Ragnatela / The Spider’s (Cob) Web

Surprisingly pleasant: strong, velvety mouthfeel and good Fruit. Great with my Bung in the Oven pasta.

Danish Bulk Wine Consolidator / Bottler – now Finish Owned:

Uno Piu Uno, Puglia, 2015, Michele Biancardi

[categories Italy, Puglia, nero de troia, Primitivo ]

Produced in Cerignola near a very special part of the world – Gargano.

A concise list in the Linden Tree dining room at Carton House, this was chosen on the basis of perceived value in an otherwise expensive cluster. Big whack of vanilla, fruit and smooth alcohol delivery.

Negroamaro Primitivo, Luna Argenta, Puglia

Powerful, gritty, fruity wine, strong at 14.5%. I see this is another well made wine from MGM Mondo, which leads me to believe it’s retail origin is O’Briens. Negroamaro Primitivo grapes from Manduria near Taranto. Interesting “Golden Moon” blender’s philosophy. Solid heavy Burgundy bottle. Not cheap I suspect, a dinner party bring from Mr Burns.

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Puglia, Rosso, 2012, Marks & Spencer

Part of the wine choice in a Bank Holiday Meal deal.

We normally look forward to “pot luck” with these deals and choose the Italian as the most reliable.

Alas, not bad, but very standard fare from M&S who described is thus:

“Ripe but soft Italian red wine, deeply coloured with rich blackberry and cherry notes and hint of toasted nut”

Soft indeed. And bottled a long way from Puglia: http://www.casagirelli.it/Private-Label

Alberello, Salento Rosso 2010 – Felline

From Manduria in Puglia, this is a 50:50 blend of negroamaro & primitivo by maestro Gregory Perrucci.

Dark cherry colour, fruity nose, delivering a rustic backdrop from the region – perfect for everyday imbibing.

More information here

Cantalupi Salice Salentino 2009 Conti Zecca

From Puglia, near the town of Leverano in the Salento peninsula close to Lecce.

Beautiful fruit, robust,  mostly Negroamaro grape.

A bring from Dinner Guests. Delicious

We spit so you don’t have to …

… writes Ernie Whalley in last week’s Sunday Times 2013 Wine Companion, an insert in the July 14th edition.

110 wines tasted and reviewed.

Can’t say I disagree with the methodology or even with most of the tasting comments, though I have heard a few of them before.

In fact, I think Whalley’s Terroir notes are quite good.

What strikes me is the types and status of wines tasted and promoted by a mass middle market ‘Quality’ Sunday Newspaper.

Not to mention the vast value for money producing regions and territories completely ignored by a Wine ‘companion’.

Puglia. Loire Valley. Sardinia. Anyone?

A quick tot reveals that it would cost almost €2500 to stock your cellar with just one of each of the 110 bottles.

Yielding an average cost of €22.33 per bottle tasted.

€22.33.

A hefty wedge for a bottle of wine.

For which you would, not unreasonably, expect the wine to rate in the top Decile.

At these prices, swallow, don’t spit.

As one of my sisters in law says, there’s no need to spend more than a tenner a bottle in the off-trade these days, even with our tyrannical excise duty and VAT on wine.

Certainly for everyday drinking, given the many promotions and competition between the multiples.

For special occasions – and perhaps this is what the Sunday Times is aiming for, like its Michelin 3 Star  AA Gill restaurant reviews – OK perhaps, but it smacks to me of: we have a great idea; let’s set up a wine club; review the wines the shippers will give us the best deals on; get a local hack on board; flog the hell out of it – the more expensive the better – the more we’ll make.

Cynical?

Me, perhaps.

The Sunday Times, yes.

Maybe we should all spit.