Red wine suggestions.

[Mike J]

No not a song by BB King but what do you drink?

Im seeking a mid to full bodies red, not dry and certainly nothing from France, my previous 4 bottles from that country all corked.

Your suggestions please.

[ecky]

look up Zeni wines on the web,good italian wines from vineyards on the shores of lake garda

[Mike J]

Ah just to late.
Sent in my order in only 1/2hr ago.
Duoro and Alentejo, with a White Rioja and a Sav b from NZ.

Drunk more wine in the past month than we have done for the previous 6, yet only one cider and just a couple of rums.

Thanks anyways

[Bob Watson]

How much are you spending Mike?

I've found Yellow tail and Campo viejo from most supermarkets to be fine, one or two of them are usually on offer in Tesco.

Another cheap but perfectly drinkable wine is Toro loco from Aldi at less than £4.00 a bottle.

I can't comment on the upper end of wines, I never spend more than £8.00 on a bottle.

[Mike J]

How much are you spending Mike?

I've found Yellow tail and Campo viejo from most supermarkets to be fine, one or two of them are usually on offer in Tesco.

Another cheap but perfectly drinkable wine is Toro loco from Aldi at less than £4.00 a bottle.

I can't comment on the upper end of wines, I never spend more than £8.00 on a bottle.

Around £40-60/case Bob.
Living abroad where good wine was cheap (€5-7/bottle) it was normal for everyone to keep a good stock at home, doing the same over here has cost me a couple of hundred and probably much more in what Ive had to tip down the sink because it was mousey or had corked (mostly French reds).

I dont drink a lot at home but when I do I want something reasonable which is why I now only buy from merchants, the exceptions a sweet Greek Red from Tescos and Sainsbury's Muscatel both apx £6.

[Mattjb]

How much are you spending Mike?

I've found Yellow tail and Campo viejo from most supermarkets to be fine, one or two of them are usually on offer in Tesco.

Another cheap but perfectly drinkable wine is Toro loco from Aldi at less than £4.00 a bottle.

I can't comment on the upper end of wines, I never spend more than £8.00 on a bottle.

We like a drop of toro loco in our house ,you can't knock it for the money,as good as more expensive ones not that I'm any wine expert!

[Bob Watson]

How much are you spending Mike?

I've found Yellow tail and Campo viejo from most supermarkets to be fine, one or two of them are usually on offer in Tesco.

Another cheap but perfectly drinkable wine is Toro loco from Aldi at less than £4.00 a bottle.

I can't comment on the upper end of wines, I never spend more than £8.00 on a bottle.

We like a drop of toro loco in our house ,you can't knock it for the money,as good as more expensive ones not that I'm any wine expert!

My connoisseur skills go as far as, try it, if I like it I drink it. I couldn't comment on a bouquet and spitting is a waste!

[Andrew]

Buckfast

[Bob Watson]

Buckfast

Promoting buckfast

[Mike J]

How much are you spending Mike?

I've found Yellow tail and Campo viejo from most supermarkets to be fine, one or two of them are usually on offer in Tesco.

Another cheap but perfectly drinkable wine is Toro loco from Aldi at less than £4.00 a bottle.

I can't comment on the upper end of wines, I never spend more than £8.00 on a bottle.

We like a drop of toro loco in our house ,you can't knock it for the money,as good as more expensive ones not that I'm any wine expert!

My connoisseur skills go as far as, try it, if I like it I drink it. I couldn't comment on a bouquet and spitting is a waste!

Your the same as me Bob.
It may surpise many but where wines are produced non of the locals have any of the wine snobbery that we see in this country, France being the exception.
A decent gulp,and if it tastes good they keep pouring.
Eating with some fishing friends I had already drunk two glasses from a bottle before someone rejected it! After much hilarity for I was the only foriegner present, they explained what was wrong with it. But I still couldnt tell

[Ben]

Lidl do better wines than Aldi in my opinion, I like their Malbec

[Mattjb]

Lidl do better wines than Aldi in my opinion, I like their Malbec

Got a nice Malbec from lidl a couple of weeks back,I think it was Argentinian if I remember correctly.

[Edward.P.A.C]

The best thing about Lidl wines are they list the points any wine in the high 80’s early 90’s is going to be a good one.
I’ll always try and get something around 88-92 from their selection.

