Wine with Leslie: My top tips for vineyard visits and an €8 Sauvignon to try at M&S
Leslie Williams (not pictured!) shares his top tips for vineyard visits this summer
Now that the grand stretch in the evenings are getting more pronounced I’ve begun thinking about my summer holidays. Last year it was Spain with a bit of France thrown in, but this year we are off to Austria and will of course visit some vineyards near Vienna.
If you would like to include vineyard visits in your holiday this year then France is my top recommendation. For a start, it is so easy to get there with ferries from Cork and Rosslare, and it is a short drive from Brittany and Normandy to the vineyards of the Loire where you will find raspberry and cherry-scented reds, crisp dry whites and of course sparkling wine, rosé and dessert wines.
I’m visiting the Loire in a few weeks for a wine fair so will have more up-to-date info on what is hot in the region in April. The other French region I have spent several holidays exploring is South West France which includes Bordeaux, Gascony and Cahors plus other smaller regions which should not be ignored such as Buzet, Marcillac, Marmandais, Gaillac, Jurançon and the Basque country.
If you are bringing the car and want to bring back a few cases there is excellent value to be found around Gascony and if you are a fan of foie gras and confit duck then you will be in wonderland. The vineyards of the Gers department were once focused entirely on Armagnac which is still important but most producers these days make the bulk of their income from IGP Côtes de Gascogne wines, especially floral crisp whites made from Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc, and Petit and Gros Manseng. This region is rugby mad so if you are a fan you might also like to visit the Chapelle Notre-Dame-du-Rugby in the Landes Dept. - the stained glass windows depict rucks and mauls with the baby Jesus holding a rugby ball.
Cahors is also worth a visit, the original home of the Malbec grape. This was once a massive region with around 80,000 hectares under vine. Outbreaks of powdery mildew and then phylloxera in the 19th century devastated the region and it is now significantly smaller with around 5000 ha. All my suggestions this week are from SW France.
This has to be one of the least expensive wines I’ve ever recommended. Don’t expect miracles at this price but do expect a clean, citrus-infused Sauvignon from the rolling hills of Gascony. These vines would once have been used for Armagnac but crisp whites are more profitable these days. Gooseberry, grapefruit and lemon notes with a bone-dry herbal-citrus finish.
Mitchell & Son’s best-selling white wine and also imported by Robb Wines (hence its presence in JJ O’D). A classic Gascogne blend of Colombard, Ugni Blanc and Sauvignon for early drinking - lively and fruity with tropical fruits mingled with citrus, some weight on the palate and a crisp zingy finish
A blend of 60% Colombard with 20% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Gros Manseng - this is a perfect light lunch wine at just 11.5% ABV. Packed with ripe peach and tropical aromas mixed with lemon peel and citrus, floral and crisp this is perfect for light pasta dishes or warm salads. Also try the Rosé
Madiran as a region deserves to be better known - long-lived complex wines based on Tannat. This is a good introduction to the AOP - a blend of 70% Tannat and 30% Cabernet this pours almost black with floral (violet tinged) dark fruit aromas, meaty and rich with a lot power but also elegance.
Cahors is the birthplace of Malbec and the Argentinian influence has improved quality in the region hugely. Cèdre also make a zero sulphur ‘extra-libre’ version which is juicy and soft but the original is also excellent with a little more structure and ageing potential. Prune, plum and cherry fruits followed by blackcurrants on the finish with good grip and concentration.
Dessert wines are not just for Christmas. Bev in L’Attitude 51 is selling this by the glass with Crozier Blue Cheese and dried pear, a combination not to be missed. From late picked Gros and Petit Manseng - light gold colour, honeyed peach and apricot aromas, luscious and fruity but with saline acidity. Delicious.
This is the second release from the Dingle Wheel of the Year Series and celebrates ‘Imbolc’, the Celtic Festival of Lá le Bríde which focuses on the seasonal awakening of Springtime. Matured in first fill bourbon casks before a long finish in first fill Rye casks there will be just 10,000 bottles released.
This has honey and candied dried fruit aromas underpinned by the classic rye aromas of grass with hints of earth. Lively and fresh on the palate with herbal touches that morph into rounded caramel flavours with spikes of mint and pepper. A long finish with spiced toffee notes.
