We have two wines from O’Briens this week, both of which feature in the chain’s autumn wine sale. The Côtes de Gascogne tastes remarkably like a sauvignon blanc, but in fact does not contain a drop.
Instead, it is made from a blend of three local varieties: colombard, gros manseng and ugni blanc. Together, they produce nicely aromatic wines filled with racy green fruits and a dry finish; sounds familiar?
O’Briens has been selling the Wildflower range of Romanian wines for some time now. They are all single-varietal wines with fresh, clean fruits. On promotion, they offer great value for money. The merlot is no exception.
Very aromatic with attractive apple and pear fruits cut through with lemon zest, finishing dry. This would go perfectly with a wide variety of seafood dishes, shellfish in particular. Try it with Asian prawns.
Soft, supple, earthy, ripe plum fruits with some spice on the rounded finish. Good by itself or with lighter red meats, charcuterie, or roast Mediterranean vegetables.