UB40's Red Red Wine is now available as an actual wine available at £28.50 from Eminent Life. The reggae band's 1983 number one Neil Diamond cover version hit has inspired an organic French Bordeaux made with Merlot and Petit Verdot grape varieties.
Labelled as the Red Red Wine of 'UB40 featuring Ali and Astro', this belated marketing triumph is the idea of founder members Ali Campbell and Astro. After Campbell left UB40 in 2008 a legal dispute allowed the current members of UB40 to retain the UB40 band name while Ali, Astro and other ex-band member Mickey Virtue, went under the slightly clunky name 'UB40 featuring'.
The 2019 vintage, release in May 2021, is the fourth bottling of a Bordeaux branded Red Red Wine.
The initial 2014 vintage released in 2017, and the subsequent 2015 version in 2018, originated from 'featuring' band members Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue. These Bordeaux Supérieur reds made from mainly Merlot with additional Cabernet Franc grapes, were also a result of a collaboration with bespoke wine producer Eminent Life.
Although these are no longer available, the third 2016 vintage can still be purchased through Eminent Life for £28.50.
The latest 2019 release is a slightly different Bordeaux red (Featuring only Ali and Astro) being organic and vegan and made with Merlot and Petit Verdot rather than the Merlot-Cabernet Franc blend previously. The change to Petit Verdot in the blend adds more alcohol and mouth-drying tannins plus a meatiness to the flavour that the previous lighter peppery-tasting choice of Cabernet Franc didn't deliver.
The 2019 vintage also sees the use of maturation in concrete vats rather than French oak barrels. Concrete is what is known as an inert material for wine aging in that it doesn't add flavours and leaves the wine fresh and fruity - the traditional oak barrel adds woody aromas and flavours often referred to in tasting notes as 'oaky'.
All four Red Red Wines come under the Bordeaux quality standard of Bordeaux Supérieur meaning that the grapes for the wines can be sourced from anywhere within the designated Bordeaux wine area and are of a slightly superior quality than the more common Bordeaux Appellation Origine Contrôlée - Supérieur wines having a slightly higher alcohol level made from grapes picked at a lower amounts.
Although Supérieur wine sounds like the kind of wine 'only posh people' drink, as working class Scottish Ali Campbell is quoted as saying when talking about his childhood, the annual production of 60 million Supérieur bottles means that some do make their way into UK supermarkets selling at around £8-£10 a bottle.
Making the £28.50 for a bottle of UB40 Supérieur Red Red Wine seem a little expensive. Wine for the fans then.
Wineuncorked.co.uk reviews
£28.50 Eminent Wines
The rich and slightly sweet aromas of cherry and milk chocolate with a touch of meatiness is not matched in the flavour which is more about sharp redcurrant with a touch of the tannins. A nice wine but at over £20 this is one for the fans as similar supermarket own-brand Bordeaux reds are available at £8-£10. A limited edition wine but there still some bottles of their 2016 release of a similar Bordeaux Red Red Wine at £28.50. Match to spicy food or pizza.
Red Red Wine 2016
£28.50 Eminent Wines
A Bordeaux red produced from Merlot and Cabernet Franc of the quality level Bordeaux Supérieur. Aged for 8 months in oak barrels to give some structure, this wine is still available and still drinkable - but only for a few more years. Drink before 2025 to taste this at its best.
Similar Bordeaux Red recommended by wineuncorked.co.uk
Chateau Brassac 2016 Bordeaux Supérieur
£10 Co-op
This Merlot based Bordeaux has depth of aroma with its cherry, dark chocolate and liquorice notes - there's even a touch of smokiness just to add to the list. The flavour is milk chocolate fruitiness and a touch of Marmite.
Asda Extra Special Bordeaux Supérieur 2019
£7 Asda
If you can get past the ugly brown label then inside you’ll find a slightly sweet creamy blackcurrant and plum tasting red wine.
Calvet Prestige Bordeaux Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
£6.50 Co-op
It’s deep blood red colour reveals aromas of very obvious black cherry followed by espresso coffee grounds. There’s more of the same on the taste in a more balanced way with the coffee providing a sharp ending.
Chateau Moulin du Terrier Bordeaux 2018
£11.99 Virgin Wines
Treat this like a port replacement as its flavours of black cherry, liquorice, coffee and barley cough sweets needs careful handling.
