Molloys Liquor Stores is a off licence group with 10 outlets around Dublin plus their website www.molloys.com.  Their range is biased towards cost-conscious everyday bottles, but as they import many of them exclusively they can cut out the middle-man and offer good value for money.

Here are some of the highlights from their recent press tasting:

Champagne Jean Comyn “Harmonie” Brut NV (€34.99)

It’s a bakery in a bottle!  An amazing brioche nose points to extended ageing on the lees – the minimum for a non vintage Champagne is 15 months but I would guess at double that or more.  There’s fresh strawberry on the attack (from Pinots Noir and Meunier) followed by lemon (from Chardonnay), and a crisp finish.

This won a silver medal at last year’s IWC which is impressive for an unknown (to me at least) brand.  Please don’t buy Moët, buy this instead – it’s far nicer.

Botter Prosecco DOC Spumante “Extra Dry” NV (€16.49)

Decoding the label tells us that this Prosecco  is fully sparkling (Spumante) and north of off-dry – confusingly Extra Dry means no such thing, but consumers like to think that they like dry wines.  This is the most expensive of the five Proseccos that Molloys import – the extra tax on Spumante compared to Frizzante ensures it’s not one of the cheapest – but I think it’s also the best value.

I don’t mind a glass of Prosecco but I rarely fancy a second – this is an exception to that rule.  This has a grapey nose (go figure!) and then pear and red apple on the palate, wrapped in a creamy lemon mousse.  It’s not trying to be Champagne but it is a grown up drink that should please most.

Colombelle l’Original IGP Côtes de Gascogne 2013 (€8.99)

Gascony is more famous for its brandy – Armagnac – than for its wines.  Thankfully this means that they remain a relative bargain.  Colombard is usually the main grape, supported by Ugni Blanc and / or Sauvignon Blanc for a bit of extra zip.  This example comes from Producteurs Plaimont, a quality and value conscious cooperative from South West France.

And it’s wonderful!  So much fruit – ripe, round apples and peachy stone fruit – but with a crisp finish.  This isn’t amazingly complex but it’s a very enjoyable tipple – and at a modest 11.0% abv a glass or two in the week won’t hurt.  I’d serve this as an aperitif or as a match for roast chicken or a mild curry.

Beauvignac Chardonnay, IGP Pay d’Oc (€10.49)

In addition to various Pay d’Oc varietals, this modern producer Cave Pomerols also makes AOP Picpoul de Pinet.

Tropical fruit is the order of the day here – pineapple, passionfruit and grapefruit dance around the nose.  A touch of vanilla also becomes apparent on the palate suggesting some light oak ageing, but it’s well integrated and doesn’t jar at all.  Malolactic fermentation is deliberately blocked which gives it a crisp, fresh finish.

So many inexpensive Chardonnays taste artificial but this is a nice drop.  Would be amazing with scallops!

Heritiers Dubois AOC Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur lie 2012 (€11.49)

If you’ve ever shopped in a French supermarket you will no doubt have noticed a half dozen different bottles of Muscadet on sale.  You might even have tried a few – after all, they’re quite inexpensive in France.  But the odds are, you didn’t go back and buy more of the same.  Muscadet’s reputation is not the best at the moment, mainly due to low quality / high yield production which results in austere, acidic and fruitless swill.

But every cloud and all that – those producers who do care about quality are unable to command high prices due to the general reputation of the area – and that means there are bargains to be had!

Sèvre et Maine is a subregion of Muscadet but doesn’t signify that much as it accounts for 80% of all Muscadets.  Sur Lie means the wine was matured on its lees, i.e. the dead yeast cells left over from fermentation.  This gives it a creamy texture and a bit more interest in terms of flavour.

So how does this taste?  Full of lemon zest!  It’s not austere, though it is racy and lean.  It cries out for shellfish or delicate white fish.  I expected not to like this, but it surprised me!

Château Bonnin Pichon AOC Lussac-St-Emilion 2008 (€15.49)

Lussac is one of the four satellite villages that can suffix the coveted name of St-Emilion to their wines.  These villages don’t reach the heights attained in St-Emilion proper, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t offer some well made, drinkable wine.  2008 was a pretty-good-but-not-excellent vintage in Bordeaux; modern viticulture and winemaking means that the best can be brought out of whatever nature has presented.

As normal for right bank Bordeaux it’s Merlot that takes the lead (81%), with Cabernet Franc (15%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (4%) playing supporting roles.  Oak, fruit and tannin are well balanced now and would evolve slowly over the next five years or so.  I would guess some proportion of American oak given the flavour profile  The fruit is dark – plum , blackberry and blackcurrant.

Drink this on its own or with red meat such as beef or lamb.

Gran Passione IGT Rosse del Veneto 2013 (€14.99)

From the hinterland of Venice, this big and velvety red is perfect a perfect winter’s night. Tannin and acidity are present and correct – it is very young – so decant for a few hours if you have chance, or serve with a hearty stew.

Think of this as a baby Amarone – it weighs in at 14.5% – but less complex and certainly cheaper!  The grapes aren’t stated but I would guess at the typical Corvina / Rondinella / Molinara.

 Cellier des Princes AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2012 (€24.99)

The world famous southern Rhône appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape perhaps faces the opposite challenge to Muscadet – its reputation is so good that pretty much any bottle carrying its name can be sold for a premium, so some producers churn out very average wine and put it in a fancy bottle.  Thus the cheapest CNDP may not be a bargain at all.

Thankfully Molloys have got it right with this selection!  It’s principally Grenache (90%), with Mourvèdre (5%) and Syrah (5%).  Weighing in at a whopping 15%, this has bags of dark black fresh and dried fruit and Christmas spice.  It’s wonderfully big and robust but velvety and smooth.  It’s really far too young to drink now – it will open up a lot more over the next five to ten years – but it’s so delicious that it would be too tempting!