Six wines for Lockdown

Six wines for lockdown

Château Argadens Rouge Bourdeaux Supérieur, France 2016 (from £10.91, thewinesociety.com; davywine.co.uk)
The Bordeaux wine trade had to cancel en primeur week, the annual showcase of the new vintage, at the beginning of April. This perfectly pitched, succulent modern claret is more than enough to be going on with while we wait for a new date.

Stellenrust Old Bush Vine Cinsault Stellenbosch, South Africa 2018 (£7.49, Waitrose)
With South Africa’s winemakers having to cope with a lockdown ban on exports, they need all the support they can get. Filled with fresh red fruit with a cranberry and rosehippy tang and a savoury-earthy tone, this is a great example of currently fashionable red grape cinsault.

Hacienda Lopez de Haro Rosé Rioja, Spain 2019 (£10.99, or £8.99 as part of a mixed case of six bottles, majestic.co.uk)
Majestic had to up its free standard delivery terms to 10 days to keep up with lockdown demand, the company’s range in good shape since its change of ownership last year, with gems such as this fresh, strawberry-filled Spanish rosado.

Tesco Finest Franciacorta DOCG Brut Lombardy, Italy NV (£15, tesco.com)
From one of the regions hardest hit by Covid-19, this apple-creamy, fresh Franciacorta sparkling wine is Lombardy’s answer to champagne, and the bottle to put aside – to use the phrase of the moment – for “when all this is over”.

Terroir Sense Fronteres Negre Monstant, Spain 2017 (£22.72, armitwines.co.uk)
A number of wine merchants are donating a portion of their sales to charities. Posh London firm Armit, for example, is giving £10 on every delivery of wines such as this deep, dark, fragrant Catalan red to the Drinks Trust’s Covid-19 Emergency Fund.

Lyme Bay Winery Bacchus Block Great Whitman’s Vineyard, Essex, England 2018 (£17.50, lymebaywinery.co.uk)
With restaurant and farmgate visitor sales disappearing, English wineries are increasingly relying on home deliveries, with Devon-based Lyme Bay’s shipping such treats as its superbly grassy-herbal, racy dry white for free with deliveries over £20.