Wines for the Winter with Asda

I attended a very special and exclusive press tasting back in October for Asda. The tasting was all about seasonal celebrations and wines for winter.

It was a revelation to find that Asda has some great wine on their shelves. The press tasting was geared to showcase the Autumn/Winter wines on sale in stores and online. When the days get cooler and the nights draw closer, it’s time to get some serious wines.

Personally, I usually go for red wines this time of the year, and I enjoy matching food and wine.

 

White wines for winter

One afternoon, I made chicken tamales and paired them with the Chablis Premier Cru. While this might not be your traditional pairing, I found the Chablis perfect with the mole sauce and steamed chicken, the citrus flavours and fuller body of the Premier Cru cleansing my palate for the next mouthful.

I think this would be a good match with any slightly spicy chicken or white meat dish. (£13.98).

Another French wine I like to match with food is the Extra Special White Bordeaux; it’s great with goat’s cheese tart or the notoriously difficult to pair, asparagus. The Extra Special is clean and crisp but has a nice texture in the mouth due to the presence of Semillon which gives a feeling of richness on the palate. (£6.98)

An often overlooked white wine is the Italian white, Turbiana from the Lugana region of northern Italy (you can read more about my impressions of this wine here). Turbiana is an indigenous grape which gives fresh, tasty wines with hints of pears and tangerines. It’s fabulous with light fish dishes. (£8.98)

Red wines for winter

As I mentioned earlier, I love red wines and the Plan de Dieu, from the Cotes du Rhone Villages, is just the ticket for hearty dishes like ratatouille, roast beef or casseroles. An uncomplicated wine that stands up just fine to these dishes with plenty of red fruits and a long finish. (£8.98)

If you fancy splashing out on a red Rhone, try the Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the 2017 is a bit young but decanting will open up nicely. Primarily grenache based, it is smooth and clean with loads of red fruit flavours and a good tannic structure. Pairs beautifully with game dishes and roasts or can be had with saucisson. (£18)

If you are a fan of Barolo, Asda’s Extra Special Barolo is fantastic value for money. I had this with steak one night, and it was perfect. The structure and acidity of the wine worked very well against the juicy steak. The 2013 vintage is young but still very drinkable and a bargain (for a Barolo) at £16.98.

A lovely, more affordable alternative is the Negroamaro. I have visited Puglia where the grape is from, you can read morehere, and I discovered plenty to like. I probably like it so much because I have very fond memories of my visit.

Negroamaro is a dark and deep wine but not complex, full of dark berry flavours and a spicy finish. It’s a good match with charcuterie, hearty stews, chickpeas, pasta and grilled vegetables. (£5.68)

Another favourite wine region of mine is the Douro Valley that runs from the North of Portugal into Spain. They are known for producing big, hearty reds with loads of structure and minerality.

The Asda Extra Special Douro Valley red from Portugal is a blend of three indigenous grapes, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz. It’s a spicy, rich and full-bodied wine. It would be lovely paired with roasted pork or casseroles or a hard cheese like Manchego. (£5.98)

Asda Extra Special Valpolicella Ripasso (£9.38) and Orbitali Amarone Della Valpolicella (£10.48) are truly powerhouses with long finish smooth tannins with balanced acidity and structure. A dream paired with hard cheeses, rich pastas, steaks, pork, veal and venison. More about Valpolicella: here For a lighter style of wine, I would recommend the Asda Extra Special Marlborough Pinot Noir. The wine is from the cool microclimate of Marlborough which produces a super smooth and silky wine with loads of raspberry and cherry flavours and aromas. It would be a perfect wine to pair with Roasted or Peking Duck. (£8.98)

Sparkling wine for the festive season and beyond

What better way to finish than with a glass of sparkling. I adore sparkling wine and I have found myself increasingly drinking English Sparkling Wine (read about my recent trip to Denbie’s here). It’s made from the same grapes used for the production of Champagne (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier) and the microclimates and soils are very similar to those found in Champagne.

The Asda Extra Special English Sparkling is a right bobby dazzler, full of bright citrus fruits and a peachy note, it’s fresh, crisp and light bodied with loads of tiny bubbles to tickle your nose. It makes a great aperitif but can also pair well with fish, white and red meat, grilled vegetables and risotto as well as fish and chips, fried chicken, cheese, the list goes on.

It’s a very versatile tipple. (£21) The wines that I have focused on here are just the tip of the iceberg, visit Asda.com or your local Asda to explore more of their wine range.

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Asda Press wine tasting and I was sent various samples to try at home.

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