February Wine Picks #13
Good value wines (11 new) Independently reviewed, on sale until March 4
Hello and welcome back.
At the top of the newsletter are my best 5 value-for-pleasure wine picks for February. These top 5 are chosen for wine quality and the time limited discounted pricing currently available for them.
Wine Bargains - Let's Get Started
The wine bargains below are independently reviewed by me and are widely available from B.C. government stores.
There are many more wines on sale in February than there were in January but I have sifted them down to the very best value wines. This month’s sale goes until March 4.
This month there are 35 wines in all, including 11 new Wine Picks. For paid subscribers, you will also find that the Master List of all the Wine Picks over the last year, has been updated to include this month’s new wine picks.
For this month, the wines chosen are in these styles:
Ripe Fruit Forward Reds (10 wines) | Savoury Fruit Reds (9 wines) | Lighter Fruit Reds (2 wines) | Medium Bodied Smooth Whites (5 wines) | Bigger, Oak Influenced Whites (2 wines) | Crisp Dry Whites (4 wines) | Rosé (1 wine) | Sparkling (2 wines)
For detailed descriptions of the wine styles see An Illustrated Guide To Wine Styles
TOP 5 VALUE-FOR-PLEASURE WINE PICKS FOR FEBRUARY
Savoury Fruit Reds Style (plenty of fruit - but think fruit tea, cranberry, tomato sauce or fruit leather)
#1. FINCA SOPHENIA ALTOSUR MALBEC - UCO VALLEY, ARGENTINA $21.99 reduced to 18.99 until March 4 - 750 ml.
On the nose, black plum fruit and a touch of tar. Concentrated aroma but still fairly savoury fruit. On the taste, plummy, savoury fruit flavours with silky, soft rounded tannins. On the finish, a bit of dried fruit such as currants and prune with a very smooth texture, more like a merlot. Unusual and interesting, good fruit intensity without being big bodied.
This wine received 97 points and Best in Show at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2022 in London. Outstanding value. Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU 186588
Ripe Fruit Forward Reds Style (think ripe cherries)
#2. ANTINA TOLLO PIETRAME LTD. EDITION MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO, ITALY 14.99 reduced to 12.99 until March 4 - 750 ml.
Here again is a crossover wine from what might be expected to be a savoury red from Italy, to the fruit forward category. On the nose plummy, ripe cherry, touch of tar. The flavours are similar. Relatively simple overall but a restrained alcohol level combined with lower acidity, vinification in stainless steel only and good intensity makes this a winner. Great, great easy sipping deal. Tasted ✓ 87 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 480205
#3. SAN PEDRO 1865 LAS MORADAS SINGLE VINEYARD CARMENERE - MAULE VALLEY, CHILE $25.99 reduced to 19.99 until March 4 - 750 ml.
The aroma here is of lovely, slightly “dusty” red plum skin fruit with some floral notes (lilac). The graceful balance in this wine is apparent even on the first whiff. The taste follows through with rounded, generous, floral tinged berry fruit with a good mouthwatering acidity and very soft, silky tannins. The intensity of flavour here is about medium for a red wine and is not big bodied. Impressive value here, it just seems to slide so easily out of the glass. Highly recommended. Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU 771394
Rosé Style (crisp, fresh flavours & nuances from citrus to tart red fruit to herbal depending on grape(s) used)
#4. PROTEA DRY ROSÉ - SOUTH AFRICA $15.99 reduced to $13.99 until March 4 - 750 ml.
Very light hibiscus and rose hip on the nose. The flavour is light, clean with good acidity, some rose hip and a touch of watermelon on the ending. Elegant, subtle, not elaborate but very nice clean flavours and well priced. Good balance with a medium length in the finish. Tasted ✓ 87 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 18794
Crisp, Dry Whites (Sauvignon Blanc & Similar)
#5 LEFT FIELD SAUVIGNON BLANC - NELSON, NEW ZEALAND $19.99 reduced to $15.99 until March 4 - 750 ml.
This wine is blended from vineyards across New Zealand. The usual sauvignon blanc gooseberry notes are milder here, along with a touch of melon rind and some light tropical fruit notes. Overall a gentler, more nuanced version of NZ sauvignon that is more about persuasion than flamboyance. Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 168498