Luke's Monthly Wine Recommendations | Feb
All we need is love (and a little bit of wine)
I’ve made it my mission this month to spread some love and give you a much needed distraction from the news.
I would also like to take this time to share my love and say thank you for all of your kind comments recently. It’s my aim to make this my career and you give me the fire in my belly to keep on improving - so thank you!
On that note, Valentines Day is nearly upon us and a fantastic way to share the love is to gift your partner, your dog or yourself a subscription to my Wine World. Unlike roses, my gift will last for a month/year. You can also include a romantic message or gift anonymously!
Enough of the mushy stuff.
On to this month’s recommendations…..
M&S - La Cascata Passivento, Italy, Puglia £6.66 (down from £10)
I actually recommended this wine last year at its full price as an option if you like the Appassimento style (being full bodied with a hint of sweetness). Puglian wines won’t always be such good value and at this price, I think it is a really strong option plus Italian wine is the language of love so could help you get lucky over a romantic meal ;)
Aldi - Buenas Vides, Pinot Noir, Argentina £3.99 (down from £6.99)
This is an incredibly light version of Pinot Noir; unless consumed on its own the flavours will be lost instantly. £3.99 is stunning value for this wine though, and a superb option if you’re looking to dip your toe in the red wine game.
Waitrose - Waitrose No.1 Castillo Perelada Cava Brut £8.99 (down from £11.99)
I had to include a fizz for Valentines as part of this lineup. I visited the Perelada winery in Emporda, northern Spain in 2019 and it was a really amazing experience. It is the first winery in Europe to have achieved LEED GOLD sustainability certification, with one of the world's most extensive and complete enotourism experiences. I highly recommend visiting if you are in the area. As for the wines - they were fantastic. This is a super value fizz.
Lidl - Ca' del Lago, Lugana, Italy £7.99
Lidl currently has its Italian wine tour in full swing which I highly recommend checking out. Lugana is a picturesque, white wine-specific region in northern Italy, its vineyard area straddles the regional border between Lombardy in the west and Veneto in the east and it has Lake Garda on its doorstep. We don’t often see wines from this region in the UK therefore I was surprised to spot this one on Lidl’s shelves. Good job I did though as it is well worth a go if you like a flavoursome floral white wine.
ASDA - ASDA Extra Special Rosé, Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc Pinot Noir £7 (down from £9)
I’ve been asked a lot recently what is a good alternative to Provence Rosé and I think this is an intriguing option. Sauvignon Blanc blended with a little bit of Pinot Noir to create a blush. It has the hallmarks of a Kiwi Sauvignon with a good deal of intensity which is balanced out by the softness of the Pinot. If you are looking for something a little lively then this could be the ticket.
Waitrose - Luis Felipe Edwards Terraced Classic Merlot £5.99 (down from £7.99)
If you have been following my Wine Paradox series and want to try a straightforward balanced Merlot then this is a good option. Middle on all the components that make up the wine with those classic plummy flavours coming through.
Wine Society - Cabardès, Esprit de Pennautier 2017 £19
Finally, this is a level-up wine but I truly believe it is worth every 10 pence! Premium Southern French can be an oxymoron, but this is on my top 5 list all time favourite wines during my time spent at Majestic and customers absolutely loved it. It’s been out of stock on their website for a long time and I have now seen that the Wine Society stock it. It has a beautiful balance and richness to it and is definitely worth the step up for a Valentines treat. (Ignore the two star review on their website).
As always my recommendations are completely independent and I will always tell you otherwise if not.
Thank you again for being part of my journey. Keep watching my videos on TikTok or my other channels; YouTube Shorts and Instagram.
Together we can create the best wine community in the world so please share, like or comment on this article to take it to the next level.
Stay Corked,
Luke