This summer hasn't exactly been a scorcher, but I've found myself less and less drawn to the Purple Teeth signature reds during July and August.
Lighter foods and fresher, white wines have suited my mood.
I sampled 3 from Waitrose recently, all discounted, but I'd only really call one of them a bargain.
Continuing to explore Italy, first up is the premium Gavi de Gavi.
Made from the Cortese grape, the Gavi DOCG is the benchmark are for excellent wines of this style. Recently increasing in popularity, there have been some hints of shortages in recent years.
Lighter foods and fresher, white wines have suited my mood.
I sampled 3 from Waitrose recently, all discounted, but I'd only really call one of them a bargain.
Continuing to explore Italy, first up is the premium Gavi de Gavi.
Made from the Cortese grape, the Gavi DOCG is the benchmark are for excellent wines of this style. Recently increasing in popularity, there have been some hints of shortages in recent years.
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?
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.
When is a bargain not a bargain?
Grant Burge South Australia Chardonnay £6.99
Grant Burge South Australia Chardonnay £6.99
 I had high hopes for this Grant Burge Chardonnay. No South East Australia appellation and a winemaker with a great reputation among some of my wine colleagues, albeit for much pricier wines than this one. It was worth trying at the introductory offer price of £6.99 |  Based on the fact that I couldn't bring myself to make any notes about it, and took 4 nights to finish off the bottle, it's safe to say I won't be buying it again when it is back at full price. |
Weighty, with a simple fruit flavour, that admittedly had a hint of butterscotch by day 3, this is the kind of Chardonnay that makes me long for a good Meursault. What might have been....
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!
Cheers!
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