Pléyades Shiraz 2007 from Spain (From The Northern Echo)

Pléyades Shiraz 2007 from Spain

4:38pm Wednesday 9th July 2008 in

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This week's wine is an old world type Shiraz which a few years ago would have been called syrah.

It's from Cariñena, which borders la Rioja and Navarra, and has similarities with these two regions.

The climate here consists of hot summers and cold winters which is fine for grape growing, as long as the temperatures are not too extreme.

The average height above sea level of the vineyards is 600 metres so that's protection from the very high temperatures of this region.

They've been making wine here since the third century B.C. but only since 1997 has the shiraz grape been permitted.

This is a wine for young-drinking - it's on the market within the first year from harvest. It's a pleasant ruby-red colour with an aroma of violets and black pepper.

On the palate there's little oak but silky tannins and a long red-berry tasty finish. It's 14 per cent alcohol yet a lighter bodied wine than you'd think. It's for summer drinking, right away, with lighter meat dishes such as pork. Available at Oddbins reduced from £6.99 to £6.29 until the 20th of July.

Oddbins have also commissioned a rosé named after the firm especially for summer drinking.

Rosé is becoming more popular every year.

It's a Vin de Pays D'oc from southern France with a lovely dark salmon pink colour. It's 12 per cent alcohol so it's not too heavy for picnics. The aroma is associated with the blend of grapes used in the Languedoc region and is of fresh berries and cherries. It's a dry wine which has actually just won a bronze medal at the Paris competition 2008.

Oddbins stock this wine at £3.99.