I confess that I wasn’t particularly drawn to this wine when I was deciding what to buy in Asda recently but upon seeing the 9 rating that Ned put in his book I thought “why not”?!
It’s a very peculiar wine this. It’s a deep ruby colour in the glass with a pleasant nose of leather, mineral and hints of berries.
The palate, though, is something different entirely. The spice enveloped my tongue every time I took a sip. It was so pronounced that I could almost hear it saying “have some of that you wine tasting bastard”. It wasn’t an unpleasant sensation but it was a little unexpected and I quite like wine with a bit of spice!
After giving the wine time to breathe, the Grenache/Syrah combination shines through with sour cherries and jam in abundance making it a very complex wine. It very nearly scored lower but on reflection you’re getting a very good wine that’s a brilliant introduction to southern Rhône reds. Best of all, it’s £6 and for that you simply can’t argue!
You can purchase this little gem from Asda here and I doubt you’ll find anything as complex for the money. Definitely worth a shout if you’re a fan of the area or you enjoy a Châteauneuf du-Pape and something a little friendlier on the wallet.