Free case of Castilla-La Mancha wine just for you

Claim your free case of wine from the UK’s fastest growing wine club: Wine52. Claim today and get a case of three carefully selected wines from the beautiful Castilla-La Mancha region of Spain.

Transport yourself to the heart of Spanish winemaking excellence with a FREE case of wine from Wine52. Cover just £9.95 and receive three exquisite wines from the finest wineries in the renowned Castilla-La Mancha region.

Wine52 is a wine discovery club which showcases a new region every month. From velvety reds to crisp whites, focusing on native grape varieties from iconic regions they ensure that there's a perfect pour for every occasion and palate preference.

The wine you’ll receive is their stunning Castilla-La Mancha case featuring an exquisite selection of wines which are a perfect reflection of the region’s diverse terroir and rich winemaking history.

Wine52’s Gaucho Extravaganza

As with every month, my latest installment of Wine52 arrived, sporting 4 wines from San Juan in Argentina. It lies in the shadow of the Andes just North of Mendoza, the region that likely single-handedly brought you a love for Malbec. The Andes meltwater provides excellent irrigation for the vineyards although climate change has caused this to become more of a concern and growers are having to use water more sustainably. The common practice is to dig channels in the vineyards and literally flood them with water! Some form of irrigation is particularly important here as the climate is best described as a semi-desert.

The region is perhaps best known for altitude these days, with vineyards going up to around 2000m above sea level. In recent years more and more producers have been exploring higher plantings and as a result the wines’ reputations have risen. Yes, inexpensive grapes are still mass produced on the valley floors, but that isn’t the wine you’ll be tasting in this case. The most planted grape is actually Syrah (not Malbec), followed by Malbec and then Bonarda, which is generally consumed by the locals. Those in the know are waiting for the Malbec bubble to burst so these other wines can start to enter the limelight.

As for white grapes, the one I was half-expecting but still excited to see was Torrontes. This is a bit of a hidden gem and thoroughly deserving of kicking Pinot Grigio out of your fridge for good. It is light and refreshing to a greater degree than most Pinots, but it packs much more of a flavour punch, and a much more interesting one too. The two key things it has are rose water/Turkish delight and lychee and they taste great in a wine. So, how was the case?

The San Juan Four

Mysterio Torrontes

The one I was most excited about had to come first. To many, Torrontes is probably a bit of a mysterio being rarely seen in wine stores or overlooked if so. But, as I’ve said, it’ll help turn your head from Pinot Grigio on to better, more interesting and flavourful pastures. And this wine does just that.

Rose and Lychee intermingle giving a bright, perfumed lead on the palate. As these mellow, white flowers, citrus, ripe nectarine and jasmine come into focus. A nice medium-full body gives a sense of richness on the tongue whilst the good level of acidity and saline aftertaste make it perfect for a hot Summer’s day.

Hijo del Sol petit Verdot

Petit Verdot is another grape you don’t see too often, at least on its own, but it is one that thrives in warm climates and can make some spicy, high tannin wines. It is often a small but highly prized component of top Bordeaux’s and becoming all the more crucial there thanks to global warming. Read about how Bordeaux is fighting climate change here. I’ll admit I’ve not tried many single varietal Petit Verdot wines, but this is one of the best I’ve come across.

A complex layer greets you from the off with cherry, plum and dark fruits which intermingle with earthy, leathery undertones. The garrigue (aka dried herbs) of the French wildlands, violet and tobacco are also well interwoven creating a lovely, varied wine that punches well above its price point.

La Luna Descansa Malbec

No better way to finish Argentina than with their classic, Malbec. I normally avoid Malbec unless ordering at dinner for a number of people to share because it is so popular, but, for me, Malbecs have become a little stale and unexciting. Still, it wouldn’t be a great exploration on Wine52s part if they went to Argentina without getting a Malbec. So, how was it?

