Mid-week Tipple: a plum Portuguese and a glamorous grape

Muros Antigos Vinho Verde 2014, Portugal

The north of Portugal produces some great white wines. Hardly surprising, as just over the border in Spain, Galicia offers great lovely refreshing fruity wines from Rías Baixas, Valdeorras and Monterrei. The Portuguese have the same grape varieties and a similar climate, so the wines are in the same style. This is plump and delicious with soft pears and peach fruits. To be consumed well-chilled on a summer’s day.

€12.99 from Wines on the Green. 64Wine; Baggot St. Wines; Cases; Fresh; Jus de Vin; Lord Mayor; McCabes; Nolans; Probus; Red Island; Sweeneys.

Le Mistral Merlot 2015, Domaine Sainte Rose, Pays d’Oc

This was one of my finds from a tasting last week. Merlot is not the most glamorous grape at the moment, but in the right hands, it can produce lovely rounded supple wines. Le Mistrale, made by Charles and Ruth Simpson in their estate down in the Languedoc, is one such example; smooth and ripe with plums and dark chocolate, with light tannins on the finish. This is one of those all-purpose wines, perfect on its own, but great with a wide variety of meat and cheese dishes. Enjoy!

€14.75/£8.99 from JNWine.com