Aussie Shiraz may be better known, but the country’s Grenaches have a pedigree that is just as long and impressive. This rich, full-bodied, lightly wooded example comes from the Mediterranean climate of McLaren Vale, situated to the south of the city of Adelaide, has appealing flavours of bramble and red fruits, plenty of balancing acidity, smooth tannins and a dab of patisserie spices. Try it lightly chilled.
Price Range: £10-15
2023 Devil's Corner Chardonnay, Tasmania
( £15, 12.5%, Tesco )Aussie Chardonnay is increasingly impressive these days, especially if you’re prepared to trade up from the bargain basement. This bright, tangy, very lightly wooded example from the east coast of cool-climate Tasmania is fresh, vibrant and crunchy, with aromas of lemongrass and gunflint, a vivid citrus zest, pear and apricot palate, and a zingy, lingering finish.
2024 Domaine Bousquet Finca Lalande The Land Cabernet Franc, Uco Valley, Mendoza
( £10.99, 14.5%, Waitrose )Domaine Bousquet is one of the biggest and best organic producers in Argentina, so it’s good to see this newly released Uco Valley Cabernet Franc on a UK supermarket shelf. Full-bodied yet fresh, Finca Lalande is an appealingly floral, focused expression of the grape that has found a home in the higher parts of Mendoza. Entirely unwooded, it has aromas of cut grass and green herbs, lots of zip and acidity and flavours of plum and black cherry.
2023 Château Tanunda Grand Barossa Shiraz, Barossa valley
( £15 on offer at £12 until January 1, 14.5%, Sainsbury's )Château Tanunda is one of the grand old names of Barossa Valley, dating batch the end of the 19th century, so it’s great to see this intense, well-balanced Shiraz on the shelves here, especially at the offer price until the end of the year. Curated in new and older French and American oak barrels, this is smooth, glossy and intense, with supple tannins, layers of plum, blackberry and sweet aromatic spices and enough acidity to lift and freshen the palate. An Aussie Shiraz with a nice combination of elegance and concentration.
2020 Reyneke Biodynamic Syrah, Stellenbosch
( £14.95, 13%, The Wine Society )The Polkadraai Hills in Stellenbosch are one the best places in the New World to grow Syrah and no one does it better than Johan “the vine hugger” Reyneke. Fermented with 30% whole bunches, this has enticing aromas of pine and lavender and a vibrant, spicy, grippy palate of fig, white pepper and barbecued meat. An amazing bargain at under £15.
2021 Marques de Borba Vinhas Velhas, Alentejo
( £12.99, 14.5%, Majestic )It’s good to see João Maria Ramos working alongside his father João Portugal, one of the leading lights of the Alentejo region, these days. The pair have made a very tasty old-vine blend in 2021, partnering Alicante Bouschet, 20% Aragonez (aka Tempranillo) and 15% each of Castelão and Syrah. Intense, grippy and full-bodied, it’s just the thing for a cold November evening, preferably accompanied by a good stew. Spicy, muscular and intense, with aromas of spicy oak, thyme and liquorice and a core of damson, fig and blackberry fruit.
2023 Lyrarakis Orange Wine, Crete
( £11.99, 13%, Majestic )A wine to sip while you’re reading Peter Pharos’ article about Crete last week, this is my kind of orange wine. Made from a judicious cuvée of Assyrtiko and Vidiano, it has the freshness of its 500-metre site in Heraklion, subtle tangerine, quince and lemon zest flavours, a hint of quinine bitterness and a tapering finish. Appealingly versatile with food.
2021 Santa Tresa Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Sicily
( £11.50, 14%, The Wine Society )Cerasuolo di Vittoria often tastes as if its comes from a cooler place than the south-east corner of Sicily. This one from Santa Tresa is fuller bodied than some examples of the DOCG thanks to partial raisining on the vine, but retains the freshness and perfume that are so distinctive. Pairing Nero d’Avola and brighter, more charming Frappato, it has red cherry, plum and wild Meditteranean herb flavours, savoury tannins and a refreshing finish.
2023 Gérard Bertrand Le Chouchou, Vin de France, Vin de France
( £12.99, 11% , Waitrose )So pale it could almost be sold as a rosé, this is a perfect end-of-summer red from Gérard Bertrand, something to serve straight from the fridge. Made with an unoaked combination of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault from the Languedoc, but sold as more lowly Vin de France, this is juicy, floral and lipsmackingly fresh, with flavours of pomegranate, raspberry and red cherry, subtle tannins, plenty of acidity and a twist of clove spice. Lots of fun.
2023 Eidosela Albariño, Rías Baixas
( £12.99, 12.5%, Waitrose )I sampled this good value Albariño in a large line-up at the Consejo Regulador in Pontevedra this week and it really stood out. Sourced from the warmer Condado do Tea region – but tasting more like a white from the cooler, more Atlantic Salnés Valley – it’s crisp, tangy and focused, with jasmine, beeswax and wet stone aromas, plenty of mouth-watering acidity and flavours of passion fruit and lime.
2022 Taste the Difference Grüner Veltliner, Traisental
( £11, 12.5%, Sainsbury's )It always strikes me as something of a coup by Sainsbury’s to get top Austrian winemaker Marks Huber to produce their own-label Grüner Veltliner. Gloriously pure and perfumed, this has classic white pepper and bay leaf aromas, a palate of pear, peach and green apple, some extra texture from three months on lees in tank and plenty of racy, crunchy acidity. A delicious summer white.
2023 Mythral Côtes de Provence Rosé, Provence
( £11.99, 12.5%, Majestic )Good value by the standards of some Provence rosés – surely one of the most profitable wine styles in the world – this is an appealingly packaged, lip-smacking pink from Les Grands Chais de France. Based on Grenache, with the remaining 40% made up of six other red and white grapes, it has good focus and intensity, redcurrant, watermelon and rosehip flavours and a refreshing, chalky finish.