Wines from the weekend papers

Light summer reds provided the theme for Jane MacQuitty’s column in The Times on Saturday. Highlighting the benefit of chilling for optimum enjoyment, MacQuitty drew attention to a number of cheap deals in the supermarkets at the moment.

These included a 2008 Vin de Pays Ardèche Gamay from Cave de Saint Désirat for £3.99 and Asda’s own-label Valpolicella at £3.97.

Over at the Telegraph, Susy Atkins was tackling the challenge of wine-matching for avocado dishes. Swiftly removing reds from the equation, she drew attention to Sainsbury’s Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico 2008, priced at £4.10.

Spain also offered a fruitful source of summery picnic wine, including a screw cap rosé from Las Falleras available for £3.99 at Marks and Spencer.

The summer picnic theme continued with Anthony Rose’s column in The Independent. Among his 10 recommendations came an £8.99 sparkling rosé from Montana, available at Waitrose.

The 2007 Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay also won plaudits for offering “A Burgundian-style Chardonnay at a non-Burgundian price.” The wine is currently available in Co-op for £9.99, or a reduced price  of £8.79 in Majestic when you buy two bottles.

Meanwhile Victoria Moore used her weekend Guardian column to address the perils of ‘ordinary’ Burgundy. She warns against an excessively price sensitive approach when navigating this territory, observing: “The words affordability and Burgundy probably shouldn’t be used in the same sentence: think of these wines as experiences, not drinks.”

Recommending good producers in less sought after appellations, Moore highlights Berry Brothers’ Bourgogne Blanc Vielles Vignes 2007 from Jean-Philippe Fichet at £15.95 as a good entry point. At the other end of the spectrum, she praises the Drouhin Clos des Mouches 1er Cru Blanc 2007, available for £55 in Waitrose.

Retail on Monday, 03.08.09