...And to drink?
I like nothing better than a drink when the sun comes out. It’s the taste, the conviviality and the slow changing of consciousness as the alcohol works its magic, which I like. The operative word is slow. I don’t want wines that whack me around the head with alcohol. You can buy low-alcohol or even wines that have had their alcohol removed, but they don’t taste very good. Happily there are wines that are naturally low in alcohol: hunting grounds are Germany, England, Vinho Verde from Portugal, Semillon from the Hunter Valley in Australia and the sparkling wines of Italy. I class anything below 12% as low alcohol. Particularly good are sweet or off -dry wines where not all the sugar has been turned into alcohol.
Chapel Down Bacchus 2013, £12.99: www.waitrosedirect.com
With aromas of elderfl ower and cut grass, it’s uncanny how much this smells of an English summer. There are also some lemons here and it’s bone dry.
Vinhos Sogrape Vinho Verde Quinta de Azevedo 2013, £8.22: www.majestic.co.uk
Slightly floral and tangy with a little nuttiness at the end – supremely refreshing.
NV Cavicchioli Malvasia Emilia IGT, £7.99: www.morrisons.com
It smells very fresh and lemony; in the mouth it’s really quite sweet but also fresh, fl oral and not at all cloying. And it’s only 8% alcohol.
Broc Cellars Vine Starr Zinfandel 2012, £25.95: www.robersonwine.com
Wow, this is fresh and only 12% alcohol. There is lots of beautiful ripe fruit but not a trace of jam. It’s nothing like any Zinfandel I’ve tasted before – one to give people who think Californians can’t do elegant wine.
Chapel Down Bacchus 2013, £12.99: www.waitrosedirect.com
With aromas of elderfl ower and cut grass, it’s uncanny how much this smells of an English summer. There are also some lemons here and it’s bone dry.
Vinhos Sogrape Vinho Verde Quinta de Azevedo 2013, £8.22: www.majestic.co.uk
Slightly floral and tangy with a little nuttiness at the end – supremely refreshing.
NV Cavicchioli Malvasia Emilia IGT, £7.99: www.morrisons.com
It smells very fresh and lemony; in the mouth it’s really quite sweet but also fresh, fl oral and not at all cloying. And it’s only 8% alcohol.
Broc Cellars Vine Starr Zinfandel 2012, £25.95: www.robersonwine.com
Wow, this is fresh and only 12% alcohol. There is lots of beautiful ripe fruit but not a trace of jam. It’s nothing like any Zinfandel I’ve tasted before – one to give people who think Californians can’t do elegant wine.