JUICY REDS TO SAVOUR

FROM weekday wines to something special for the weekend, these foodfriendly reds offer a range of lip-smacking flavours… l Faustino Vii Rioja 2019, Spain, £8, Tesco You have to tip your hat to this iconic label, that’s been at the top of the Rioja wine ladder since day dot.

Rembrandt’s 1641 portrait still characterises the brand and their entry-level tempranillo shows plenty of verve. Immediately likeable, wild strawberry aromas with sweet notes from barrel ageing draw you in, with a smooth, fruity palate of ripe red fruits, soft spice and gentle hint of oak. It’s perfect with charcuterie and tapas.

l TTD Zweigelt 2018, Austria, £8, Sainsbury’s

Zweigelt – Austria’s most widely planted red – may not roll off the tongue, but if you have a taste for adventure it’s worth

exploring this vibrant, juicy variety, which can be enjoyed lightly chilled. Fun and fruitdriven, it weaves together morello cherry and plummy black fruits with a touch of spice, and merest hint of minty freshness backed by fresh acidity. l M&S Found Xinomavro Mandilaria 2019, Greece, £9.50, Marks & Spencer A delicious discovery with a drink-me-now character, xinomavro is one of Greece’s most popular red grapes (from the mountainous north), and this unoaked style has been deftly blended with mandilaira, a bold red variety from the Aegean islands in the south. Beguiling from word go, there’s a lovely floral lift as the wine draws you in with fragrant black fruits, bramble and fresh herbs, then rewards with a trail of raspberries, blackberries and expressive red fruits.