Off the Shelf: Zalze Shiraz Mourvèdre Viognier 2013

This weekend is the last in the current promotion at Waitrose which they’re trumpeting dramatically as a ‘last chance to save’ on their collection of spring wines.

Of course it isn’t. There will be a new raft of deals as soon as this one has finished but it’s your last chance to snap up this particular one which is on offer until Tuesday 12th and which I pulled off the shelf in my local small branch in Bristol.

It’s a big juicy red from the Stellenbosch region of South Africa - a classic Rhône blend of Shiraz Mourvèdre and Viognier though mainly shiraz. It’s all gorgeous dark cherries and forest fruits but not overly jammy and would be perfect with a barbecue. If you feel it could benefit from bit of air to make it smoother double decant it (i.e. pour it into a jug then back into the bottle. A funnel makes this job easier if you don’t have a steady hand.)

I paid £6.25 for it which I thought was fair enough given that the usual price is £8.29 but Waitrose has told me that the deal is £5.99 and that’s the price on the website. I don’t know if that was an error on the part of the branch or if they bump up the prices in smaller shops* but you might as well save yourself the extra 26p if you can, especially if you're buying more than one bottle.

By the way, if you like ripe, full-bodied reds you might also enjoy the handsomely bottled Tinto da Anfora 2013 from Portugal’s Alentejo region which is on offer at £7.99. But note the vintage on the website is 2011 not 2013 which is the one I'm recommending. Hopefully that's the one you'll find in store.

* I will look into this!