Not Just Any Tasting, But An M&S Tasting

Sorry, I know it's not the best picture!

The other week I called in on the Marks and Spencer’s Autumn tasting, and for a change I had a bit of a plan, and that was to avoid the big varietals and appellations, as you can be pretty sure what your going to get from them, and try find something that little bit different.

As usual from these guys, there was nearly a 150 wines on show; these are the ones that caught my eye which wasn’t your usual New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or a Burgundian Chardonnay.

2010 Summerer Gruner Veltliner Langelois - produced in the Kamptal region in Austria, this had beautiful floral notes with a hint of lime thrown in to the mix and just a touch of acidity, combining to create a delicious wine, well worth the £9.99 price tag.

2010 Pecorino - this is a grape that has recently been re-discovered by the producers in Abruzzi and has been grown at a high altitude with the cooling Adriatic Sea breezes. This had restrained flavours of Peaches and Honey, with just enough acidity to give it a great balance, again definitely worth the £9.99 price tag.

2008 Vinalta Gran Reserva Malbec - this wine is made using fruit from vines over 60 years old, which helps to give it a real intensity. With an opaque purple colour and flavours of dark cherries and cassis, with a touch of sweet spice, great tannins and acidity combine to create a stunning example of good Malbec can be.

2009 Nerello Mascalese - from the Belice Valley in the south west of Sicily, it had a pale red colour with youthful red fruit flavours and a touch of cocoa coming through from the background, fine tannins and a small amount of acidity go on to create a very enjoyable wine, all for £5.99.

2009 Darting Estate Scheurebe Eiswein - the Schreurebe grapes are picked once the temperature reaches minus 10 degrees celcius, from vines that are least 15 years old. This wine had a real richness of flavours while also being lusciously sweet with just enough acidity to cut through it, and was absolutely stunning.

I have to admit there are a lot of excellent wines within there range these days, these are only a couple that really caught my eye, I also have to admit my guilty pleasure from the day is there Asti Spumante, which is just full of Tangerines and loads of acidity, but works and is just delicious. I was also impressed with the book we were given as I told which wines were suitable for vegetarians and vegans, not something you see very often, I think I may have to put up a list of them.