I’ve recommneded a white from Piedra Fluida in the past, but I also wanted to let you know about this red, now that it’s available in the UK. Made from a more or less equal co-fermentation of white Listán Blanco (aka Palomino) and the local Listán Negro grape, it’s an intriguing tinto from the volcanic soils of Tenerife, with lots of old vine concentration, spicy red berry flavours, a waft of wild mountain herbs and savoury, fine-grained tannins.
Food Match: Pork
2021 Corte Alle Mura Chianti Riserva, Tuscany
( £6.99, 13%, Lidl )Lidl aren’t terribly forthcoming about the varietal make-up of some of their wines, but this is obviously Sangiovese-based, possibly with some other red and white grapes. At this kind of price, maybe the details don’t matter, because this is one the best reds in the discounter’s core range. Just the thing to drink with a plate of pasta, it has aromas of tobacco leaf and black tea and a palate of plum and red cherry fruit supported by savoury tannins and refreshing acidity. It looks pretty smart, too.
2023 A Pie de Tierra Fuerza Bruta Vino de Paraje, Valle del Alberche, Sierra de Gredos
( £27.60, 13%, Parched Online, The Sourcing Table )So pale it could almost be a rosado, this is a refined, ethereal Garnacha from vines planted on granite soils at 500 metres. Fermented with stems for texture and perfume, it’s a subtle, layered, haunting red from young winemakers Aitor Paul and David Villamiel, with aromas of ginger, Turkish Delight and forest floor, graceful, caressing tannins and a savoury finish of wild strawberry and clove.
Famille Guerin Moulin à Vent La Vigne de Mon Père, Beaujolais
( £18, 13.5%, The Wine Society )Unfined, unfiltered and fermented and aged in concrete, this is a stunning Beaujolais Cru from Elisa Guerin, the kind of wine that showcases the brightness, energy and vivacity of the best Gamays from the northern part of the region. Elegant, nuanced and hauntingly perfumed, it combines aromas of rose petal and violet with a racy raspberry and pomegranate palate and a spicy undertone from whole bunch fermentation.
2022 Marquês de Borba Vinhas Velhas, Alentejo
( £13, 14%, Majestic )Something to drink while you’re listening to my recent podcast with João Portugal Ramos, who makes this wine alongside his son, João Maria, Marquês de Borba is a wonderful, richly flavoured southern Portuguese blend from the Alentejo region, produced from a medley of Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez (Portuguese Tempranillo), Castelão and Syrah. Foot-trodden in traditional fashion before ageing in older wood, it’s a plush, ripe, inky delight that would work equally well with a summer barbecue or a winter stew, showing flavours of blackberry, bramble and plum, smooth tannins , stony intensity and well-integrated tannins.
2023 Botanica Mary Delany Collection Chenin Blanc, Citrusdal Mountain
( £27, 13%, The Wine Society )Consistently one of the best Chenin Blancs in the Cape, the Mary Delany Collection uses grapes from a 1960 block between 450 and 500 metres on the Citrusdal Mountain. Fermented and aged in older barrels, it has aromas of hay and wild flowers, flavours of lime and passion fruit, subtle wood and a tangy, tapering finish. An exceptional wine from an exceptional site.
2021 Ca' Leando L'Arenal Monastrell, Valencia
( £18.50, 14%, Noel Young Wines )I tasted this wine as part of a six-pack that my friend Noel Young offered to customers who wanted to support the winemakers of Valencia after the terrible floods last year. And I loved it. It comes from a small 2.6-hectare vineyard called Lloma Rasa, which benefits from being at 550 metres. Made entirely with Monastrell, the best local red grape, it has hints of clove and tobacco leaf from partial whole bunch fermentation, flavours of wild thyme, fennel and rosemary, savoury tannins and a core of plum, strawberry and redcurrant fruit. Quintessentially Mediterranean.
2022 Nocturne Treeton Chardonnay, Margaret River
( £31, 13%, 92 or More, Oz Wines, Parched )Is Chardonnay Australia’s finest white variety? Riesling and Semillon lovers might disagree, but I reckon so. This one comes from two vineyards in the landlocked Margaret River sub-region of Treeton and is a beautifully judged wine from Julian Langworthy’s personal project. Textured, aromatic and finely wooded, it has layers of cream, citrus, apricot and wet stones, plenty of zip and energy and a focused, mouth-watering finish.
2022 Famille Cordier Saint-Véran En Faux, Burgundy
( £25, 13.5% )White Burgundy prices have spiralled in recent years, but there are parts of the region – Chablis, the Côte Chalonnaise and the Mâconnais – that still deliver impressive value for money. Christophe Cordier makes fantastic Mâconnais Chardonnays such as this one that combine richness and texture with freshness and balance. This Saint-Véran offers masses off flavour and intensity on the palate, with notes of honey, stone fruit and cream supported by stony minerality and a touch of oak spice. Delicious.
2019 Plaimont Producteurs Le Faîte Blanc Grand Vin, Saint Mont, Gascony
( £22.50, 14%, Corney & Barrow )It would be entirely fair to say that the Gers department in south-west France is not one of the country’s most celebrated wine regions, but the Saint-Mont appellation is producing some remarkable whites from local grapes such as Petit Courbu and Petit and Gros Manseng. This delicious, judiciously aged blend is every bit as good as more expensive white Bordeaux, with lots of zip and acidity, flavours of pink grapefruit, quince and white peach and a touch of oak spice.
2021 Cono Sur 20 Barrels Pinot Noir, San Antonio
( £18, 14%, Tesco )Cono Sur makes a greater range of good Pinot Noirs than any other producer in the world, offering impressive value for money in the process. Like the bodega’s other higher end wines, 20 Barrels is now sourced from coastal San Antonio rather than the Casablanca Valley. Aged in a combination of foudres and partially new oak barrels, this is sappy, bight and well structured, with plum, black cherry and rasperry fruit flavours and a sheen of vanilla spice. Hard to beat under £20.
2021 Manda Huevos Carramainas, Calatayud
( £15, 13.2%, The Wine Society )Norrel Robertson MW, known as the Escocés Volante (Flying Scotsman), is making some of the most distinctive wines in northern Spain right now. Manda Huevos – Spanish slang for “no way!” – is a remarkable, barrel-fermented cuvée of Macabeo and 5% Garnacha Blanca from an 85-year-old vineyard at 850 metres in Calatayud. Creamy, spicy and stylishly wooded, it has notes of beeswax and citrus zest, stony intensity and a hint of vanilla spice.