Jacquart Brut Tradition Rosé/Jacquart Brut Mosaïque Rosé Champagne
Two labels – Tradition is replacing Mosaïque – for a fresh, rounded, fruity and thoroughly enjoyable pink champagne. Sure, you can find more complex pink champagnes, but you can also find an awful lot of less good more expensive ones. This has a scent of roses and strawberries, a creamy palate with hints of cherries and apricots, as well as red fruits, and a fresh finish. 12.5% abv.
£30, or £22.50 each for 2 or more, Majestic (from April 27 the prices change to £28, or £23 for 2).
2005 CVNE Rioja Reserva
I meant to recommend this before, but the deal which brings the price down below £10 lasts another 10 days, so there's still time. It’s benchmark stuff: quite intense and structured, but elegant, with long-lasting smoky, spicy oak flavours and a sweetness and freshness to the fruit. You can drink it now, but there’s no hurry: it’ll be good for another eight years. 13.5% abv.
Majestic, £12.99, or £9.74 when you buy any 2 Spanish wines
2007 El Camino Rioja
A youthful Rioja with juicy cherry and berry fruit, spicy, toasty flavours and a touch of caramel and chocolate – the latter flavours and the smoothness of texture courtesy of an eight-month stint in one-year-old American oak barrels. There’s nothing sophisticated about it but it’s certainly good value at the current price (reduced from £7.99). 13.5% abv.
£4.99, Oddbins
