It's Mothers Day, and thoughts turn to flowers, cards, chocolate and… wine. Whether it's as a present, or to serve with the lovingly cooked Mothers Day brunch or Sunday roast, here are a few hints from wine expert Angela Mount to help Dads and kids to read..
Presents for Mum
Spoil your mum with a bottle of fizz - there's nothing like flowers and bubbles to make us mums feel special. Here are a few ideas – mainly pink, to go with the roses.
On a budget:
Graham Beck, Brut Rose (Majestic £14.99, or £9.99 if you buy 2)
Delight your Mum with a beautiful- looking, and equally fine tasting pink fizz from one of South Africa's most renowned sparkling wine producers. It's made from the same grapes and in the same way as champagne. With tiny bubbles fighting each other to the surface of the glass, it's delicious, crisp, and fragrant, bursting with lively cranberry and raspberry fruit; fresh, and zesty, it's a burst of springtime sunshine in a glass.
Morrisons Signature Pinot Grigio Blush (£7.99)
I'm not normally a great fan of Pinot Grigio, but loved this delicate, juicy, pale pink delight, with lots more character and style than most. Fresh, vibrant, and full of lively, strawberry and raspberry fruit, it's a delicious treat on its own, or with a plate of smoked salmon and prawns.
Waitrose Prosescco (£8.99)
This is definitely one of the best Proseccos on the supermarket shelves these days. It's great to find a soft, creamy, refreshing style, with gentle bubbles, and soft ripe flavours of ripe pears, apples and peaches. Well made, smooth, silky, and with a lovely citrus freshness on the finish, this is not only a perfect gift, but also great to serve with the an indulgent Mother's Day brunch – cooked by the kids of course!
Push the boat out:
Jacquart Champagne Brut Rose NV (Great Western Wine reduced to £30 until March 31)
In terms of Rose Champagne, it doesn't get much better than this – with a Decanter Awards gold medal, what could be a better gift? Gloriously ripe, with gentle, but persistent aromas of strawberries and raspberries, teamed with succulent, yet delicate flavours of ripe red berries, and warm – elegant, and stylish, this will definitely tell your mum how special she is!
Ca Dei Frati Rosato 2012, ( Raisin Wines £16.95)
For a very special, delicate, stylish still pink, look no further than this little gem, which I discovered only recently. Ethereal and pretty is probably the best way to describe this treasure from vineyards close to the shores of Lake Garda in northern Italy. With its delicate, salmon pink colour, and feminine label, it smells of cranberries and strawberries and tastes of freshly crushed berries, with a lively, lemony edge. This would be perfect as a present, or with a plate of prawns and smoked salmon.
Wines for lunch
Winemakers Selection Limestone Coast Chardonnay ( Sainsburys £6)
Sainsburys have recently launched this new range of wines, and this is one of their newest – if you're one of the 'Anything but Chardonnay' brigade, think again - the grapes are grown high in the hills of South Australia, where it's cooler, so the heat doesn't overpower the grapes, and makes for this deliciously fresh, exuberant dry white – it's bursting with bright, tangy, pineapple and passion fruit aromas and flavours – it has the creamy richness of Chardonnay, but with a zesty lime-fresh twist. If you're cooking salmon, or seafood, this will be the perfect match. Also perfect with lemon, herb and butter basted roast chicken.
Ara Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2013 (Waitrose £10.99)
There's great Sauvignon blanc but there's lots of very poorSauvignon blanc around, so be careful what you buy if you're an SB fan. This one is definitely one for the shopping list, with its clutch of awards, and far better value than some of the big brands out there. From the warm, Wairau Valley part of Marlborough, it's stylish, vibrant and elegant, full of zesty, fragrant tropical fruit, pink grapefruit, and lime zest. No stringy green edges on this one – just smooth, bright, mouth-watering, and lively, with a citrus-streaked finish. Perfect on its own, or with all manner of seafood and thai dishes.
Little Yerin Shiraz Viognier (Great Western Wine £9.95 down to £8.76 until March 31)
Here's a delicious, soft, plump, juicy red, which would be just perfect if you're cooking roast lamb or beef for your mother this Sunday. From South Australia, it's a blend of Rhone grape varieties, the spicy, rich Shiraz, with a splash of opulent, scented Viognier ( a white grape variety). The Viognier lifts the wine with its fragrant, citrusy freshness; the result is a warm, smooth red, with no harsh edges, full of blackberry and damson fruit , and a silky, rounded finish.
Something Sweet
And finally, on to a couple of sweet treats – Mother's Day is all about indulgence, and letting us hard-suffering ladies relax for a few hours. Here are a couple of sweet treats, which would go well, with a Mothers Day cake or a box of scrummy chocolates.
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Brachetto D'Asti (£6.29, down to £5)
Someone asked me last week, what sweet, slightly sparkling pink wine she could buy her mum – here's the answer. I've written about this wine before, but it ticks all the boxes for low alcohol, fruity, slightly sweet, slightly frothy rose – lots of ripe raspberry flavours, and a refreshing edge.
Morrisons Signature Pedro Ximenez Sherry 37.5cl ( £5.99)
It's about time the world stopped dismissing Sherry as a drink for grannies ( although my granny would be dancing up in heaven if she tasted this), and discovered how wonderful and varied Sherry can be. I'll write about crisp, dry , tangy Fino Sherry in a later piece, but I can't finish this column without praising this fabulous, dark, syrupy, sumptuous nectar from Morrisons. It's a dark, brooding beauty, full of toffee, dried raisins, and honey flavours, lusciously sweet and rich. Spot on for chocolate.
![Select the perfect wine for Mother's Day - whether it's a gift or to make Sunday lunch extra special]( "Select the perfect wine for Mother's Day - whether it's a gift or to make Sunday lunch extra special")
