© by Nigel Lelew The supermarket spring wine tastings bonanza has come to a close again. The glasses are all washed up, the white table clothes are bleached and put away, the spittoons are all emptied and the tasters have been able to get their teeth back to a normal colour again! Over the last couple of months some of the major wine retailers have been showing off new wines and vintages at their spring tastings. Those invited can look forward to a labyrinth of tables around the room, littered with wine bottles. And as to the location, they're held at some of the capitals best addresses, like BAFTA, Kensington Roof Gardens and the Grosvenor House Hotel to name but a few. I guess it must beg the question about cost ... these occasions certainly can't be cheap. So having slurped and spat my way around a number of these events recently, I can tell you about what's in store over the coming months. The first thing to say is that the choice on the wine shelves certainly isn't going to reduce! Of the hundred or more wines on show at each tasting, the majority are new to the retailers range. What they don't tell you, however, is which wines in their existing range will be phased out to make room for the new ones. These days the driving force behind wines is fruit, which has been largely consumer led. Certainly that was evident in most of the wines tasted. There were two other threads which went through all the tastings. Firstly it is even more evident that the past addiction for hugely oaked white wines, especially from the New World, appears to be cured. The pleasure of tasting clean, fresh fruit without being overpowered by huge oak, is immense, for me anyway! And the second trait is fizz. Most tastings featured a few sparklers and champagnes aimed at the millennium celebrations. It is thought that over £1000m of champagne will be downed in one night, and the supermarkets want a big slice of that action! At one tasting I followed Gilly Goolden, of Food and Drink fame, (namedropper!), down a range of nearly 20 champagnes. My hot tip for that once in a lifetime celebration bottle of style is Veuve Cliquot's 1990 Grande Dame. My tasting notes sum it up in one word - "divine", but at £67.99, check with the bank manager first! Lets come down to earth a little and recommend a couple of more affordable wines. For the white, Somerfields gold medal winning 1997 Les Marionettes Marsanne from the south of France, is made from the Marsanne grape....and is absolutely wonderful! With a full aroma of peaches and marzipan, in the mouth there's smooth, creamy tropical fruit. At £3.99 a bottle, its brilliant value for money. But theres more ... until 22nd June, Somerfield will pay the duty, bringing it down to only £2.87 ... get a whole boot full is my advice! Now for the red. 1996 Laperouse Syrah Cabernet again from France, is new to Somerfields range. In an imaginatively presented bottle, pour out the contents and take in the smooth berry fruit and spice aroma. In the mouth the peppery spice and dark ripe berry flavours come together to produce a smooth, big flavoured red, and at £4.99 it's gorgeous! If you have any comments or questions please e-mail me at nigel@vinrouge.co.uk
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