12 New Wines Under £20 To Try This Spring
WHITE
Brampton Sauvignon Blanc, £8.49
Country: South Africa
Why I like it: This sauvignon blanc has all the classic sauvignon characteristics you’d expect to find in a bottle at this price: it’s crisp, but eventually there are tropical fruit flavours of gooseberry, lychee and passion fruit which come through. Plus, it’s great value for the quality on offer.
Pair it with: This would be delicious with a fresh crunchy salad and grilled fish or meats – just imagine sitting out for that first BBQ of the season…
Available here
Quinta de La Rosa Branco, £14.99
Country: Portugal
Why I like it: People associate Portugal with either port or deep red wines, but they have some excellent whites, too. This is dry, minerally and fresh with a tang of citrus fruits about it. Made by the Bergqvist family, who have been making wines in the Douro valley since 1815, their boutique hotel is also well worth a stay if you’re headed to the area.
Pair it with: Enjoy it as a refreshing aperitif or for the main event – the crisp minerality is great with any sort of seafood, which is how the Portuguese like to drink it, too.
Available here
Creation Chardonnay, £14.99
Country: South Africa
Why I like it: Carolyn and her husband Jean-Claude have created a beautiful estate at Creation and use the land, climate and local French wine making knowledge to produce award-winning chardonnays. This fuller bodied white has sublime minerality, with a smattering of pear and vanilla characteristics.
Pair it with: At their restaurant (Creation Sensation Tasting Experience – the ultimate epicurean experience) they would probably pair it with something amazing. As for every day, this would go well with a hearty vegetable curry.
Available here
ROSÉ
Domaine Gayda La Minuette Rosé, £11.99
Country: France
Why I like it: The palate on this rosé has a long, juicy minerality with a fresh and perfumed raspberry sensation at the finish. Domaine Gayda produces very good quality wines for a very reasonable price.
Pair it with: This rosé pairs nicely with many foods. Try putting together a Mediterranean platter and imagine you’re sitting in the sun, in the south of France.
Available here
La Croix Belle, Caringole Rosé, £10.99
Country: France
Why I like it: This is an absolute gem of a wine, and it’s such great value. Pale, dry, light, and with lovely integrated acidity, you can get two bottles of this for the price of one of the more popular rosés out there.
Pair it with: It’s the perfect companion for a classic combination like salmon, buttered potatoes and green vegetables.
Available here
Simpsons Pinot Noir Rosé, £14.99
Country: England
Why I like it: Made from pinot noir grapes, this is made in the southern French or Provencal-style. Simpsons makes very good quality English wine – when we’re allowed, consider visiting them in Kent for an incredible wine experience. Clean and fresh, with acidity this wine has an array fruit flavours of peach, grapefruit and lychee.
Pair it with: A big summery salad full of rocket, feta, pomegranate and figs.
Available here
SPARKLING
Vilarnau Brut Reserva Cava, £10
Country: Spain
Why I like it: Inspired by its home city of Barcelona (as you tell from the Gaudi sleeve) this sparkling wine is fantastic value and a great alternative to champagne. Pale yellow with golden highlights, it’s candied on the nose with a good concentration of aromas – predominantly white flowers and green apple fruit.
Pair it with: Rounded in the mouth, this wine offers a perfect balance of flavours. It is rich and smooth – which makes it the perfect pour for canapes.
Available here
Boschendal La Grande Pavillion Sparkling Brut Rose, £16.95
Country: South Africa
Why I like it: If you’re going to South Africa, you have to check out Boschendal – it’s an incredible estate to visit. This stunningly sparkling wine is made from mostly chardonnay and merlot grapes, with the end result being a sparkling wine with splendid red-fruit flavours and a refreshing finish.
Pair it with: Have a sushi night in and crack open a bottle of bubbles to celebrate. They might be from different worlds, but the two complement each other wonderfully.
Available here
La Gioiosa Prosecco, £11.99
Country: Italy
Why I like it: Prosecco is from northern Italy and is often a little sweeter than drier sparkling wine styles, like champagne, English sparkling wine or cava. This is a classic example of a great prosecco from a family business. The wine is named after the local motto: ‘Marca gioiosa et amorosa’ – loosely translated as a ‘joyful and amorous’ place.
Pair it with: This is full of classic prosecco flavour. Think white blossom, pear and peachy stone fruit, which makes it a delicious party wine because it’s so versatile and will go with any number of food styles. Great for buffets.
Available here
RED
Terre Siciliane Frappato Baglio di Pianetto, £14.99
Country: Sicily, Italy
Why I like it: This is a great summer red – a classic Sicilian table wine. It is lighter and fruitier, although it has good complexity, while still making for very easy drinking. Perfect for those balmy summer nights…
Pair it with: Sticking to the Italian theme, it’ll go brilliantly with pizza. But trust me, it slips down just as well without food.
Available here
Mont Gras Reserva Pinot Noir, £9.49
Country: Chile
Why I like it: If you find yourself in a pub and ‘in doubt’ then Chilean red is always a great option. More often than not, they make high-quality wines for a good price. This is an example of one such pinot noir – it’s elegant, complex and refined.
Pair it with: Pinot noir is a lighter style, so it’s often paired with lighter food. But this one works equally well with meat – try it with lamb on Easter Sunday.
Available here
Stellenrust Old Bush Vine Cinsault, £7.49
Country: South Africa
Why I like it: A good value, easy drinking summer red, cinsault, often known as ‘hermitage’ in South Africa, is a lighter style. This wine is soft and silky with red cherry characteristics, which makes it perfect for spring and summer days.
Pair it with: Great for a BBQ of grilled vegetables and fish, you can also drink this one on its own. Also, consider popping it in the fridge for a bit prior to drinking. Red wines should be kept between 15°C – 18°C, but lighter styles can be kept as cool as 13°C for serving.
Available here
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