Vins de Pays reviews

Soft and succulent scents of tropical fruit strut their stuff before mellow honeyed melon and peach flavours are refreshed with a finely balanced acidity.

A slick and slender style at a slick and slender price. Well suited to wild garlic dishes and would appeal to those New World Chardonnay drinkers who prefer the fresher and leaner versions.

Plato Harrison Fox Wood Old Bush Vine' Syrah 2001, 13.5%, £4.99. France: Vins de Pays d'Oc - Languedoc-Roussilon.

Warm spiced jammy aromas of soft juicy berry fruit with a gentle hint of vanilla and mint follow through to the palate with a silky cushion of fruit and firm but subtle tannins that leave mature raspberry and peppery herb flavours on the finish.

Excellent value for money. Stunning full-on fruit flavours and balance that is deep, soft and luscious from start to finish.

Asda L'Angelot Vins de Pays d'Oc White 2001, 12.5%, £3.47.

France: Languedoc-Roussilon.

Light and fruity lemon blossom aromas with a fresh tangy touch reveal smoother lemon and light gooseberry flavours that manage to retain a refreshing acidic edge.

Good value for money hot day glugger or aperitif made from sauvignon blanc and grenache blanc grapes offering just that little bit more body to help accompany almost any wild garlic salad or soup.

Asda L'Angelot Vins de Pays d'Oc Red 2002, 12.5%, £3.47.

France: Languedoc-Roussilon.

Light almost sweet-edged cherry and bramble aromas with spice and herb scents is reflected on the palate with even softer flavours.

Good value for money. Light-bodied and light on the pocket blend of grenache, merlot and cinsault grapes that makes for a perfect partner to wild garlic salads and a belting BBQ bottle to boot.

Windermere Wine Stores Vins de Pays d'Oc Viognier 2001, 14%, £4.20. France: Languedoc-Roussilon.

Ripe peach perfume with a delicate hint of almond is escorted by fresh tangy scents of apricot and tangerine skin leading to a thicker sweet and sour peach and apricot mouthful.

Good value for money that is beautifully suited to a Wild Garlic, Calamari and Fresh Apricot salad.

Windermere Wine Stores Cheval d'Or Merlot 2001, 12.5%, £3.80. France: Vins de Pays d'Oc - Languedoc-Roussilon.

Soft and warm spicy scents float along on deeper aromas of cherry and plum before delivering fleshy plum flavours with drying bitter cherry tannins on the finish.

Great value for money. Soft, rustic simplicity - perfect for wild garlic salads with chunks of fresh bread.

Morrisons Kiwi Cuve Sauvignon Blanc 2001, 12%, £3.49.

France: Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France/Loire. Fresh and zingy but gentle gooseberry aromas deliver crisp, green gooseberry flavours with a mild minerally lime finish.

Great value for money. Clean, cutting and super fresh aperitif and perfect seafood partner from a team of New Zealand winemakers in the Loire that will complement all the wild garlic you can serve with it.

Morrisons Fitou Mont Tauch 2001, 13%, (£2.99 until May 4) then £3.99. France: Fitou/Languedoc.

Concentrated plum and bramble aromas with sweet spice scents provide a chunky palate of juicy rich plum fruit backed with supple spiced tannins and a burst of dark chocolate on the finish.

Even at £3.99 its good value for money - a bit of a bruiser but friendly and of good character. Not strictly a Vins de Pays as it has its own appellation but still comes from the Languedoc area of southern France.

Oddbins Virgine Voignier Vins de Pay d'Oc 2002, 12.5%, £4.99. France: Languedoc-Roussilon. Fresh and mellow melon, lychee, peach and pear skin aromas with a dusting of fine ginger spice follows to richer but still refreshing melon, lemon and lychee flavours before a final ginger tingle.

Well made and well priced. Surely the most fashionable grape coming out of France and this is a serious drop with a serious mix of aromas and flavours - one to savour.

Oddbins Virgine Cabernet Sauvignon Vins de Pay d'Oc 2001, 13%, £4.99. France: Languedoc-Roussilon.

Invitingly deep and concentrated mix of blackcurrants, chocolate and sweet spice cannot hide a drier textured blackcurrant fruit tannin that dries off to a hot spice finish.

Again well made but a bit too tame and tedious this time as if it's almost caught the dreaded branded wine' attitude. With the obvious wine-making skill involved I'm sure it could be a lot more interesting but if you want safe - sup this.

Booths Domaine les Yeuses Vermentino 2001, 12.5%, £3.49.

France: Vins de Pays d'Oc - Languedoc-Roussilon.

Fresh young nut aromas with delicate lemon scents offer a refreshing and bigger' melon edged mouthful with smooth waxy nut flavours and citrus tang.

Great value for money. An easy drop with a different and deeper edge to it perfect salad partner, picnic pleaser and all round sunny weather slurper.

Booths Beauvignac Prfrence Merlot 2000, 13%, £4.49.

France: Vins de Pays d'Oc - Languedoc-Roussilon. Hot almost mulled wine aromas continue to spice up with just a whiff of oak before releasing whole fruit, stalk and leaf flavours of plum, bramble and cherry with lean slightly bitter tannins and sprinkle of pepper on the finish.

Lots of structure here that doesn't quite live up to its billing.

Co-op Vins de Pays d'Oc Chardonnay-Viognier, 12.5%, £4.99.

France: Languedoc-Roussilon. The musky perfume of apricot and peach skin opens to raw fleshy flavours of dry peach and apricot skin and fruit with a much-needed tang of acidity.

Certainly interesting and a challenge to describe that is just worth the gamble. However, with no vintage statement, you never know how fresh a wine is.

Co-op Vins de Pays d'Oc Syrah-Mouvdre, 12.5%, £4.99.

France: Languedoc-Roussilon. A heady brew of spiced bramble with herb and chocolate scents serves up a sweet and sour cherry and bramble fruit with drying cocoa flavoured tannins.

Another with no vintage statement offering up intoxicating grape warfare resulting in dulling acidic aromas and flavours.

Marks & Spencer Vin de Pays d'Oc Gold Label Chardonnay 2001, 13%, £4.49. France: Languedoc-Roussilon. Tinned pineapple aromas lack a fresh edge but make up for it with a sprinkle of ginger spice on the gums that's washed over with fresher pineapple acidity that becomes a little diluted on the finish.

Not a classic but fine for a laid back lunch I can't help feeling they are just giving the expected flavours without the full concentration of the grape itself.

Marks & Spencer Vin de Pays d'Oc Gold Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2001, 12.5%, £4.49. France: Languedoc-Roussilon.

Spicy and fruity frangipane aromas hang around forever before delivering a sprightly mouthful of soft blackcurrant flavours with a fresh acidic edge and mild minty finish.

A modern Vin de Pays d'Oc cab-sauv that may not make you gasp with excitement but will always be guaranteed to please with its fine balance of fruit and acidity.

May 1, 2003 09:30