March Wine Deals #25
Hello and welcome back.
This month’s sale lasts until March 31. There are forty-eight great value wines available this month, including seven new Wine Picks and thirteen 90+ point wines. As always, new wine picks are placed at the top of each flavour profile category, previous picks now on sale are next and the Rarer Bird category is listed below that.
Wine Bargains - Let's Get Started
The wine bargains below are independently reviewed by me and most are widely available from B.C. government stores.
For March, the wines chosen are in these styles:
Ripe Fruit Forward Reds (18 wines, 2 new) | Savoury Fruit Reds (6 wines) | Lighter Fruit Reds (3 wines) | Medium Bodied Smooth Whites (8 wines, 1 new) | Bigger, Oak Influenced Whites (3 wines) | Crisp Dry Whites (7 wines, 2 new) | Aromatic Whites (1 wine) | Rosé (2 wines, 2 new)
TOP 5 VALUE-FOR-PLEASURE WINE PICKS FOR MARCH
Ripe Fruit Forward Reds Style (think ripe cherries)
#5 DOÑA PAULA LOS CARDOS MALBEC 2022 - ARGENTINA
$14.99 reduced to 9.99 until March 31 - 750 ml.
A single digit priced malbec? Could it be worthwhile? Happy to say that this is quite pleasant and drinkable with no off-flavours, lingering medicinal tangs or impassable tannins. So what separates it from other Argentinian malbecs at twice the price? As you might expect it’s a little simpler, a little plainer, and has less distinct malbec character than the higher priced models but the main difference here is chiefly that it has less intensity and it is definitely lighter bodied. Other than that it is well balanced with pleasing fruit components and satisfying - what the English would call “cheap and cheerful”. The price here is unbeatable. Worth loading up on this one. Tasted ✓ 87 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU 633628
#4 MALBADO MALBEC 2022 - LUJÁN DE CUYO, MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
$22.99 reduced to $17.99 until March 31 - 750 ml.
This 2020 vintage of this wine was featured in this newsletter and reviewed before. The current vintage is the 2022 and I thought I would taste it again. I am a real fan of this wine and it is on deep discount once again this month. I'm delighted to say that it is even more impressive in this vintage.
On the nose, lilac touched dark plum fruit, blackberry, raspberry. Initially, it's so floral it almost upstages the ample fruit. This vintage is really something. On the flavours, a silky ribbon of plum, with very ripe blackberry. This wine has that rare combination of power and elegance, as well as a long, long finish. As it opened up it just got more complex, wavelike and integrated. The floral notes lasted well into the stretched out finish. Highly recommended. Tasted ✓ 90 Points
Wines from Luján du Cuyo are a little different than the majority of Argentinian malbecs and this wine demonstrates that difference. Luján de Cuyo is a sub-region of Mendoza in Argentina. In 1993 it became Argentina’s first official wine appellation and it’s wines were responsible for putting Argentinian malbecs on the world wine map. The vineyards are at especially high altitudes of 700m – 1100m producing large day and night-time temperature variations like the Okanagan Valley. Malbec from this area usually shows more black fruits like blueberry, blackberry and dark plums as it does in this wine.
Find Store Nearest You SKU 495601
Savoury Fruit Reds (think fruit tea, cranberry, tomato sauce)
#3 UMANI RONCHI MEDORO SANGIOVESE 2021 - MARCHE, ITALY
$14.99 reduced to 11.99 until March 31 - 750 ml.
Pale in colour, this is simple, honest sangiovese, the grape best known as the main component in Chianti. Easy and delightful, with aromas of light plum and cherry, leather, hard red candy, vanilla and sarsaparilla. In its flavours, cherry, cherry pit, tobacco, softer tannins, good acidity and savoury herbs. It’s small scale but flavourful, balanced and organically grown. Not overly complex or lengthy or elaborate but earthy and honest with a clean crisp finish. This is an authentic wine that would match with pizza, red sauce pasta and grilled meats. A great introduction to sangiovese and an amazing deal this month. Drinks like it should cost $20.00. Highly recommended. Tasted ✓ 88 Points
Find Store Nearest You SKU: 113592