Les Vignerons Corsicans Terra Nostra

Has lost some of its endearing rusticity and is now coming across slightly dull. Bearable with food, not much fun without .

Purple red, bursting with fruit, pleasant Italian bitterness mixed with Pinot Noir style freshness. Consistent all the way from nose to mouth to finish. Great with duck.

I wasn't surprised to discover that nielluccio is a close cousin of sangiovese, sharing as they do the same juicy, dusty, rustic flavour DNA. This is pretty much a benchmark for the sort of honest, food-friendly wine that I look for from the old world at this price (£7). With an abundance of tart cherry fruits, acid and grainy tannins, this was a savoury and tangy mid-week treat with lamb chops, creamy jersey royals and salsa verde.