeastern Italy is no supermarket wine, though you could purchase it online from Uvinum if you so wished. This one has a bit "La More" of a story...

Corte Figaretto is a family-run vineyard in the heart of Valpantena, a valley situated north of Verona. South facing vines and a Mediterranean climate, combined with the passion of the family, make for quality reds.

My Italian isn't great but a cursory glance of the label suggested rich red fruit flavours, violet and vanilla, coming from time in oak.

I wasn't sure what to expect. Sometimes wine labels exagerate. And for me, red fruit flavours can often be too tart.

Luckily, this wine impressed. It's always nice to be able to give genuine thanks for a wine you've been given.

My first impression was of the texture. Very soft and smooth, rounded tannin with a very non-tart level of acid on the tongue. The fruit is red, but it's not the Sangiovese cherry red. Instead, it's dark red plum, super ripe. I'm not going to say i found violet, though I did go looking for it.
There is some kind of light floral note and as well as vanilla, the oak has imparted a very delicate note of sweet nutmeg. Despite the rather huge 15% alcohol level, it didn't feel hot or out of balance, though I did flush up like a beetroot after a few sips. Some would say that's the sulphite, others would just blame my age!

All in all, it's a rather pleasing drop, as befits it's story.

Lovely Roger brought this to my "off the beaten track" tasting at Southport last month. He'd visited a barber in the town before our dance event started and found what appears to have been an illicit drinking den. Wine bottles on the walls and samples on offer, I hope it was a licensed premises!
In any case, this was a really nice Thirsty Thursday wine. After 3 days on the road with work, staying in soulless business hotels where a glass of rather ordinary wine would set you back over £8, this was lovely to come home to.

There was a glass or so left on Friday night. I know! Most unlike me... Flavours remained pleasing, even by Friday night standards.
I'd be happy to buy it again were it somewhat more easily available.
​And for those who've scoffed at Merlot since the movie Sideways, try a good one again sometime soon. You'll probably enjoy it. And if you're ever looking for a haircut and wine experience in Southport.... http://www.barbersparlour.co.uk/
Cheers!

Finally, summer seems to have arrived in Britain. And not before time. It's the season for crisp whites and to give these Purple Teeth a bit of a bleaching.

Italy tends to be under represented here at Chateau Purple Teeth so I've taken advantage of the supermarket discounts to sample some Italian whites.

Greco is an aromatic (but not too aromatic) white grape from Campania in the south of Italy, with the Tufo DOCG being the most well-known quality zone for producing it.

Known as a full bodied, herbaceous and mineral wine with hints of apricot, this £10.99 Tre Fiori (before discount) wine was a little lighter in body than I'd expected.

Mr Purple Teeth's initial thought was pineapple - but not sweet almost slightly underripe.

It has a good streak of acidity with an almost steely mineral finish. Medium bodied and 12.5% alcohol makes it a pleasant afternoon or lunchtime pairing for fish, or even salads. Clean and elegant in style, with hints of melon or papaya and a fairly herbal note, almost basil like, it's fresh yet has bags of complexity,
Without oak, it's accessible to anyone who likes a light and crisp style and is ready to explore a bit more. £7.50 with the 25% off at the moment, buys you a good wine worthy of talking about
Mr PT rates it buy again.

Sticking with southern Italy, I returned for Fiano, a grape whose best expression is found in Avellino (& can be found paired with Greco in blends). Rich and usually with a strong flavour, it is becoming more fashionable. I'm always looking for affordable versions.

This £7.50 (roughly) M&S version was smooth and rounded but with a clean crisp edge. Not overly waxy or aromatic, with a predominantly melon flavour. It may be past its best in this 2014 vintage. I'm afraid I have to keep looking.

I also tried the Petit Chablis (not Italian of course) and similarly found little to recommend it. Both are drinkable and not a rip off during the discount period, but I won't buy them again.

Meanwhile, the 2015 Picpoul de Pinet (2015), with a Decanter silver medal, represents my safe bet at £9 (before discount) for summer aperitifs or pouring with fish and seafood.
​Cheers!
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This time last year, I was swanning around Shanghai and enjoying a month of travel. I'd been helping out freelancing at Milton Sandford Wines for about a year and when I left, MD Debbie handed me this wonderful bottle of Malbec as a parting gift.
She knew I was a fan of Catena - the first South American to wine Decanter's Man of the Year.

Today, as I pondered which good bottle of red to open from my wine rack, Instagram advised me that today is Argentina's Independence Day. In fact, it's the 200th anniversary. I took it as a sign that I should open this 2002 Malbec.

A wine of great structure, the tannins physically adhered to my tongue with the first few sips, giving me the trademark purple teeth, and a purple tongue. Despite this, it's actually very supple. Acidity comes next. Despite its age, this is still a fresh and juicy wine, even after an aperitif of rather good Paul Cluver Riesling.
Alcohol is in balance and the punch of dark fruit comes next, quickly followed by meaty, leathery notes of a well-aged wine. The spice lingers on the palate, and a hint of cocoa comes through minutes later.

