I was gifted a case of wine from Waitrose over Christmas (my friends and family know me very well), and this LAB Reserva is the first vegan red wine from Waitrose that I’ve tried. A Portuguese red blend made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Touriga Nacional (the grape many consider to be the country’s finest) and oak-aged for 8 months, it packs a punch considering it’s only £8.99 from a premium supermarket.
Vegan-Friendly Wine from Waitrose: LAB Reserva Review
On the nose this full-bodied red wine has some gorgeous aromas; shoe polish, woodsmoke and tobacco, with dark, jammy fruits (cherry and stewed prune) and chocolate. Touriga Nacional grapes are commonly used to make port wines, but have recently started to become popular in table wines. The use of the grape give this wine some deliciously rich fruit flavours, which I absolutely loved.
This Waitrose red wine has a lovely silky mouthfeel, with medium tannins and some raisined sweetness to it. Intense plum, prune and dark berry flavours alongside spice and what I took to be olive, were very enjoyable; especially when paired with the vegan meal we were serving: homemade ravioli with pumpkin pesto filling, served with roasted vegetables and black beans.
Waitrose LAB Red Wine Review
Abv: 14%
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Touriga Nacional
Price: £8.99 (Waitrose Online Exclusive)
Labelled Vegan Wine: Yes
Full-bodied Red Wine Pairing Ideas:
Pumpkin Ravioli with Black Beans and Roasted Vegetables
Red wine and vegetable pairings are often determined by the style of the vegetables used, and how they’ve been cooked. Full-bodied red wines complement roasted vegetables with lots of flavour such as garlic and peppers, as well as hearty vegetables with some sweetness, like pumpkin, butternut squash, and sweet potato. Cabernet Sauvignon and black bean pairings work really well, too, hence how this delicious vegan dinner idea came to fruition! Whilst the pasta dough was homemade, the filling is the newly-released Wicked Pumpkin and Orange Pesto by Tesco; if you haven’t tried this yet, I recommend it.
Overall I was very impressed with this wine from Waitrose, and would certainly buy it again.
Jess.
The Uncorked Vegan 