[Mike J]

Wine delivered yest.
Reds - Anfora Bacalhoa 2013 & Duas Quintas Ramos Pinto, both Portuguese reds
Whites - Mayfly Sauvignon 2017 from New Zealand & Muga White Rioja 2019 from Spain

Three days to settle and any poss. virus to die off and then we will see

[Mynki]

Try a decent Rioja. Look for a 'reserva' from El Coto or Campo Viejo. Compared to Burgundy and quality Bordeaux they offer very good value for money and shouldn't be dry.

Alternatively there's some really good cabernet sauvignon produced in California. Look for Beringer stone cellars examples.

[fishandy]

cotes du rhone from lidl about 5 pound a bottle but very drinkable ,sangre de torres 7.50 abottle but wait till its on offer most supermarkets sell it ,once lashed out 20 quid on a chateau nerf du pap, a treat for xmas and it was corked ,spent about 8 years carp fishing lakes in Bordeaux but had not yet discovered red wine so stuck to stella

[Mike J]

Try a decent Rioja. Look for a 'reserva' from El Coto or Campo Viejo. Compared to Burgundy and quality Bordeaux they offer very good value for money and shouldn't be dry.

Alternatively there's some really good cabernet sauvignon produced in California. Look for Beringer stone cellars examples.

Good call.
I agree most DOC and Reserva Rioja's are very drinkable, I especially enjoy those from the Navarra and Baja in particular where I have spent some very good times, it helps that there is a very nice angling river there as well
A decent white Burgundy can be acceptable but anything red and French I wouldnt touch if I was given it.

I have never bought any USA wines, it just seems a long way to ship a good wine and it remain drinkable while remaining within my price range.

[Mynki]

Good call.
I agree most DOC and Reserva Rioja's are very drinkable, I especially enjoy those from the Navarra and Baja in particular where I have spent some very good times, it helps that there is a very nice angling river there as well
A decent white Burgundy can be acceptable but anything red and French I wouldnt touch if I was given it.

I have never bought any USA wines, it just seems a long way to ship a good wine and it remain drinkable while remaining within my price range.

It's not the point of origin that determines how long a wine will keep but the grape type and preservatives added.

Much of the Californian cabernet sauvignon for example will improve for five to ten years after purchase in the UK if stored correctly. So I really wouldn't worry there.

[Mynki]

Should have added if you like Rioja my local wine merchant has a pretty good selection and will ship.

https://www.mitchellswine.co.uk/search/?key=rioja

[Mike J]

Good call.
I agree most DOC and Reserva Rioja's are very drinkable, I especially enjoy those from the Navarra and Baja in particular where I have spent some very good times, it helps that there is a very nice angling river there as well
A decent white Burgundy can be acceptable but anything red and French I wouldnt touch if I was given it.

I have never bought any USA wines, it just seems a long way to ship a good wine and it remain drinkable while remaining within my price range.

It's not the point of origin that determines how long a wine will keep but the grape type and preservatives added.

Much of the Californian cabernet sauvignon for example will improve for five to ten years after purchase in the UK if stored correctly. So I really wouldn't worry there.

I cannot accept what you say, the seal is the most important, if air gets in a wine it can be undrinkable within weeks.
Having lived where it was made and drunk every day I know much of it has a natural lifespan, some for the same year, others for laying down but to mention the use of preservatives is almost unthinkable.
Vintners certainly add brandy to Porto and Jerrez but I doubt you would find anything in a hundred year old bottle of Burgundy except a very good cork.

Location of the vineyard maybe my Mayfly (or Snapper Rock) travels further and are eminently drinkable, re the grape variety I haven't a clue.

[Mike J]

Should have added if you like Rioja my local wine merchant has a pretty good selection and will ship.

https://www.mitchellswine.co.uk/search/?key=rioja

Yes they have a nice selection but unfortunately they do not ship to the South coast.

Thanks anyway.

[Mynki]

I cannot accept what you say, the seal is the most important, if air gets in a wine it can be undrinkable within weeks.
Having lived where it was made and drunk every day I know much of it has a natural lifespan, some for the same year, others for laying down but to mention the use of preservatives is almost unthinkable.
Vintners certainly add brandy to Porto and Jerrez but I doubt you would find anything in a hundred year old bottle of Burgundy except a very good cork.

Location of the vineyard maybe my Mayfly (or Snapper Rock) travels further and are eminently drinkable, re the grape variety I haven't a clue.

I thought I'd responded to this but my post appears to have gone?

Anyway, I'll try again.

