David Jackson said 'there are plenty of genuinely fine wines that sell for under £20'
When people talk about fine wine, it’s often assumed they’re talking about vintages that will set you back hundreds or even thousands of pounds a bottle.
But the belief that wine can only be fine if you have to shell out a small fortune on it, one professional wine investor has said, is misplaced — and he’s singled out three regular wines on the shelves of your local supermarket that he thinks have the potential to be fine with time.
“It’s a myth that the cost of a bottle of wine will determine whether it’s fine,” said David Jackson, founder of fine wine marketplace, Squelch. He continued: “A £500 bottle of wine doesn't become fine simply because of its price and the well-known vineyard that it comes from, as the wine itself could be totally average, or awful even.
In reality, there are plenty of genuinely fine wines that sell for under £20 and that are available at the local supermarket and can be picked up by anyone. ” So why are some wines considered fine? David said it was all about the quality of the stuff inside the bottle, not the sticker and label on the outside of the bottle. David continued: “First up, fine wines will always have complexity, balance and length.
Complexity is when a wine has aromas and flavours that change as you drink it and as it sits in the glass.
“Balance is when it’s not too acidic or fruity, or doesn’t come with too much tannin, but has a bit of everything. As for length, that’s all about how long the taste of the wine lasts in your mouth after you have swallowed it. As a rule, the longer the taste lasts, the finer it is.
” David said another key characteristic of a fine wine was its ability to age well: “Wines that are considered fine will almost always have the ability to get even better with age, which goes back to the wine’s underlying balance, or structure. A wine that isn’t fine will usually start getting worse after a certain length of time.
” David Jackson’s three wines under £20 that will be fine with a bit of time Tesco El Enemigo Cabernet Franc, Gualtallary, Argentina £18.50 David said this could this be the next “IT” cabernet franc. Made high in the Argentinian mountains , an area not known for its cab franc, this is fantastic stuff. Rich, full and warm, with ripe aromas of blackcurrant, spice, cedar and tobacco.
Aged in oak it has genuine wow factor. The most recent release, 2023 – the one you’re most likely to pick up in Tesco – scored a deserved 94 points from Patricio Tapia, the preeminent South American wine critic. The world’s greatest cab franc, Cheval Blanc from Bordeaux, will set you back £300 to £400 per bottle. This stunning effort is 90% of the fun for 5% of the price.
Majestic Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, USA £19 Wines made further down the US coast in the Napa Valley tend to have toe-curling price tags, David said. Often fairly – they can be produced in tiny quantities and rely on a from-the-cellar-door distribution model. But the trouble is,the “cult wine” label is far too freely added these days to justify crazy prices.
Not so here. This is Washington’s oldest winery, awarded Winery of the Year by Wine and Spirits Magazine some 22 times. In all honesty, I have no idea how they offer such a premium product at this price point – so I’d recommend grabbing it while it lasts. Their absolute belter of a Chardonnay is also available at Majestic for £19.
Waitrose Terre Del Barolo DOCG Barolo, Italy £19 Good Barolos are very expensive, David said. Because the Nebbiolo grape from which they are made is famously tricksy, and the local wine-growing rules demand only the very finest wine-making techniques. The solution is co-operative wines, where the winery is owned by a collective of often tiny growers rather than one big producer. But quality can be hit and miss.
No worries here – this is seriously good stuff, supported by some 400 co-op members. Think cherries and liquorice. You might even notice some tar or mushrooms. But what shines is that umami richness Barolo is famous for.
A word of warning. Barolos often disappoint simply because they’re drunk too young. My recommendation is to pop this away on its side in a dark cupboard for a couple of years. Then you’ll have something really special on your hands.
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