Duca Del Valentino Vino Rosso: Rude Raunchy Raw Red Wine Review!

I know: I’m possibly going to have to re-think that title… but it’ll do the job as a placeholder for the time being.  Here we begin with one in an ongoing series of reviews, casting a look at the latest in my bibulous intake of cheap wines available in my local area.  I mean economical and surprisingly fruity.  No, I mean cheap, especially since the recent value added tax hike.

I was not disappointed in this bottle.  Considering my appropriate price point, my demands, especially for red wine, are very moderate, and this bottle fulfilled them very adequately.  What do I require in a red wine?  A price tag of under a fiver, an alcohol content of at least eleven per cent proof, and a body that doesn’t feel like it’s taking all the enamel off my teeth is the rock bottom minimum.  An actually smooth feel and fruity flavour are also good though I concede it’s asking a lot at that price.  (Not that I haven’t sometimes found it anyway.)

How does Duca del Valentino score on all points, then? At 11.5 per cent proof it comes in at just over the minimum requirement, at least. When it comes to, uh, taste, (do I mean bouquet? Hell if I know. I’m not Jilly Goulden or the guy who gets drunk with the guy off Top Gear), it’s, hm, a bit thin to my taste. Does that make sense? It’s not sour, though, certainly not vinegary, so it’s not as if I’m complaining. (It’s not jammy and fruity like my happiest finds, either, so it’s not like I’m jumping up and down rejoicing.)

Any other useful info before you go off, get yourself a bottle and start glugging? Oh, it’s Italian, okay? (You probably got that from the name, right?) Goes well with pasta, meat and cheese, apparently! (Yes, I’m still reading the bottle.) Easily available from most branches of Morrison’s, so you can probably easily get hold of some. (Yeah, that’s the important part.) It’s the end of the week? Money tight? Need a little ethanol-based relaxation? I have solved all of your problems. Go me!