Great wines from one shop to celebrate a different Easter

There is no doubt that this is not the Easter weekend that most of us had in mind earlier in the year but here we are, living in a strange world and trying to stay safe and make the most of where we find ourselves.
By Alistair Gibson
Published 10th Apr 2020, 00:00 BST
Tesco Finest Gavi.Tesco Finest Gavi.
Tesco Finest Gavi.

Carrying on my theme from last week, I visited Tesco for my weekly shop and selected some wines off the shelves. Here are my recommendations.

Australian riesling has long been a go-to white wine for me. In many ways it was a style of wine that actually opened my eyes to the great European rieslings, in particular those from Germany and Alsace. Finest Tingelup Riesling 2018, Great Southern (Tesco £8, on offer from £9.00 until April 13) is a great introduction to this style and has long been one of the stars of Tesco’s Finest range.

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Made for Tesco by Howard Park Wines, it comes from Great Southern, a region in Western Australia, which is not as well known for riesling as the Clare or Eden Valleys in South Australia. If you still believe that all riesling is too sweet then let this wine show you just what you are missing. The nose is fresh and bursting with lime and grapefruit, followed by a clean, zingy palate with more lime and some bright acidity, with a fruit-driven finish. This is almost the perfect spring wine, and like many rieslings it’s really versatile with food. If you were having a roast or an Asian-inspired stir fry this would be great, or serve with asparagus or some simple grilled fish on the barbecue.

Tesco Finest Coonawara Cabernet Sauvignon.Tesco Finest Coonawara Cabernet Sauvignon.
Tesco Finest Coonawara Cabernet Sauvignon.

If you want to step away from pinot grigio and haven’t tried Gavi from north-west Italy yet, then Finest Gavi 2018, DOCG (Tesco £7.50 on offer from £8.50 until April 13) is a really well-made example. Made from the local cortese grape, this has citrus peel and some dried herbs on the nose, followed by a fresh palate with greengage and citrus fruit, juicy acidity and a long, dry finish. This is another very versatile white wine which you could happily serve with a seafood risotto or a roast chicken.

If you are having roast lamb, then Finest Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 (Tesco £8, on offer from £9 until April 13) would be just the ticket. This is classic Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon with notes of mint, dark fruits and a little cedar on the nose, followed by a really well balanced palate with more dark fruits, some crunchy acidity and some ripe tannins.

This is really good value. Try decanting an hour before serving and it will make a great addition to the Easter table.

Related topics:TescoWestern AustraliaGermany