Offers you can’t refuse

Sicily has come on in leaps and bounds, with perfect flavours for summer dining says Christine Austin.
Sangiovese grapes for ChiantiSangiovese grapes for Chianti
Sangiovese grapes for Chianti

One of the star tastings this season was Marks & Spencer with their new Italian range. There are almost two dozen new additions to the range and they are making their way into stores right now.

When lined up against big hefty reds from Australia and vibrant whites from New Zealand, there is always the chance that Italian wines might fade into the background, but the real joy with these wines is the way they combine with food. They don’t compete with the flavours on the plate but settle alongside the dish and add enjoyment to the meal.

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With garden dining very much in mind, here are my favourites from the M&S range.

Italian Whites

Grillo 2012, Sicily, £6.99

Sicily has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years and this wine is a fine example of the potential from this sun-baked historic island. The local white grape variety, Grillo was used to make Marsala but now the market for the fortified wine is in decline they are making it in a fresh, citrusy style with a clear streak of minerals adding zest and flavour. Team this grilled fish or a salmon salad.

Greganico 2012, Sicily £6.99

Another local Sicilian grape, although it is identical to Garganega that is the mainstay of Soave. The style of the wine is soft, with green almonds and ripe green fig aromas and yellow pear fruit flavours. Pair this with summer foods, from seafood salads to crab cakes and courgettes.

Zibibbo 2012, Sicily, £7.49

Another fresh taste from Sicily, this time with light floral notes and enough acidity to team it with a herb-strewn salad.

Etna Bianco 2012, Sicily, £10.99

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Mount Etna seems to be waking up with a few tremors being felt just last week but it is the volcanic soil around Etna that gives the local wines their distinctive personality. Try this crunchy, stony, minerally wine made from Carricante and Catarratto grapes. It has an almost salty tang and makes a terrific combination with anything fishy on your plate.

Langhe DOC Arneis 2012, Piedmont, £12.99

From the lovely family-owned Cantine Ascheri in Piedmont where you can visit the winery, stay at the hotel and eat magnificently in their Osteria. This is a terrific white wine, with an aromatic nose that is reminiscent of top-quality Viognier but with more citrus and green figs and a silky rounded texture. It can cope with all kinds of summer foods such as a mozzarella and tomato salad, a plate of charcuterie or a prawn and aubergine couscous.

Italian Reds

Frappato, Sicily, £7.99

Once again Sicily comes up with the goods in this light, fresh-tasting light red wine that could even be chilled to enjoy its juicy, raspberry fruit. Another wine to enjoy with cold meats, or team it with a lunchtime pizza.

Chianti Fiasco, 2012, £9.99

Welcome back to the shelves for the straw-wrapped flask much loved in the 1980’s. Not only is the wine good but when you have finished the contents you can stick a candle in the top of the bottle and pretend you are in a trattoria. It is fun to see this old-style presentation back on the shelves.

Etna Rosso 2011, Sicily, £9.99

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The label reminds you that Etna might erupt anytime soon, but in the meanwhile enjoy the lively, raspberry style fruit in this juicy, cheerful wine.

Lacrima di Morro d’Alba 2011, Le Marche, £11.99

The grape is called Lacrima because it exudes juice when it is really ripe but these vines are grown at altitude to keep flavours fresh, producing a deep-flavoured, plum and mulberry style wine with a clean, bright finish. There’s a savoury note mid-palate which makes it suitable to match with meaty dishes.

Renato Ratti Marcenasco Barolo 2009, Piedmont, £27.00

A new vintage rather than a new wine, but it is well worth a try. From one of the top producers of the region, this has savoury notes among dark berry fruit with supple, elegant tannins and a balance that doesn’t always appear in Barolo. Available in top stores only so look for this wine when you are out and about.

Other M&S Stars

Ulmen Sauvignon Blanc 2012, Chile, £5.99

A real bargain from M&S with bright, zesty, lime and pineapple fruit and a clean, thirst-quenching finish.

Picpoul de Pinet 2012, Coteaux du Languedoc, France, £8.49

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A fine example of this favourite summer sunshine wine with the aroma of white flowers and fresh, zesty, citrus and apple fruit. Chill this down and drink as an aperitif.

Journey’s End Honeycomb Chardonnay 2012, South Africa, £9.99

The one is a new-style chardonnay with clear, bright melon fruit and just the faintest hint of oak giving texture and roundedness of flavour. A serious Sunday afternoon wine.

Reserve de la Saurine Rosé 2012, South East France, £6.99

A super, delicate rosé wine that will go with all kinds of summer foods. Made from Grenache and Cinsault, try it with a tomato and chorizo salad.

English Rosé 2012, £11.99

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English wine is now mainstream and it seems to fit in with the scents in an English summer garden. Try this Pinot Noir based rosé from top producer Chapel Down in Kent.

Ulmen Carmenère 2012, Chile, £5.99

A great value easy-drinking red that can be poured on its own but is equally at home alongside a lamb chop or a hotdog.

Domaine Mandeville Shiraz 2012, France, £7.99

This bottle looks small on the shelves although it contains just the same amount of wine as al the others but it is made from PET plastic and so is allowed at outside venues where glass is not permitted. And the wine is good with leafy, spiced, plum fruit and soft tannins. There is a good partner Sauvignon Blanc at the same price.

Domaine de Fontesèque Corbières 2010, Languedoc, £9.99

A super, deep-flavoured, damson and herbs style of red wine, good enough for Sunday lunch in the garden or its wet-weather alternative around the kitchen table.