Four Cheap screw-tops from Tesco

I found myself in Dun Laoghaire yesterday morning, so I popped into Tesco for some of their delicious houmous and maybe some vino. I have to say the selection of reds was pretty good but rather than buy some old faves I grabbed four (relative) cheapies, The Negroamaro and the SGM (?)  are new to me but the Malbec appears to be a new slant on a wine I had fallen out of like with. The Villa Maria should prove interesting, as it normally goes for north of €15, and their Sauvignon Blanc is pretty decent. 

Rawnsley Estate Shiraz Grenache Mourvedre 2012 - €9.00
Awful, cheap, and nasty. (Note: judicious use of Oxford comma) Gave it a couple of hours in the decanter and it didn't improve. Down the sink with it. Found someone else who didn't like it here.

Quindi Negroamaro 2012 - €9.00
Another "drinkable" wine - apologies for using that somewhat meaningless term again. There was a little bit a pleasant, plummy fruit and a touch of spice. Not bad value for nine europes, but probably not a runner for much more.

Trapiche Melodias Malbec 2011 - €9.00
You know, there was a more expensive Trapiche Malbec in Tesco and I should have bought it, cos I really didn't care for this melody. There was plenty of fruit but I (and Herself) found it slightly cloying. I haven't found (m)any decent Malbecs below €15 so no surprises here.

Villa Maria Malrborough Pinot Noir 2011 - €9.74
I had expected this to be the best of the four and it was, by a long way. Light bodied, but delicious with lashings of zingy raspberry fruit. If you like your NZ Pinots them go and stock up on this. It's great value as priced.

Superquinn French Wine Sale 2013 - Updated X2!

So I don't get invited to tastings any more, probably because I could never attend any, given that press tastings seem to be always on weekday mornings and I am now and have been (apart from a recent and distressing brush with the scratcher) gainfully employed. Although with hindsight, I should have gone on the hop at least once or twice, if I'd known how those relationships would end. 

So I drove my lazy ass down to Blackrock on Sunday and pick up a half dozen reds, some I'd had before, in different vintages, some not. I could link to previous blog posts but eh, no. Let's judge them on their own merits.

Full disclosure: I haven't been enjoying my reds for the last couple of weeks. I suspect it's the god-awful cold I've been struggling with, which seems to have put the kibosh on my taste buds.
Note: This post will probably encompass three or more tranches, tranche the first consists of the following two wines:

Etienne Barret Crozes-Hermitage 2011 - €12 (reduced from €16-79)
Hmmmmm. While I said I wouldn't refer to previous reviews I do know that I used to like this wine very much, in previous vintages. This vintage didn't impress me, especially at it's notional non-sale price. It started off quite acidic but gradually smoothed out until it became a pleasant but unremarkable red. Not one I'd recommend at either price, I'm afraid.

Domaine Cristia Ventoux 2011 - €8 (reduced from €17-49)
Apparently the most expensive of my six purchases (pre-sale), this was a bit of a tannic beast at first but has been slowly softening ever since (I know the feeling). It's a bit peppery, maybe needs food to shine and on another night I'd probably be enjoying it more. For now it's perfectly fine and good value as priced.
 

Part Deux
Charles Vienot Grenache-Syrah-Mourvedre 2011 - €8 (reduced from €11-99)
This has the advantage of being open since last night, so no surprises that it's nicely opened up and is well balanced with some lovely fruity Grenache'y flavours. Good value as priced. 

Domaine Astruc Syrah Viognier 2011 - €8 (reduced from €12-99)
Yummy! A blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier. It's got the classic old-world Syrah flavours with a little twist. I do like the New World version of this (D'Arenberg's Laughing Magpie is a lovely, if regrettably expensive example).


Part Threux
Chateau Lorgeril Cabardes 2009 - €10 (reduced from €15-79) 
I had this 2 years ago (the 2008) and this is what I said then - " Not bad. A little rough and ready initially, but rounded out over an hour or so to be a chunky, if unsubtle red. " Yep. No change here. OK value for a tenner, not worth 15 notes, IMHO. I would suspect a full day in the decanter would do this wine a power of good.

Domaine La Condamine L'Eveque Mourvedre Cotes De Thongue 2011 - €8 (reduced from €11-99) This was a bargain last year at €7, and is still good value as priced. Warm and fruity but in an old-world way. I have bought this a number of times last year, which is the acid test, I guess