Wine can deteriorate in days not weeks if oxidation takes place. Very, very few bottles of wine end up corked in this day and age though and from reading your posts you must be one of the unluckiest wine drinkers on earth to have had such experiences.

We drink a lot of savvy blanc from Marlborough, NZ. The Kiwis as you know all use screw cap bottles to prevent the threat of corking. A few years ago they had labels around neck of the bottle to explain why as many people perceived screw capped bottles of wine as a bit naff. Be under no illusions you'll not see any of the high end, quality French vineyards moving away from cork due to tradition, heritage and prestige. The idea would horrify makers of champagne too.

You say "the use of preservatives is almost unthinkable". I'm bemused by that comment because almost all of it has preservatives added other than a tiny number of organics. Usually sulphites. In fact sulphur dioxide is often produced by the fermentation process anyway. You could also argue that the alcohol, tannins and acidity also act as 'preservatives'.

As for the wine merchants, if you called them John Mitchell (Quite famous in the wine world) would ship any quantity anywhere if people paid for the delivery. ;)

[Mike J]

Thanks for your reply.

Luck or otherwise the corks of French wines I tipped away had leaked, they were natural corks but of a very low grade. If you read this thread you will see others have had similar experiences.

NV Sav Bs I really enjoy and understand the reasons for the screw tops, with the losses our Q suber oaks are suffering the time will mo doubt arrive when all but the best uses them as well, personally I have no prefence either way as long as it remains drinkable.

Re the Rioja link you kindly posted for me, I clicked one I knew and at the bottom it stated the delvery post codes, they didn't include my region nor mention any other options. If you know Mr Mitchell maybe a quite suggestion would be inorder.
My last delivery was from Paul Roberts no charge and within 3 days.

x

[Mynki]

I think the wording on the website is terrible after reading it! I don't have stuff deliver as I like to browse the wine and scotch sections there so I've never noticed it before.

I assume the postcodes listed are applicable to their own free delivery service as they are all local.

For further afield they use APC. A company I own uses APC and I know they deliver nationally so you wouldn't have any issues. They claim 2 to 3 days delivery time with a charge of £7.99 regardless of how much you order. .

[Mynki]

Should have added, I believe the number of bottles corked is around 3 to 4% although numbers vary depending on what you read. It's still unlucky to experience it regularly though!

[Scott]

Ok im late on this one.

I always say its down to your own taste, iv even had red with chicken and white with beef so says it all about my taste.

My fave red is the Gallo family Merlot around £6 a bottle, no point me paying over £8 , i wouldnt appreciate it.


I did vineyard tour last year in South Africa and that was tastey and very happy at end of tour. Did manage to find a rose that i liked.

Gallo Merlot

[Mike J]

Exactly, if it agrres with your taste buds, just drink it.

Living for over a decade amongst the locals in Iberia you quickly forget any English attitudes you may have had to drinking wine.
There it is red with everything whether it has tentacles, scales, skin or feathers, and €6 will get you decent bottle of anything national and €1 will buy 5L of rough.

Right now it is 'tinto de varao' (wine of summer) a long cool drink made from red wine, ice cubes and lemonade in equal quantities, a few olives or fried and salt almonds and its lay back and enjoy time!

.

[jonsykes]

My current favourite is one of the Yellowtail offerings. Not particularly good with food, but so fruity & perfect just drinking sake - and not a lot of reds are in my book.
The wine is Yellowtail Jammy Red Roo - not a single grape variety, and snobs would probably turn their nose up for that reason- but it is a bloody lovely drink, especially of a summer evening. Another similar one is Jam Shed (can't remember brand) & they are around £7 a go. Well worth it.

[Scott]

Had the jam shed at weekend, similar to the gallo merlot but tad sweeter.

[Mike J]

My current favourite is one of the Yellowtail offerings. Not particularly good with food, but so fruity & perfect just drinking sake - and not a lot of reds are in my book.
The wine is Yellowtail Jammy Red Roo - not a single grape variety, and snobs would probably turn their nose up for that reason- but it is a bloody lovely drink, especially of a summer evening. Another similar one is Jam Shed (can't remember brand) & they are around £7 a go. Well worth it.

Thank you .
I will try both especially as my other half enjoys a slightly sweeter wine.

Wine snobs are a rarity outside England, yes you may meet a few aficionados but there isn't the air of self importance some English seem to attach to the simple process of drinking something simply because it tastes good.
.