This is a very dramatic wine, made from organic Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault vines which are situated in a 200-metre-wide meteorite crater, high in the Languedoc mountains! With spicy, meaty, liquorice and wild herb notes underpinning a luxurious black fruit core this is a devastating wintry red wine. in , 29th Feb 2020
Saumur-Champigny is one of the most important red wine regions in the Loire Valley. I adore the simplicity and beauty of the label on this elite Cabernet Franc and it is staggeringly serious value for money. Deep, earthy, calm and packed with damson and blackberry notes, this wine is organically grown and stunningly well-made. in […]
It is odd to taste a Bordeaux that is solely made from Cabernet Sauvignon because these wines are usually blends, but this is a very impressive wine with a gentlemanly feel. It is smooth, calm, oak-kissed and mellow and it is a benchmark partner to roast lamb. in , 12th Dec 2019
The inexpensive red Bordeaux category is a scary place but I found this wine a month ago and it blew me away. Made from 70% Merlot, 20% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Franc and it is a truly great effort with extraordinary depth of fruit. It is a tenner and I cannot believe it! in , […]
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This is one of my favourite Champagnes of all and it is made from such a small house I doubt that you have come across it before. Made from a 90% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay blend and coming from Grand Cru vineyards the value here is utterly incredible. You could conceivably pay twice the price […]
This demure wine, with its discreet label, does not jump off the shelf, so let me give it a gentle push. This is a jaw-droppingly pure Chardonnay with pretensions to tasting like a classy Chablis and yet it comes from the cool Loire region and it costs well under a tenner if you order a […]
Not the grandest of Burgundy appellations, but winemaker Thomas Bouley is from Volnay and the vines for this expressive, aromatic Pinot lie above the village of Volnay. It has lovely raspberry and cherry purity, nutty, savoury depth and silky texture. 12.5% in , 4th Dec 2019
It pays to look outside the most famous appellations. And the less ambitious 2014s are beginning to be broachable. This has real pace and refreshment. in , 30th Nov 2019
There are some stunning north Rhône Syrahs around, thanks to a recent run of excellent vintages. This rich, unoaked example was grown just outside the limit of that useful appellation St-Joseph. in , 30th Nov 2019
This Loire wine’s morello cherry fruit is more charming than many a Gamay grown in its homeland Beaujolais. A useful aperitif? in , 30th Nov 2019
Vieux Château Saint André is the family winery of Jean-Claude Berrouet, who made Petrus for 44 vintages before retiring in 2007. Berrouet now runs this operation with his son Jean-François. Lovely and refined, made with 85 per cent merlot and 15 per cent cabernet franc. in , 23rd Nov 2019
A glorious Rhône syrah, made by a St Joseph producer from vineyards that aren’t classified for the appellation (they’re on flatter, more sandy soil) but which clearly make bloody good wine. There’s a plume of scent, then a waft of bacon fat. Beautiful. in , 23rd Nov 2019
This is one of my favourite discoveries of the year! Made from the Beaujolais grape, but coming from the Loire Valley, this is a fresh, crunchy, red-fruit-soaked wine with so much class and pizzazz it is amazing. You must taste this wine. in , 23rd Nov 2019
This is beautifully expressive, unoaked cool-climate Chardonnay – both vibrant and generous, with citrus, white blossom and fresh bay leaves on the nose and a textured palate suffused with quince, lemon and a briney, grapefruit-zest finish. It’s from Christophe Réthoré’s 42-hectare estate in the heart of the Pays des Mauges, an area between Muscadet to […]
The lirac made by Rodolphe de Pins is notably elegant for a red lirac – he cites burgundy as an influence – combining dark berry flavours with freshness and finesse. in , 11th Oct 2019