Ilove our offers with Armit Wines. They always put up fascinating wines, which makes life interesting for me, and they always offer tasty discounts (up to 21 per cent this week), which makes life rosy for you.
I prepared to taste Armit’s latest suggestions on my own, poor Mrs Ray feeling a little piano after the previous night’s book club, but the sound of popping corks triggered her Fomo and raised her spirits sufficiently for her to join me for the reds.
She’s a pushover for fine Pinot Noir and wine 4 put her firmly back on track. She had more than rallied by wine 6, so much so that she insisted on going back and casting her eyes over the whites too. ‘I’m only trying to help,’ she said sniffily. ‘I could be doing other things you know.’ She’s a trouper.
From the Cantele family’s vineyards in Puglia, deep in Italy’s heel, between Brindisi and Lecce, the 2024 Cantele Teresa Manara Chardonnay (1) is a wine of real style. Puglia produces more wine than any other region of Italy and it was Augusto Cantele who pioneered the planting and oak-ageing of Chardonnay here (it’s really Trebbiano and Fiano country), and this is a gem. Full, ripe, concentrated and creamy, with honey, nuts, vanilla and baked apple, it’s beautifully crafted and a great price. £17.05 down from £21.52.
We offered the previous vintage of the 2024 Fattoria le Pupille Poggio Argentato (2) last year and I love this incarnation even more. A bizarre (and surely unique) blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Manseng, Sémillon and Traminer from the Maremma in Tuscany, it somehow just works. It’s spicy, peachy, citrusy, sherberty and herbal and about as tasty and quirky a summer wine as you’ll find. It’s right up my street. £18.58 down from £23.38.
The 2023 Chablis Dauvissat ‘Les Brèches de Fyé’ (3) is more classic fare and as fine an example of Chablis AOC as I’ve had in ages, certainly at such a good price (which I haven’t seen bettered anywhere else). Made by Florent Dauvissat, son of the domaine founders, Didier and Agnès, it’s textbook Chablis, grown on Kimmeridgian soil, with cool-fermentation, malolactic fermentation and ageing on the lees in stainless steel. It’s crisp, clean, citrusy and fresh, ever so lightly honeyed and delicious. £21.25 down from £26.58.
The 2023 Domaine Bart Marsannay (4), from the far north of the Côte d’Or, shows Pinot Noir at its engaging best. Produced by sixth generation vigneron, Pierre Bart, according to organic principles (albeit the estate isn’t officially certified as such), it’s aged in a mix of barrels, foudres and demi-muids, with just the tiniest use of new oak, and is full of fresh strawberry and cherry fruit, soft tannins and a hint of spice. If only all red burgundy at this price was this good. £19.75 down from £24.78.
The 2021 Mendel Malbec (5) was a huge hit when we offered it here last year, so no apologies for the repeat. Indeed, you should be falling on my neck in gratitude because it’s beautifully on song, produced by a fine boutique winery from 100-year-old, un-grafted vines grown 1,000 metres up the Andes foothills. It’s deeply coloured, richly flavoured and violet-scented, and if you’re stuck for something to have with that barbecued T-bone steak, look no further, especially since it’s almost six quid off the RRP. £23.83 down from £29.60.
If only all red burgundy at this price was this good
Finally, from Tenuta San Guido, the home of mighty Sassicaia, the 2024 Le Difese (6), in its 22nd vintage. A blend of estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon and more widely sourced Sangiovese, it’s aged in oak for 12 months and in bottle for three before release. It boasts all that Super Tuscan stardust and is delectably approachable this young but will age beautifully. I found its rich red and dark fruit, fine structure and long, long finish, irresistible. Indeed, with just a modest amount of help from Mrs Ray (who’d already seen off the Marsannay), I easily drained the bottle. £24.72 down from £30.72.
The mixed case (7) contains two bottles of each wine and delivery, as ever, is free.
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To find out more about our Winemaker Lunches, Masterclasses and Wine Tours, visit www.spectator.com/tastings.
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