Drinks of the Month
Cramele Recas Orange Wine
If you thought orange wine was the exclusive province of hipster natural wine bars, think again - one has just gone on sale in Aldi. And while most cost nearer £20 than £10 this one is on sale at a very affordable £5.99.
Just to make sure they tick every conceivable box and underline the message that this is bang on trend the label also points out that it’s a natural wine and vegan wine with no added sugar, yeasts or sulphur (more accurately, sulphites) and is ‘made naturally in 2017’ (There is however a pretty helpful description of what orange wine actually is on the back label.)
Will you like it? Should you buy it? Depends if you’ve ever tried an orange wine before.
If you haven’t - and I guess most won’t - it’s an fairly unscary introduction to the style - quite light, despite its 13% ABV - not overly fruity (the taste is of dried apricot rather than the orange you might expect), basically a medium-bodied, very dry white wine. (I’d suggest something simple with it like grilled aubergines and hummus rather than the recommended Thai green curry).
If you’re already an orange wine fan you may find it a bit underwhelming though you can’t quarrel with the price. M & S does a better job with their Georgian Tblvino Qvevris though this is now £10 a bottle. (Aldi’s comes from Romania)
Anyway at this price it’s certainly worth a punt if you can find it in your local store. Try it and let me know what you think.
Mas de Libian Bout d’Zan, Côtes du Rhône 2012
If you’re after a bright, fruity, sunshine-filled red to carry you through the dark, dreary days of winter you couldn't do better than this delicious Côtes du Rhône.
It’s made by a young woman winemaker Hélène Thibon from 40-45 year old vines on an estate the family has farmed since 1670 and at £9.90 a bottle (from Les Caves de Pyrène*) it’s ridiculously good value for a biodynamic wine.
It’s a typically southern Rhone blend of grenache (80%) and Syrah (20%) but has amazing, mouthwateringly vivid fruit you just don’t get from conventionally made wine - certainly at this price. Only 30% of the wine spends time in oak - big foudres rather than barrels.
You could drink it with practically anything from charcuterie to cheese - roast chicken, pork belly, garlicky sausages, grilled lamb - even the Christmas turkey. Certainly the Boxing Day leftovers. Caves’ Doug Wregg suggests “lamb meatballs impregnated with fennel and herbes de Provence and pasta” which I imagine would be a terrific match. Or a pizza, maybe - as I say, practically anything.
The quirky name apparently means bits of liquorice and refers to the liquorice flavour in the wine though I don’t personally find it that liquoricey and wouldn’t like it so much if it was. The wine is made without sulphur but I’d defy any natural wine sceptic not to like it. Pure happiness in a glass.
It's also available for £12.49 from the Smiling Grape Company and £12.95 from Joseph Barnes or £11.66 if you buy an unsplit case. You can read more about it on the Caves de Pyrène website.
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