£6.25, The Wine Society
If you want to splash out on a red to line up for Easter, let me suggest Château Batailley 2009, Pauillac, which is pretty well perfection already but will go on for years (£50, The Wine Society – I assume you're a member: if not why not?). If you want a conspicuous bargain instead, or as well, to assuage your guilt at splashing the cash on the Batailley (photo below to tempt you), this juicy, ripe, unoaked blend of Grenache, Carignan and Syrah from Languedoc is delicious. With its gently spicy, briary black fruit and hint of aromatic garrigue herbs, it's as good as red wine gets at the price – in fact better than most at £8. It's not a blockbuster, but is a good candidate for a barbecue with chops, sausages and chargrilled veg; and the tannin is negligible, so you could also drink it with fish spiked with herbs, spice or a pinch of chilli flakes, with octopus and olives, or charcuterie, pizza, a cheesy onion tart or Mediterranean meze. 12.5%
Domaine Laborie 2018, Pays d'Oc, Languedoc, France
£6.25, The Wine Society (a lifetime membership costs £40 and you get £20 off your first order)
And here's that Château Batailley...
