Drinks of the Month

Wine of the week: Ventisquero Root: 1 Carmenere

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on April 4 2020 at 09:03

Recommending a specific wine is a bit of a lottery at the moment. I had planned to tell you about this seductively velvety Chilean red a few days ago but couldn’t get get into the Morrisons site. But I’m hoping you can find the odd bottle in store although its current sharp promotional price of £6 (until April 4th) may make that a long shot.

Carménère as you may know was originally a Bordeaux grape which popped up in Chile where for a long time it was mistaken for merlot.

This Root:1 Carmenere 2018 from Ventisquero comes from the Colchagua Valley and is a rich, lush almost chocolatey wine that will make lovers of full-bodied new world reds very happy. It would go well with red meats like beef and lamb, especially cooked on the barbecue and could also handle a curry

The best food pairings for carmenère

If you miss the special offer which ends on April 4th, the normal price of £7.75 is still fair. Or you could buy Morrisons own The Best Carmenère which is also £7.75 instead.

What else you could buy at Morrisons

In general the The Best range - and their premium Wm Morrison wines - are pretty reliable. Prices are accurate at time of writing but may well have changed by the time you read this.

The Best Chablis 2018 on offer at £10

In fact their whole The Best Chablis range which includes a Petit Chablis and a Premier Cru is decent. A really good buy at this price

The Best Gruner Veltliner 2018 £8.25

Engaging, slightly peppery dry white. Good with south-east Asian food

Masseria Petrosa Verdeca 2018 on offer at £6.50

Attractively fresh crisp white from Italy - fruitier than many of Italy’s whites Good with punchily seasoned seafood or salads

The Best Rioja Blanco Reserva 2015 on offer at £11

Rich weighty full-bodied white you’ll like if you’re a fan of oaky chardonnays.

J Boulard La Verdier Carianne 2018 £10

Exuberant, juicy Cotes du Rhone. Think garlicky sausages and beans or roast pork

The Best Primitivo 2018 (£7.50) and The Best Negroamaro 2018 (£7.25)

Two characterful southern Italian reds that would be particularly good with cheese and baked pasta dishes like lasagne

CVNE Ribera del Duero 2018 on offer at £8

An alternative to Rioja though made in a brighter fruitier style than is typical for the region. Would go well with lamb.

The Best Douro Red £7.50

Rich full-bodied red from the same area that produces port. Good for a beef stew.

The Best Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018 Chile on offer at £10

Sumptuously fruity pinot noir but with some real elegance. Chill lightly and serve with roast chicken, a mushroom risotto or seared salmon

MV Reserve organic malbec 2018 on offer at £6.50

More of a classic European style than a typically Argentinian one (think Bordeaux) but incredibly good value for money. Good for homey dishes like cottage pie.

Vinalba Patagonia Malbec 2017/18 on offer at £7

Vinalba is a reliable name to look out for from Argentina - I almost always like their malbecs and at this price this is pretty well irresistible. Drink with steak if you have it.

Morrisons The Best English Sparkling Wine £18

One of the best own label English sparkling wines I’ve tasted.

Morrisons 10 year old tawny port on offer at £11

Tastes (yummily) of roasted nuts and salted caramel. One to sip with the Easter eggs.

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