The nose was a pleasant surprise with more varied fruits and good intensity. Black plum, red, sour cherry, violet, dried herbs and a smidge of graphite. On the palate, it has a smooth, luscious texture which you’d expect from a good Malbec. The fruits came across a bit more delicately than on the nose but still nice and intense. Additional notes of chocolate combined well with the hefty, but smooth tannin. And on the finish a relishing blackcurrant jam flavour lingers nicely.

Wine52 showcases Italy’s Abruzzo region

Abruzzo lies in the centre of Italy along the Adriatic Sea. Depending on where you plant your grapes, you can experience two very different climates. On the slopes by the Apennines you can experience warm but short summers and frequent snow in Winter whilst on the coast the weather is generally very warm and Mediterranean most of the year.

It is a region best known for Montepulciano which dominates the vineyards. It is also known for fairly high-volume production, particularly on the warmer, fertile coastal plains. Besides Montepulciano, there are two main types of Trebbiano (Toscana and Abruzzese) grapes, which are often not distinguished between, as well as Sangiovese and Pecorino. However, international grape varieties are growing in planting and popularity in the region and that is what Wine52 mainly sought to showcase in my case: A Merlot, Cabernet, Pinot Grigio and a Trebbiano.

How were the wines?

Amarena Merlot

It was an enticing red berry colour which more or less screamed soft, fruity merlot from the off. On the nose this was quickly confirmed as all that really came to mind was a light fruit bomb, exuding flavour. Once the initial hit had slowed, you can pick out fruits like morello cherry, red plum, blackcurrant, cranberry.

A fruit forward palate then leads the charge with cherry and plum the front runners. There's actually a rather good touch of dried cranberries too. A nice spice underlies the fruit, but the fruit still remains as the leader by the finish, with a good length. The lightness and intensity of the fruit flavours make this immensely enjoyable. On top of that, the very soft mouthfeel due to the lower tannin make this one easy sipper.

Angizia Cabernet Sauvignon

My immediate thoughts on the nose were, quite the change from the Merlot. This is much more savoury in nature, more mellowed. Little hints of violet and dried fruits speak of a complex wine. The fruits are red and ripe in nature giving blackcurrant, cherry and plum.

Although the wine is not sweet, some sweet tasting flavours came through due to the ripe nature of the fruit. It’s important to note that this was not in a synthetic way but a very natural, good wine sort of way. Tannins are fine and dusty, with a good level of grip which adds to the medium body and plush mouthfeel. On top of the mellow, savoury fruit feel, additional herbaceous characters such as tomato leaf follow on the end in a way that only Cab can do it.

Delizia Pinot Grigio

The whites were equally enjoyable and will likely appeal to many people. So, with that in mind, let’s start with an ever popular grape, Pinot Grigio.

Pinot is known and loved for a reason. It's inoffensive, fresh, floral, and fruity and sometimes you can't complain about that. This wine hits that nail on the head. Although Abruzzo isn't the common region you'll find Pinot Grigio from, it certainly puts a nice upgrade on the typical wines of Venezie. Yes, it is fairly simple in PG fashion, but the flavours are bolder, brighter and more intense than your average drop. The initial sip pops with fresh apple, pear and lemon which is then underscored by minerality bringing a harmonious balance to the wine. White blossom, peach, tangerine and a hint of honeysuckle hold the body together and mingle well with the citrus. Whilst the finish isn't super long, it doesn't necessarily need to be for such a fresh wine. You'll just keep going back for more anyway!

Lu Ferre Trebbiano

The final white, the Lu Ferre Trebbiano is the most Italian of the bunch, mainly thanks to the uniquely Italian grape.

Trebbiano is better known for its role in Soave wines but that doesn’t mean it performs badly elsewhere. Quite the opposite in fact!

It came off as delicious from the off on the very first sniff. In many ways it wasn't too dissimilar to the Pinot Grigio, except I'd argue the flavours were better softened and integrated together whilst the body was fuller. The fruits were riper, with red apple, lemon zest and yellow peach. The mineral element was much higher here too giving a nice chalky backbone. The finish also lingered ending in a green apple, citrus twist. Soave fans will certainly like this one, albeit with less acidity than the usual Soave style.