Sainsbury's 25% off on 6+ wines – my Sherry amour!!

Sainsbury's have 25% off wines until 4th December if buy six or more bottles, which can be assorted. This offer includes their Sherries, so I have been cashing in on their excellent range of Taste the Difference 50cl bottles. All are sourced from the impeccable Emilio Lustau. I have been buying the Fino, Amontillado and Oloroso. These are a particularly good deal at the moment as the bottle price has been cut from the usual £8 to £7. Then take your 25% off, assuming you have invested in six or more and you end at just £5.25 a bottle. Stunning value! 

An excellent Australian 1987 Fino from Rosemount....

It is amazing what you occasionally come across lurking in the back of cupboards etc. Take this 1987 Hunter Valley Chardonnay from Rosemount, which we unearthed on Sunday. Leakage down to the shoulder and the wine several shades darker than when this Chardonnay was bottled. 

I pulled the cork to have a taste, expecting to pour the contents down the sink. Typical Australian Chardonnay it wasn't but it had developed into an interesting and very drinkable quite rich Australian Fino. Look out Jerez!

Sometimes wine can be remarkably indestructible!

Tesco's bargain Finest Sherry range on special offer

Special Reserve Amontillado from Barbadillo 

Have recently discovered excellent Tesco's range of Finest Special Reserve Sherries sourced from Bodegas Barbadillo. We are been enjoying their Manzanilla, Fino and Amontillado – all in handy 50cl bottles. There is also a dry Oloroso and a cream in the range. The normal price is £6.40 but there is £2 off until 13th August, so £4.40 – a real snip! For the quality £6.40 is a good deal but the special offer@£4.40 makes it a real bargain.

 Special Reserve Fino

Special Reserve Manzanilla

A glass or two, or three, of Sherry

Being rather fond of Sherry, one of the most under-rated and good-value wines, we don't need much of an excuse to raid the shelves of our local wine suppliers. Over the last few evenings we have sampled three delightful examples thinking about the recent and very sad passing of John Radford, a lover of all things Spanish and a great sherry enthusiast. We hope he would approve.

The first was a long-standing favourite Fino from Gonzales Byas, Tio Pepe. Pale-coloured, lovely fresh nose, wonderfully crisp and refreshing and long on the palate. A joy of an aperitif and just right to pep up the appetite.

The second, a Dry Oloroso, one of the Waitrose range of Lustau sherries, was a lovely dark bronze that shone in the glass. A bit of peach and apricot on the nose, then rich dried fig and prune on the palate ending with burnt caramel flavours but without the sweetness.  A lovely long dry finish.

The third, another from the Waitrose Lustau range, a Dry Amontillado. Slightly paler than the Oloroso but lovely rich nose and palate. Nutty with a touch of caramel, this had terrific length and a wonderfully austere dry finish. 

The Tio Pepe at £9.99 from Sainsbury's and the Waitrose Sherries at £8.99 each are stunning value. Difficult to find any other wine of such quality for under £10.

All three were superb but we both voted the Dry Amontillado as our overall favourite.  Glad we have some left for this evening!