It's April Fool’s Day tomorrow and aside from the rubber spiders I fully expect to find in my slippers courtesy of my two daughters, the real surprises I love to explore are to be found in the wine aisles.
Supermarkets and indies are taking risks stocking wines we’ve never heard of at attractive prices, from the Teroldego in Tesco to Moschofilero in Marks & Spencer.
These are the perfect bottles to fool your friends with at a blind tasting, but even better, these wild flavours offer a chance to expand your lexicon of loveliness across the world of wine.
Today, I was among the very first to taste a newly released wine called Querciabella Turpino 2010 from Italy (14 per cent).
It’s a sumptuously sleek blend of Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Merlot, which took me by surprise with its fragrance, purity and sheer deliciousness (available from Italian specialists Armit).
Wine Rules No 41Moscato D’Asti has unfairly garnered itself a name for being cheap plonk. In fact, a cool glass of this sparkling sweet Italian froth is fantastic when paired with fresh fruit or as a refreshing pre-pudding treat. And it’s still great value for money.
These are the moments in wine that re-energise my quest to find surprising wines at superb prices. But where best to look?
Portugal has got to be in pole position offering a wealth of hidden gems from local grapes at wallet-friendly prices.
I’m hosting my pick of 50 Great Portuguese Wines at the Paramount restaurant in Centre Point, London, on April 18, and my theme this year is Great Value.
I’d love to see you there and show you some bargains. Details for tickets are at ollysmith.com (please get in quick to avoid disappointment as there are only 350 places).
Ask Olly...Fred is a new wine drinker looking for sweet red styles. A chilled sparkling Aussie Shiraz such as Tomahawk NV (13.5%) from Laithwaites, £9.99, reminds me of blackcurrant sorbet. LBV Port from Portugal is fantastic with dark choc or you could try Italian Recioto Della Valpolicella (13.5%). Three belters!
From Portugal, look out for red grapes such as Touriga Nacional (see my recommendations), which will appeal to fans of fragrant and spicy Shiraz.
Bbut please dive into their white wines too, some superb examples with searing freshness and citrus wow-factor such as Tercius Alvarinho 2011 (12.5 per cent) in M&S for £9.99.
And there are further Mediterranean countries that have grapes to trick your friends at a blind- tasting on April Fools’ Day.
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Croatia has some wonderful white wines, and again, M&S or your local indie wine store is currently the best bet for hunting bottles such as Golden Valley Grasevina 2011 (12.5 per cent) for £8.99.
Malagousia is one of my favourite white grapes from Greece.
More from Olly Smith... OLLY SMITH: A grill's best friend: It's barbecue time... and these sizzlers will go with a banger! 29/05/13 OLLY SMITH: The name’s Blanc... Sauvignon Blanc: Bond star Roger finds it very Moore-ish. Here's why 22/05/13 OLLY SMITH: Try a suaver Italian... by sampling Italy's unusual suspects - and a smoother Soave 15/05/13 OLLY SMITH: My crafty pint cost £5,000 01/05/13 OLLY SMITH: Iconic, ever-changing, maturing gracefully - Riesling is the 'gloriously naked' Madonna of wines 24/04/13 OLLY SMITH: The surge in brilliant Bordeaux under £20 to cheer me up 17/04/13 OLLY SMITH: The Pink Floyd of pinot costs £1,800 a bottle, but I've found something else with two noughts knocked off 12/04/13 OLLY SMITH: Perfect pizza partners: How to make the right choice of wine 05/04/13 VIEW FULL ARCHIVEIt has a delicate honeysuckle fragrance and peach-like intensity that tastes like summertime (see my recommendations).
But how about further afield?
Ever tasted a wine from Japan? Koshu is coming. It’s so subtle, crisp and delicate it’s like sipping the fragrant crystal waters from the very peak of Mount Cherry Blossom.
Japanese restaurants are stocking more and more as it’s amazing paired with sushi and sashimi but you can find examples such as Sol Lucet Koshu 2010 (12 per cent) in Hedonism Wines for £21.40 or in my very own wine bar The Glasshouse on board the P&O cruise ship Azura.
More familiar countries such as Australia are planting some adventurous grapes too. First Drop Bella Coppia Arneis 2011 (12.5%) is as pristine as a diamond with an edge of exotic fruit and a palatecleansing buzz.
You can buy it at the Secret Cellar in Tunbridge Wells and Cambridge Wine Merchants for £13.99.
To sample a red, the new website Morrisonscellar.com offers bargains and intriguing gems such as Bobal Valsan 1831 2011 (13.5 per cent) from Spain for £6.99. Juicy, wild and ripe for sipping, it’s a top contender for the very first barbecue of the season.
Even if we have to wear cagoules, with April just a few hours away, let’s sip some surprising wine to welcome the warmer weather.
Wine newsNeal Martin's book Pomerol is a thing of wonder. Personal and impeccably researched, funny and detailed, enlightening and irreverent, it’s a gem of a wine book. If you’ve ever sipped vino from the prized but tiny Pomerol appellation in Bordeaux and wondered how and why it tastes the way it does, dive into Martin’s splendid book and bathe in its rich depths. A great gift for a wine lover.
pomerolbook.com, £50
