Mid-week Tipple: The perfect blend and a perfumed contrast

Bergerac Blanc 2015, Mayne de Beauregard.

€11.79 from Marks & Spencer

Down in southwest France, in a large area that includes Bordeaux and Bergerac, they have always done things slightly differently. Here Sauvignon Blanc is always blended with Sémillon, a lesser known and very underrated grape variety. Sauvignon is fresh and crisp, whereas Sémillon is lower in acidity and broader in the palate. Blend the two together and you get the perfect combination, often much more interesting than a plain Sauvignon. This week’s wine, from Marks & Spencer, is a mix of 80% Sauvignon and 20% Sémillon from Bergerac. It has clean waxy yellow apple fruit with plenty of aroma and verve. Great value at €11.79 too.

 Dominio del Plata Terroir Series Malbec Cabernet Franc 2015

€15.99 from Marks & Spencer

Susana Balbo is one of the leading winemakers of Argentina. For this wine she used grapes grown in Tupungato, part of the cooler Uco Valley south of Menoza. The wines tend to be a little more perfumed and elegant.  The addition of 14% Cabernet France gives the wine a lovely savoury, slightly tannic bite, a perfect contrast to the ripe blackcurrant fruits. Perfect with your steak, or any other grilled red meat.