Wines Direct this weekend has Château de Gaudou’s winemaker Fabrice Durou displaying on Saturday between 2-6pm. Château de Gaudou is between Bordeaux and Toulouse and makes wines from Malbec, a grape closely associated with the region around Cahors. Wines worth stopping by to taste include Gaudou Exception Malbec (€9 ) and Château de Gaudou Cahors (€10.50 ).
On the wine shelf
Astrolabe Voyage Marlborough Pinot Gris 2008 (O’Brien’s, €16.99 )
Pinot gris probably isn’t the first grape variety that you’ll head for on the shelves, particularly if you’ve been disappointed by pinot grigio, its lighter, crisper, more citrus alter ego that’s grown in north-western Italy. In Alsace, as with this option from New Zealand, the fruit is richer, typically sweeter with a spicy aromatic quality. O’Brien’s has probably two of the best pinot gris on the market with its Alsatian pinot gris from Marc Kreydenweiss, and this particular beauty. On the nose, it screams developing luscious fruit, while on the palate it’s rich and aromatic with a tropical peach intensity and a little sweetness. Great value wine that’s very easy to drink
Paddy Borthwick Paper Road Wairarapa Pinot Noir 2010 (Wines Direct, €12.90 )
From New Zealand’s Wairarapa close to Martinborough on the North Island’s southeast tip, this is 100 per cent pinot noir. On the nose it’s got plenty of cherry fruit dancing on a smoky backdrop. On the palate it’s again not shy of fruit with a little spice and balance to boot with a lively finish. In essence, uncomplicated pinot noir that is easy to drink on its own or as an ideal accompaniment to suit a selection of tastes for Sunday roast.
