Domaine Raynier, Saint-Chinian 2012, France
Can you buy good wine for under 5.00 any more? Well, the answer is a simple ‘no’. The UK’s high level of duty and tax means that there might be as litle as 20p worth of wine in a 4.99 bottle. But the good news is that a large chunk of that – 2 – is fixed duty, so for every 50p you spend above a fiver you do buy proportionately more wine. This is an excellent little wine, in at a bargain basement 5.75, with an elegant, cherry and kirsch-scented nose leading onto a palate with soft tannins and lowish acidity, but abundant pretty cherry and deeper plum fruit that makes it easy to drink and a great mid-week all-rounder with food. Watch the video for food matching ideas and more information. £5.75, The Wine Society.
