Wine Press: Mother’s Day wines and special treats

Mums are special and it’s only right they have a special day. And on their special day, it’s only right they have a special treat.

My idea of such a treat is a lovely glass of wine for Mother’s Day.

I’m going to launch straight in with a handful of extraordinary wines, at prices more than average.

Why would mum like them? Well, mums like a treat, but make sure if you buy something like this it really is a treat for mum; not one you sip sneakily.

Some of my favourite wines are from Germany, and they are too often overlooked.

Oliver Zeter Pinot Noir Reserve 2010
Oliver Zeter Pinot Noir Reserve 2010

Oliver Zeter Pinot Noir Reserve 2010 (£27.99, redsquirrelwine.com) Well, at nearly £30 you’d want to be confident mum would like this. I’m pretty sure she would if she’s a fan of pinot noir.

All of the wines from German brothers Oliver and Christian Zeter include an illustration of a bear on the label. This one is a big cuddly bear of a wine, with the aroma of mushrooms picked from dewy dawn undergrowth. There are lots and lots of cherries, raspberries and a freckle of spice. I loved it. It’s more of a treat when you discover that only 2,800 bottles of this vintage were made.

Prinz von Hessen Dachsfilest Riesling 2013, (£25.95, Slurp.co.uk) has a limey burst on the nose with a lift of floral and just a temptation of honey. Then a wave of tropical fruit. Why would mum like this? German rieslings are among the best in the world. Don’t think sickly warm German hock; think beautiful bright white perfection.

Prinz von Hessen Dachsfilest Riesling 2013
Prinz von Hessen Dachsfilest Riesling 2013

A pretty opaque white champagne bottle enshrouds newly launched Canard Duchene Charles VII Smooth Rosé NV (RRP £31.50, www.thechampagnecompany.com). The light pink champagne rosé is a blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay. It has delicate aromas of berries and each sip is a strawberry and redcurrant compote.

If budgets are a bit more modest, how about these:

Blackfoot Daisy Pinot Grigio (£8.99, Virgin Wines) is a flavour tumble of Sunday apple pie, pears and a knife-edge squeeze of lime. I enjoyed every mouthful of this wine from Australia, which is saying something as pinot grigio is a wine I usually avoid. The fruity aromas led to a button-bright flavour and crisp fruity finish.

Winemakers’ Selection Moscato
Winemakers’ Selection Moscato

For a sweet, fresh, light, fruity drop of a sparkle then Winemakers’ Selection Moscato (Sainsbury, £6.50) is a nice one to try. It’s only 7% abv so light on the alcohol, as well as being good on the pocket. It would make a brilliant light sparkle in the garden, but for Mothers’ Day would add a peachy zizz-zazz to a pretty dessert. Its sherberty sweetness is very moreish indeed, specially when chilled for a long time.

Over at the Co-op Valdo Prosecco Treviso DOC Extra Dry NV (£6.99 down from £10.49 until March 17) ticks all the boxes where prosecco is concerned. Delicate, lovely and bubbly, pears and apples, What’s not to like in a prosecco? For a mum’s red, save £3 on   reduced to £9.99 until the end of the month at Tesco. It’s a blend of merlot, cabernet franc, and cabernet sauvignon, Aromas of chunky cherry and in the mouth, plums pack a spicy punch.

Also in my glass …. There’s some deep red gorgeous, rich, scrummy Languedoc reds from Calmel & Joseph. They have an RRP of £11.99 at independents including Daniel Lambert Wines, Loki Wines and Richard Granger Wine and are sun in a glass.

Calmel & Joseph Vieux Carignan Côtes du Brian owes its very existence to vines planted in 1890. No dilly dallying around, the flavour is slightly savoury, some herbs, pecks of pepper and the red fruits surge through. Keep an eye out for the equally delightful Saint Chinian (wild herbs and spice) and Corbieres (red and black fruits with a lick of liquorice).

Published in the saturday extra magazine March 7, 2015

Liverpool Echo – South Wales Echo – Daily Post Wales – Huddersfield Examiner – The Chronicle, Newcastle – Teesside Evening Gazette – Birmingham  Mail – Coventry Telegraph – Paisley Daily Express

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