Spring into action
With spring finally here our Drinks Editor James Viner selects eight beautiful bottles under £15 that capture the season’s fresh, vibrant mood, for the tables of Tunbridge Wells…
On 20 March, the vernal equinox marks the start of astronomical spring. ‘Budbreak’ or ‘budburst’ in the vineyard is subtle but decisive, signifying the grapevine’s awakening from winter dormancy (though frosts remain a threat to young shoots) in the Northern Hemisphere. The same shift occurs in the glass: as daylight lengthens, we reach for light- to medium-bodied wines with energy, definition and finesse rather than weighty oak.
From vivid Kentish Bacchus to poised rosé, sunlit Vermentino and a pungent Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc, these bottles channel the spring season. Each favours freshness over heft – made for brighter, longer days (and lighter fare).
A Must-Try Primaveral Rosé…
1. Chassaux et Fils, Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire Rosé 2024, France (£10.99, Aldi, 12.5%)
This keenly priced, pale salmon-pink Provençal beauty offers red berry, orange peel, pink grapefruit, melon, and a lingering nectarine finish. It’s chic, fresh and confidently hued – a jewel on Aldi’s shelves, tailor-made for fish curry, tandoori chicken, sushi or garlicky roast lamb. Pure pleasure.
Springtime Whites…
2. D’Arenberg, Dry Dam Riesling 2024, McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills, Australia (£10 offer, down from £13 until 25 March, Waitrose, 10.5%)
Snag this racy, impeccably balanced, lowish-alcohol Aussie Riesling from an icon in McLaren Vale near Adelaide and revel in its laser-like sweep of lime, Granny Smith apple, pink grapefruit, lemon sherbet and cleansing acidity. Impressively persistent on the finish. Drinking beautifully now, it should evolve well over the next few years. Worth stocking up on the offer.
3 Albastrele Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Cravet Hill, Moldova (£11.99, Laithwaites, 12.8%)
Moldova boasts more vineyards than South Africa. This central-region Sauvignon Blanc is a highly verdant, appetising left-field bottle with a lissom palate: think sun-kissed stone and tropical fruits cut with snow pea and green herbs. It won’t be a long-lived wine, but for early drinking, it’s zippy and easy to enjoy. Spot-on with charcuterie or a Kent fish supper.
4. Seifried, Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Nelson, New Zealand (£15.50, Tesco, 13%)
Textbook sparky Sauvignon Blanc from Nelson in the north-west of New Zealand’s South Island, with a vivid array of crushed lime, tomato leaf and a flicker of gooseberry – chock-full of ‘green’ flavours derived from flavour compound ‘methoxypyrazine,’ resulting in herbaceousness. Right in the zone. Pour with goat’s cheese salad, Thai green curry, or moules marinières.
5. Tenuta Moraia, Organic Vermentino 2024, Maremma Toscana, Italy (£15 mix-six price, Majestic, 12.5%)
Textured and elegant, this sapid organic Vermentino from coastal southern Tuscany shows delicate notes of grass and herbs, layered with acacia, almond, orange, and lime. A saline-mineral finish gives it bite. Built for grilled fish, pesto pasta, or spaghetti alle vongole. Intriguing.
6. Chapel Down Bacchus 2024, Kent (£16, Sainsbury’s, 12%)
Bone-dry and aromatic, this Bacchus from arguably Kent’s flagship producer Chapel Down offers lime zest, nettle, gooseberry, hawthorn, elderflower and crisp green apple. A compelling and nicely put-together, poised home-grown vinous counterpoint to imported Sauvignon Blanc. Excellent alongside crab, asparagus, oysters, trout or spring vegetables.
Springtime Reds…
7. Bononia Estate, Gomotartzi Gamza-Cabernet Franc 2024, Danube Plain, Bulgaria (£11.50, The Wine Society, 13.5%)
Built on Gamza, a capricious, delicately skinned, low-tannin grape grown at a converted brewery near the Danube, blended with fragrant Cabernet Franc, this north-west Bulgarian wine bursts with plum and crunchy red fruit, threaded with herbs. Best lightly chilled. Try it with goulash?
8. Collin Bourriset, Fleurie 2023, Beaujolais, France (£14.25, Co-op, 13%)
Cru Beaujolais remains firmly in favour among French wine drinkers and wine importers alike. This perfumed Fleurie hits the mark with flirtatious ripe red fruit, black cherry and a touch of graphite and spice. Elegant and unforced, it will vanish from your glasses mid-conversation. Seamless and charming. Hello roast lamb, tuna steak or coq au vin.
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