This month’s wine wonder

MY WINE recommendation this month was chosen with bonfires, fireworks, friends and families enjoying time together in mind, writes Dawn Griffiths.

With the weather turning colder my attention has moved from white wine to red and this Paul Mas Reserve Languedoc Rouge 2018 is perfect to enjoy alfresco as the fireworks burst through the dark, night sky.

It is a full-bodied blend of three grape varieties: grenache, syrah and carignan. Like many French reds it benefits from decanting. Pouring the wine out of the bottle into a jug and then back into the bottle, except for half a glass, will serve the wine well if a decanter is not available.

The colour of the wine is a beautiful, deep purple, from the carignan grapes, and the expectation is that nose will be luscious black fruit, but it isn’t.

I did find the nose disappointing, but this is a young wine and these three grape varieties have ageing potential so if the wine is laid down for a year or so the nose will develop further. However, despite the lack of nose the taste is a balanced wine with excellent acidity and tannin rendering a perfect match with food.

It is a quality, dry wine, 13.5 per cent ALV which is not over fruity but rather earthy and if paired with pepper will bring out the pepper and spice in the wine. It is savoury rather than sweet with overtones of liquorice and spice which come from the syrah grapes.

I paired it with typical bonfire night food: jacket potatoes and cheese, hot dogs and beef burgers, particularly good with buffalo burgers from Armstrong butchers at Winton Banks.

I purchased Paul Mas Reserve Languedoc Rouge 2018 at Waitrose, Winton for £6.99. It is on offer from £9.39 until November 5.

For more wine and food matches, Visit wonderofwine.com