Mr Purple Teeth is a huge fan. Almost Cabernet blackcurranty rich fruit wins him over for the very first sip.
A wine with layers, and great length, the complexity is just what I had in mind for tonight. It may be summer, but outside it looks more like winter, and who cares about seasonality when the wine is as good as this.

This year, I may be working in the corporate world, rather than voyaging and enjoying daily proximity to wine, but I still know a good day when I see one.
​Cheers!

PS. The Paul Ckuver Elgin Perricrete was a delightful, light (10.5% abv) Riesling aperitif, served with garlicky prawns. Full of lime and mineral notes, it punched through the garlic and stood up to be heard. (Available from M&S).

To make up for the lack of blogs this month, this bumper edition will help you 10+ discover interesting and different wines, for around £10 or less, in a store near you.  There's something for everyone, and many have been tried and tested by a panel of expert tasters (i.e. my dance friends, who "may not know much about wine, but they know what they like").  If this panel sounds like you, get ready to want to experiment a little more.

Starting with Canada, I tried a great aperitif wine from the Ehrenfelser grape, a grape bred from Riesling and Sylvaner. This had been hand carried back by Mr Purple Teeth when he visited the Okanagan Valley's Kelowna last year.  

Not knowing what I'd opened, Mr PT, declared it great aperitif.
Fresh with a hint of sweetness & lingering grapefruit citrus on the palate.

It had a very pale colour, a nose much like a Riesling with lime and minerality.  Lighter in acid than a pure Riesling, but nonetheless, zingy enough. It was sweeter than I'd normally choose, being neither a dry white nor a dessert wine. This could prove challenging to the UK market. That said, the rise and rise of wines like Apothic and 14 Hands, along with fruit flavoured beers and ciders indicates a real sweet tooth in our drinking public.

To that end, coupled with the demand for lower alcohol levels, it's very surprising that sweeter Rieslings and other lighter German and Alsatian wines aren't more popular on wine lists.

Perhaps the impenetrable "branding" with grape names like Ehrenfelser (hinting at the varietal's German origins) helps to explain this. English wine is still looking for its star seller, and while Bacchus gets my money over a Sauvignon Blanc any day, perhaps exploring the sweeter end of the spectrum is the way for English wine makers to win over the public. We need to be encouraged to experiment more.
But writing about great wines hand-carried from Canada doesn't help you much, even though it was even nicer on the second night.  If you're interested in trying a Canadian wine, there's an Okanagan Pinot Noir at around £16 at M&S.

The rest of the wines I'll talk about here were all tried and tested at a tasting for friends at a recent dance event.  The goal was share some different wines, which were "off the beaten track" either by variety, location, wine making style or any combination of the above.  My goal was also to select wines that the dancers (and my readers) from across the UK could easily get a hold of.  Most, then, came from Marks and Spencer, which, for a high street multiple retailer, has a much wider variety of these intriguing wines than most other stores of a similar size. 
​First up was a similar wine style to the Canadian wine above, slightly sweet, fresh and zingy and a good aperitif.  A Slovenian blend, 1139 contains Riesling and Pinot Gris, plus slightly less well known varieties, Traminer (parent of Gewürztraminer), and Furmint, a variety most well known from Hungary where it is used to make dry white wines and the very sweet Tokaji dessert wines.
Fresh and floral with citrus and apple, light and refreshing, easy to drink and a great aperitif, this  £7.99 gem was a great start to the party and achieved a resounding hit with the panel of 10, scoring an average 8/10.  Many would buy it again. A success for the wines of Slovenia and a reasonable 12.5% alcohol.

This Pecorino was reduced to just £5.99 at Waitrose (down from about £8) and was a late substitution over another heavier white, based on reception of the Croatian wine.  Pecorino is a great alternative to Sauvignon Blanc, and while Italy isn't exactly off the beaten track, this grape is still on the lower end of known varietals.
Really popular with the group for  its peachy flavour, which some described as "sweet". It scored an average of 7/10.  Fresh and floral with some minerality, and tropical fruits, it's lively enough to serve as an aperitif or with seafood or white meat.

Next up was another more well known region and varietal, a South African Chenin Blanc.  What made it different was the impact of the winemaker's use of oak.  Most of the ZA CB's on wine lists are fresh and simple, while this one was more complex and fuller, given the oak ageing. I've reviewed this earlier in the month here, so I'll just summarise by saying it was extremely popular with a 9/10 score from those who like oaked wines.  With those who didn't like oak, it was less popular.
Normally £16, I included this as it was on half price sale at just £8.  (13% abv)

For example, this Negroamaro would go well with lamb shank - big, heavy, slightly blackcurrant. I reviewed this a few months ago here, and as an Italian wine with a decent body and black fruit favours at £7.50, this is worth trying.  

Our Syrian taster rated it as nothing special, but then, he was alone on the Indian wine.  The drinkers who rarely choose reds gave it an 8/10, while the other scored around 6 or 7.  Described as drinkable plum crumble, this is definitely worth taking a punt on, particularly during the 25% off any 6 sale that seems to have been on at M&S for the last month or so. 

