Bargain bottles to look out for in SuperValu’s wine sale

The SuperValu promotion also includes good deals on beer and spirits, such as 12-packs of Moretti (€15) or Peroni (€16) for your next barbecue, or the range of summery, citrusy Malfy gin (€25, versus €30-€40 elsewhere).

In wine terms, the focus is largely on commercially popular styles. Think crisp, fruity whites (so lots of Pinot Grigio, or try the organic Usulea Grillo Sicilia DOC 2023, €10, for something a little different if confected) and Prosecco of course (Graham Norton’s Vino Frizzante is suitably easy company, €10).

And there are a lot of rich, sweet red wines, many very plump in style with high residual sugar levels.

Some get their fruitiness from sun-ripened grapes like Primitivo, Aglianico or Negroamaro from sunny southern regions like Puglia and Sicily. Some are fermented in the appassimento style, from partially sun-dried grapes to ramp up dried-fruit character and ripeness levels (so, high in alcohol and sweetness). If you like this style, today’s Purato Siccari Appassimento is a good bet.

Several are in the modern Ripasso style. SuperValu’s wine of the month and my wine of the week, Masi Campofiorin, has been a market leader for this style of winemaking since its first vintage back in 1967.

Masi initially made Campofiorin in the traditional ripasso style: ‘repassing’ light, fresh Valpolicella wine over the pomace (leftover grape skin, pulp and pips) from the production of Amarone, a rich and high-alcohol wine made from grapes that have undergone a light sun-drying (leggero appassimento) for concentration.

This ‘repassing’ restarts the fermentation in the lighter wine, boosting its alcohol, body and flavour while keeping Valpolicella’s signature freshness.

Later, Masi (and neighbouring producers) experimented with production, using partially dried Valpolicella grapes instead of Amarone pomace for that second fermentation.

This 2020 vintage marks another change for Campofiorin, as Masi has tweaked its production again to make it riper and smoother in line with modern tastes, through later harvesting and increased percentages of dried grapes.

For a very elegant example of the traditional approach using leftover Amarone grapes, try Bertani’s ‘Catullo’ Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore (€40, from independents).

I’ve also featured Bertani’s Soave Vintage Edition today, plus a traditional method sparkling wine and a characterful rosé, both also from northern Italy.

Wine of the week

Masi Campofiorin, Rosso Verona IGT 2020 12pc, €15.95

This is a wine that has evolved with us wine drinkers, taking inspiration from the traditional method used for Valpolicella Ripasso (see above for details) but developed further by the Masi Technical Group since 1964. The influence of 30pc lightly sun-dried grapes (leggero appassimento) has plumped the 2020 vintage out further and taken the acidity down a notch, making this medium-bodied wine smoother than ever but still with red fruits, plums and a pleasant twist of bittersweet cherries. A solid introduction to the style. SuperValu

Bertani ‘Vintage Edition’ Soave 2021, Veneto, Italy 12pc, €30

A beautifully made white from Garganega grown in volcanic soil, with a little skin contact bringing tannic texture and dried pineapple character, aged in traditional cement vats. Still a baby, its graceful arc starts fleshy with a precise acidity leading to a rainbow burst of fruit. Gorgeous stuff. Barnhill Stores, Dalkey; Deveney’s, Dundrum; Clontarf Wines; Mitchell & Son, Glasthule

Delibori Chiaretto Classico Bardolino Rosé 2023, Veneto, Italy 12pc, €15.95

A very pleasant rosé with plenty of character and texture thanks to a short skin contact, this is plump and soft-textured but backed up by good red-fruit expression from its blend of Corvina and Rondinella grapes, with a refreshing rasp of grapefruit citrus making it moreish. Sweeney’s D3; Drinkstore; Nectar Wines; D-Six Wine; The Vintry; boxofwine.ie

Santa Lucia Franciacorta Brut DOCG, Italy 12.5pc, €20 (from €29, until June 12)

Franciacorta is Italy’s bottle-fermented answer to Champagne; this organic Chardonnay-led blend (with 10pc Pinot Noir) is on the drier end of the Brut spectrum, with just 4g residual sugar. Biscuity lemon-curd aromas lead to lively bubbles and pithy citrus, and a dry, chalky finish that mellows in the glass.​ SuperValu

Purato Siccari Appassimento, Terre Siciliane IGP 2022 14pc, €10 (from €15)

Made from partially sun-dried grapes, organically grown and produced with carbon-neutral packages. Aromas are sweet and ripe but with clean fruits (plums, damson and morello cherry with some dried-fruit concentration) and a sour cherry tang keeping the fruity palate balanced. A good bet for barbecues. SuperValu