Wine of the Week.

[NoMercy]

This week's Wine of the Week is a beautiful Italian number. Asda's Extra Special Falanghina is a wine that can be drunk all year round, thanks to its beautiful fruit salad aromas of apricot, satsuma and nectarine. One could imagine sipping a chilled glass at sundown in late July, or pairing it with with some lovely creamy Dolcelatte and walnut and raisin bread in front of a roaring open fire. A most delightful wine! Available in Asda for the bargain price of £5.28.

Wine bargain of the week is Banrock Station Reserve Chardonnay Verdelho - a robust and classy white with a lovely rounded structure, good body and powerful citrus notes, with underlying nuances of pineapple and other tropical fruits. Currently available in Tesco for £4.99, down from £10.99. Grab it while you can.

Any wine bargains you'd care to share?

[NoMercy]

I am after a rather nice prosecco. I have seen one in Tesco in a fancy-shaped bottle, currently £8, down from £9.99.

Has anyone tried it, and if so, what did you think?

Thanks.

[atrollope]

Theres a cold Westerly buffeting..perfect night for a lovely,warming Chili con Carne.together with a Marques de Montino Rioja...Reserva 2007..Sainsbury :-)

[NoMercy]

Ooh lovely. 'Tis about time I was reacquainted with Rioja.

I see Sainsburys have the Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero in at present. Both Sqad and I are fond of that wine and, like the Rioja, is made from Tempranillo.

Thanks for the tip, atrollope.

[sunny-dave]

Report back on the Asda specials from last week ...

... the primitivo is OK - just about a £5 worth but nothing to get excited about

... the Gavi on the other hand is excellent value - nice & crisp with some lemony aftertastes

My local asda also had some Australian "Zilzie Shiraz Viognier" at half-price (about a fiver) - very nice blend indeed and was excellent with lasagne.

Don't know whether it was a national offer or just my itsy bitsy store trying to clear some shelf space. Will be down there later to empty the shelf & investigate the Falanghina :)

[snags]

''drunk all year round''

I know people like that...

[sunny-dave]

Get him CD ;)

[NoMercy]

Sunny, I don't know if you know, but the Primitivo is available in 2007 and 2009. The 2009 isn't worth bothering with, but the 2007 is excellent.

The Zilzie Viognier is a more intensely flavoured Viognier than most - it was okay but I wouldn't buy it again.

[sunny-dave]

Just checked the primitivo - you're right - the bottle I drank was the 2009, but the bottle in my rack is 2007 - must have been guilty of "shopping with brain offline" or I'd have picked up two of the older vintage ...

[NoMercy]

Let me know what you think of the 2007 when you've tried it! :-)

[sunny-dave]

Are we at cross purposes on the Zilzie - mine was a red Shiraz/Viognier blend, not the white Viognier ?

[NoMercy]

Ah right, I had the white. Deep straw colour and extremely overpowering. I made the blunder of buying it at full price.

[sunny-dave]

The red is good at half price - not a tenner's worth though.

Any thoughts on the Aldi christmas specials?

http://www.aldi.co.uk...rs_week49Sunday11.htm

< scroll to bottom of page >

The barolo was excellent last year but I'm not sure it's the same producer/vintage this time

[NoMercy]

Wow, I've been looking everywhere for the Silver Label Wolf Blass!

And Sancerre and Chateauneuf for under a tenner... someone's stopping at Aldi on the way home...

Magnum of Prosecco for £12.99. Methinks I've died and gone to the big wine bar in the sky. ;-)

[sunny-dave]

I was there at 7:55 this morning - tenth in the queue for the limited availability 40 year old scotch ... came away empty handed - they had only been allocated five bottles :((((

[NoMercy]

5 bottles for 1 store?

[sunny-dave]

Yep - only 3,000 across the UK - £49.99 for a 40 year old speyside was a real steal - just hope people have bought it to drink not to sell on ....

[NoMercy]

Have a look through Ebay tomorrow...

[NoMercy]

Well I'm in Hereford tonight for a visit so I guess the bubbles will be flowing shortly.

Any nice wines being uncorked this evening?

[DTCwordfan]

agree on the Banrock if you like a Chard

Mine has been a Feudi di San Marzano Rosso Salento 2008 (Italian £7-25). It's a 100% Primitivo grape and therefore full bodied with cherry notes and touches of spice. Prune and vanilla flavours fill the palate and for the money, delish!