CityLife

Impressive Malbecs and Riojas from Smithfield

SMITHFIELD Wine is one of the independents showcasing their bottles at the Manchester Food And Drink Festival Independent and Local Wine Festival at Urbis on October 2 and 3.

Run by George Wrobleski from an Ancoats industrial estate, it is one of the most adventurous mail order wine operations in the country, stocking a wide range of vegetarian, vegan wines, Fairtrade, kosher and allergen-free wines.

If that’s all a bit right-on for you, check out some of their latest ‘normal’ wines. Two Argentine Malbecs are especially toothsome, heaven’s gift for the steaks in your life.

Joffre Pasion 4 Malbec, comes from Uco Valley near Mendoza. Hand-picked optimally ripe grapes and light oak combine to form a suprisingly elegant black fruit, almost creamy treat.

Perhaps the lovely violet aromas promise slightly more than it delivers but it is still terrific value at £9.40.

For 10p cheaper, the 2007 Malbec from Mendoza’s Bodegas Gouguenheim is a different beast. There’s a nice spicy nose but on the palate it is heftier, with bitter cherry undertones, more astringent (not in an unpleasant way), ready to tackle food, perhaps something char grilled.

At a recent wine lunch I was pleasantly surprised by the quantum leap in quality of the Beronia Rioja stable, many of which Smithfield are about to stock (check out the website, smithfieldwine.com or ring 0161 832 8222).

Particularly impressive were the Beronia Rioja Barrel Fermented Viura 2007 (£10.60) and the Beronia Rioja Reserva 2005 (£11.60).

The viura 100 per cent white offers firm-structured apricot/apple concentration of flavour with subtly integrated oak, while the red goes from sweet woody aromas to an abundance of fleshy red fruits in the mouth – benchmark Rioja flavours