Lidl Ireland are introducing some limited release French wines in their stores from Thursday 24th September 2020 in what they are calling their “September Wine Cellar”. I tasted the majority of them at the first press tasting since Covid first hit and can give them all a thumbs up. They aren’t likely to win any major awards but they are very good value for money and give wine drinkers a chance to try something representative of a style they might not have tried before.
Here are my brief notes on four of the rounder whites included in the event:
Bourgogne Chardonnay 2018
The labelling couldn’t be much more basic for this wine, with no producer name on the front – at least the grape variety is given! Burgundy is obviously the home of Chardonnay but the wines made with the simple Bourgogne appellation can vary hugely in quality, very much dependent on the producer. This example pours lemon in the glass, not quite as light as the four pale wines in my previous post. The nose has the faintest suggestion of oak, but is actually more likely to be leesiness from bâtonnage (they are easily confused by some people, i.e. me). There are also some confected fruits on the nose, but pleasant. The palate, by contrast, is not confected at all; it’s light and lithe, with red and green apple plus melon, but very mineral and fresh. This is a great example of Burgundy on a budget!
- ABV: 12.5%
- RRP: €8.99
- Stockists: Lidl Ireland
Val de Salis Pays d’Oc Réserve Chardonnay 2019
The same grape as above, made in the same country, but a different region: this makes for a totally different experience. While lean and racy wines can be made in the Languedoc (see Picpoul de Pinet), this Chardonnay revels in its breadth and juiciness. On the nose there is ripe melon (no, I’m not going to specify the type of melon), its anagram lemon and a touch of red apple. It has a very appealing bouquet that demands attention. The palate is soft and round, but still fresh. There’s a mineral, smoky finish to round it all off. This is a French Chardonnay which would appeal to fans of the grape grown in sunny places such as Australia or South Africa – a different but equally valid style compared to the Burgundy above.
- ABV: 13.5%
- RRP: €9.99
- Stockists: Lidl Ireland
Côtes de Gascogne Colombard Sauvignon 2019
From the eastern half of France we now move down to the south west, below Bordeaux, and my regular pick for best value French wine: Côte de Gascogne. This one is made with local grape Colombard and stalwart Sauvignon Blanc. It pours lemon in the glass and is – unusually for a Gascon wine – quite muted on the nose. The palate is far from muted, however. It shows ripe melon and pear, plus super zingy citrus, with a mouth-watering finish from the Sauvignon Blanc. This is a super tasty wine and represents great value for money.
- ABV: 12.5%
- RRP: €7.99
- Stockists: Lidl Ireland
Vallis Quietus Vaucluse Viognier 2019
Viognier is one of those grapes that I find difficult to get on with; it’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just that many examples of it don’t suit my tastes. Its homeland is the Rhône and that is where this example comes from, more specifically the département of Vaucluse. However, white wines make up just 15% of Vaucluse wines and Viognier is not even in the five most popular grapes, so this is still something of a rarity. And on opening it proves such with distinct honey notes on the nose, just gorgeous, with a hint of confected fruit and cooking spices. This is followed by a very rich mid-palate and a dry finish. I’d have preferred a sweeter finish myself but this is a really good example of inexpensive Viognier.
- ABV: 13.5%
- RRP: €9.99
- Stockists: Lidl Ireland
Star Pick
The more-ishness and freshness of the Bourgogne Chardonnay make it my favourite of the four.
4 thoughts on “Lidl’s September Wine Cellar – Rounder Whites”