Wine of the week #22: Corbieres (Red/France)

Hi all,

An eventful this week with the Twitter account hacked, the first Diploma exam (1 gone 5 to go!) and another Thirsty Thursday last night. With all this, a slightly belated TippleTips' wine of the week but worth the wait: a bargain Corbieres at £3.49! And yes, it's very good!

THANKS to Liz & John for trying and suggesting this one!

What it is

A dry red wine made from Carignan, Grenache, Mourvedre & Syrah in the South West of France (by the Pyrénées).

What to expect

Appearance: a deep ruby colours & some thick legs

Nose: it's not complex but full of black fruits and spices (pepper) .  

Palate: full of fresh black fruits (blackberry) and balanced by a refreshing acidity. The alcohol and tannins are definitely on the upper side but soft and very well integrated. The finish is warm, pleasant and longer than expected.

A SOLID, ROUND & FRUITY WINE FULL OF FRESH BLACK FRUIT. A REAL SURPRISE AND A PERFECT TABLE WINE UNDER £4.

Score: 7-8/10

You'll like it if you I like: full-bodied reds; Minervois and Fitou; Australian Shiraz; Aglianico, Negro Amaro and other Southern Italy or Sicilian reds; Malbec; Carmenere; Rioja Crianza.

Have it with:

Lamb like a Country Lamb Casserole or a good ol' Raymond Blanc Cassoulet.

Cheap alternative: Meat Feast pizza or even BBQ.

Where to find it

1) Tesco - Corbieres 'Selected by Tesco' - £3.49. As shown above.

2) Majestic - Aigues Vives - £6.99 (on offer)

3) JS - House Corbieres - £3.99. Recommended by Ned Halley.

Did you know

> The Corbieres appellation is split in two parts: one along the coast and one more in land.

> Carignan is the leading variety in Corbieres but Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache have to represent minimum 50% of the final wine blend.

> Carignan is a late ripening grape with a poor reputation as it is usually high in tannin, alcohol and acidity but relatively low in finesse. On top of it is also very sensitive to downy and powdery mildew (fungi).

Enjoy your wine!

Cheers

:@lex