Our wine expert ALEX HAMILTON samples two red delights from Chile and France.
Some glasses to warm up these cold evenings.
As the winter evenings are still with us and seem to be getting ever colder, I have selected a budget, yet vibrant and juicy wine from Chile plus a warm and spicy red from the south of France.
Chilean Merlot 2005 £2.98 Asda
A fun wine from the Central Valley in Chile. This must be one of the cheapest reds I have ever purchased; yet it offers reasonable soft and juicy sweet fruit flavours from the merlot grape variety. It does possess a certain amount of obvious rusticity but who cares, as it's a bargain basement price. This will go well with hearty winter cuisine such as bangers and mash, beef stew or steak.
Corbieres 2004 £5.49 Marks & Spencer
A smooth and spicy red from one of the main winemaking regions of the Languedoc in the South of France. Made from a blend of Carignan, Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre the wine offers ample plum and blackberry flavours balanced by lovely spice and pepper.
This wine evokes a feeling of lazy summer days in the South of France, just sit back, pour and enjoy.
Read more from Alex at his website www.redwinereview.me.uk
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