Food

Two Languedoc wines, one a warm red, the other a crisp white, both on special offer

Wines for the Weekend: John Wilson on a pair of great-value bottles from France’s largest wine region

Domaine Begude Terroir 11300 Chardonnay and Château Girard Cuvée Arthur Minervois, both from O’Briens

John Wilson's face
John Wilson
Fri Jun 19 2020 - 11:00

This week two wines from Languedoc, the largest French wine region, and a source of some great-value wines. The Château Girard I've picked this week is a classic Languedoc wine, big and powerful. But not all wines from the region are big and warming. Domaine Begude, from the hills of Limoux, is a very refreshing, crisp dry wine. Both are on offer at O'Briens.

Terroir 11300 Chardonnay 2016, Domaine Begude, Haute Vallée de l'Aude, €13.95 (down from €17.95)
Medium bodied (13.5 per cent alcohol) with light white flower aromas, succulent peach fruits edged with honey and orange peel, and a lovely backbone of acidity. Try this with cod, salmon and tuna, or with chicken and lighter pork dishes. Fantastic value for money.

Château Girard Cuvée Arthur 2017, Minervois, €12.95, down from €19.95
A full-bodied red with a warming 14.5 per cent alcohol. This is smooth and rounded, with earthy dark fruits and spice. Try it with robustly flavoured red-meat dishes, such as lamb tagine or spicy barbecued beef.