Tannat from Uruguay came next, and this is a very big and heavy red which I reviewed a few months ago as part of my virtual travel experiences, here. Heavy and full bodied, it was described as "perhaps a bit young".  Scores ranged from 5-7 out of 10, but I reckon if we'd had some juicy steak on offer, the scores would have been higher. On offer at around £7 a bottle, it's definitely worth trying now if you are interested in bold and full-bodied reds. 

Another wine we'd tried as part of our virtual travel adventures, this Georgian wine, Saperavi was on a half price offer at the time of buying, reduced from £10 to just £5! Factor in the 25% discount for buying 6 and how much is tax and this wine is being virtually given away.  
Interest in Georgian wines is high right now, due to the current interest in "orange wines", the white wines made with prolonged skin contact, a style much influenced by the Georgian Kevri wines. (Notably, the only place you'd find Georgian whites on the high street is M&S too).
Everyone loved this one with most indicating they'd be happy to pay up to£25.  Imagine the surprise on revealing it was just £5! By far, this was voted the best wine of the night with a score of 10/10: stunning value and a great chance to try an unusual varietal from an unusual country, that is in fact, the cradle of wine civilisation.

The Clos St Alphonse Liban by Ksara is a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon from Lebanon.  A country that's got a long history of wine making and a reputation for scorched earth that translates into it's wines.  At around £10, this is a bit of a bargain, compared to the more famous Chateau Muser, an iconic wine that will probably set you back around £25.  Oaky and spicy, this wine was rich and full, with a hint of that scorched earth terroir.  
I felt that it's position as last in the tasting didn't do it justice, nevertheless, it scored around 9/10 on average, and was a huge hit with our Syrian taster who regretted his decision to take home the Indian wine.  This one would work really well with food, particularly after 10 other wines! 

Finally, off the beaten track, away from the west end, the St James Theatre near Victoria is staging an adaptation of the wine movie that made Pinot Noir a household name, Sideways.  
I attended this with my wine-blogger buddy, Jo from Perfect Friday Wine.  
We loved the play, perhaps even more than the movie, and being able to drink the sensational Sandford Chardonnay and Pinot Noir while watching the show did no harm at all.
Sadly the theatre was not full, even on a Saturday night, so I urge all London wine lovers to get along to the theatre and support the cast, who do a great job bringing the complex characters to life.  And do remember to order your half time Pinot for the interval.
I'm always interested in hearing about the wines you've been enjoying via my twitter or Facebook pages. Share your unusual finds and I might just pass them along.

Cheers!

It's South African Chenin Blanc, Jim, but not as we know it!

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I first bought this a few months ago as I was intrigued to see what could make a Chenin Blanc from South Africa worth £16 (from Marks and Spencer).
i was delighted to find it currently (end of May) on sale for half price! Yes, just £8 and any 6 bottles will get you a further 25% off. Perfect timing as I'm stocking up on interesting stuff for a tasting with friends.

So what makes it different?

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.



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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.
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If you like Cabernet, it's worth a £6 punt.
​Cheers!

Ah, Bank Holiday Sunday and the sun has shone... But I was in the mood for a red. Mr Purple Teeth had all but fainted when he saw the price of the fillet steak I was proposing for dinner, so I decided against my planned Malbec Taste Off...
Instead, we enjoyed a glass of last night's Albariño then moved swiftly onto this Lirac. Les Closiers 2013 Lirac is currently £7.50 if you buy 6.
Yet another International Wine Challenge Silver Medal winner, but this time, from Marks and Spencer.
(You won't have to look too far down the blog to pick out 6 bottles which is the minimum purchase to score a fabulous 25% discount. At full price, this is £10.)

Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault - think of this as Chateauneuf-du-Pape's twin brother. Lirac is right next to CdP and a whole lot better value. Grown-up, red berry fruit that abounds with spicy, mineral and leather notes despite the absence of oak, it's an interesting tipple.
Mr Purple Teeth was impressed by my frugality. He loved the chewy tannins and declared this "very complex for its age".
Even at a tenner, this shouldn't disappoint.
​Cheers!

I sometimes feel like I'm on a one woman mission to remove Sauvignon Blanc from the top slot, when it comes to white wine.
Britain's most popular white varietal leaves me, for the most part, cold.
Part of a recent judging panel, I tasted 13 Sauvignon Blancs in a row, and could find only one with a remotely pleasant flavour. Is it just me? 

I do get it though.

You want cold, refreshing, zingy wine with plenty of flavour, and no matter how much wine writers (& myself) try to convince you that THIS is the year of Riesling, you can't find it in your heart to love it.
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That's where groovy "GruVe", Austrian Grüner Veltliner comes into play.
​Mineral enough to please a wine writer, but fun, approachable and great with spring food.

If if you're up for pushing the boat out a bit more, the best GruVe I've had in the last 6 months is definitely this example from Perfect Friday Wine. Top
class, I'm afraid my tasting note is limited to just a few words, 2 of which are "bloody amazing". But then, it was Christmas Day when I drunk it.

If you're already a GruVe concert, try it and see what spending just £10.95 will get you.  It's a definite winner, and my groovy kind of love.