I look at Tesco Finest Floreal and some new wines from Spar and Porta 6. The Raise a Glass feature is published in several UK regional newspapers.
I’ve just returned from my holidays and now the beginning of September beckons.
Does that mean we’re downhill from here into the greyer days of autumn and winter?
I guess so. Yet here are some new wine kids on the block that may keep you in a sunny mood.
New from Tesco is the white Tesco Finest Floreal (£8).
I’m told it is the first time this grape is available in a UK supermarket.
There’s a lot of action in the grape-growing world at the moment, as climate change and the growing emphasis on sustainability take hold.
Step forward this grape floreal, which I’m told has been developed by crossing American and Asian wild grapevines with European grapes.
It is resistant to some common diseases found in vineyards. That knocks on to a reduction in vine treatments and less CO2 emissions.
Tesco has worked with winemakers in the Languedoc and Loire Valley to develop the wine.
What does Floreal taste like?
It has aromas of pear, ripe apple, flowers and white peach and those same flavours nestle on the tastebuds, determined not to disappear too quickly.
Another white, new in at Tesco, comes from Porta 6, the leading Portuguese wine brand in the UK.
The Porta 6 red in Majestic (£8.99, or £8.29 in a buy six deal) is a comforting juicy go-to fruit bomb.
Could the brand’s Winemaker’s Selection White Wine (RRP £8.25, Tesco) have a similar effect?
It’s a majority blend of local grape varieties arinto and viosinho. International favourites viognier and chardonnay have a supporting role.
It’s a tropical and citrus-dappled wine which plays better on the palate with food; especially roast chicken and a crunchy spud.
A trio of Critter wines from Spar
Spar has just released new wines A Drop of Red, A Sip of White, and A Splash of Rosé which all come in at £4.99.
Spar names them Critter wines because of the animal illustrations on the labels.
The whole vibe of these Spanish blends is cheap and cheerful.
The white is described as “crisp and refreshing” and indeed it is. There are not many more adjectives to add.
The “fresh and fruity” pink is soft with strawberry and cranberry. The red, labelled as “bold and full-bodied” is a sensible 10.5% abv.
It’s very much on the playful red-fruited side with plums, raspberries and hints of candy.
I can see them at a late-summer barbecue party, nudging themselves into view.
First published in UK regional newspapers in August 2024.
Who is Jane Clare of One Foot in the Grapes? Read my story.