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.
Price Range: £10-15
2023 Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner, Wachau
( £13, 12.5%, Tesco )Grüner Veltiner is Austria’s best white grape, especially when it’s grown close to the Danube River. This appealingly priced example comes from Domäne Wachau, one of Europe’s best co-operatives, and is typically fresh, perfumed and stony, with aromas of white pepper and bay leaf and a palate of pear, lime and green apple.
2024 Springfield Estate Special Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc, Robertson
( £12 until August 19, 12.5%, Waitrose )Parcels on sandy, alluvial soils in Robertson supply the grapes for this tasty, crowd-pleasing Sauvignon Blanc from the son and daughter team of Abrie and Emma Bruwer. Broader in style than the same winery’s Life from Stone bottling, it has appealing flavours of greengage and lime, a touch of stone fruit sweetness and a textured finish. Worth trying as an alternative to Marlborough Sauvignons at the same price.
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 Winzer Krems Orange Grüner Veltliner, Austria
( £10, 13%, Majestic )It’s great to see one of the biggest co-operatives in Austria taking a few risks and producing a tasty orange wine at an approachable price. Way less bitter or extracted than some skin-contact whites, this is a perfumed, elegant, refined Grüner Velltliner with subtle top notes of saffron and patisserie spices, flavours of quince, tangerine and lemon zest, a touch of tannin and a stony, refreshing finish.
2024 Tesco Finest Tingleup Riesling, Great Southern, Western Australia
( £11, 12%, Tesco )A consistent favourite of mine at Tesco for more than a decade, the latest vintage of this Western Australian Riesling is right up to scratch. Made at Howard Park, it’s a bright, tangy, lime and citrus peel Riesling with a waft of jasmine, plenty of mouth-watering acidity and an appealing bitter twist.
2024 Diemersdal Grüner Veltliner, Durbanville, Western Cape
( £11.50, 13.5%, Majestic )Partly inspired by the subject of my newsletter, this is an example of a producer taking a punt on a lesser known grape, in this case Austria’s Grüner Vetliner in the Cape. Thys Louw produces this tangy, stony, white pepper-scented white in cool climate Durbanville, close to the Atlantic Ocean. Lime and subtle stone fruit flavours combine appealingly on the palate.
2024 La Guardiense Falanghina del Sannio, Campania
( £10.50, 13.5%, Majestic )Working under the guidance of top consultant Ricardo Cotarella, the La Guardiense co-operative is making some delicious, value-for-money examples of Campania’s native Falanghina grape. Aged on its lees in stainless steel tanks to add weight and texture, this is a wonderful, highly aromatic dry white with aromas of orange blossom and Angelica root and a brisk, lively, focused palate of lime, citrus and fennel.
2022 Carinus Family Vineyards Syrah, Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch
( £14.95, 13.5%, The Wine Society )Over the last decade or so, the Polkadraai Hills in Stellenbosch have emerged as one of the best places in the world to grow Syrah. It’s a region that produces wines that can go toe-to-toe with the best of the northern Rhône. This wine from Danie Carinus’ own vines, vinified by superstar winemaker Lukas van Loggerenberg, is crazily good value for money. It has enticing clove, lavender and white pepper aromas, tangy blackberry and tapenade flavours and a whisper of oak. Delicious.
2024 Arbousset Tavel Rosé, Rhône Valley
( £13, 13.5%, Tesco )Tavel tends to make rosés that appeal to red rather than white wine lovers. As such, they are richer, denser and fuller-bodied than the much paler Côtes de Provence style. This wine from Domaine d’Arbousset is a case in point, a serious, savoury, richly coloured cuvée of mostly Grenache with lesser amounts of Cinsault, Carignan and Syrah. Wild strawberry, hibiscus and rooibos tea flavours are framed by subtle tannins and racy acidity.
2023 Domaine Trouillet les Reines de la Jacarde Blanc, Beaujolais
( £15, 13%, Majestic )Beaujolais is so famous as a red wine region that people forget that it also produces a small amount of white wine made from Chardonnay. Indeed, some of its vineyards neighbour the Mâconnais, the southern outpost of Burgundy to the north. This is a delicious, textured white from William Trouillet, whose family domaine also make grander and more expensive Pouilly-Fuissé for Majestic. Perfumed, fresh and very lightly wooded, it has notes of cream, citrus and wet stones and a hint of brioche.
2024 Famille Bougrier Les Terrasses Cabernet Franc, Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil, Loire Valley
( £11.50, 12%, Tesco )Asked to compile a list of my favourite five red grapes, I’d definitely include Cabernet Franc – and not Cabernet Sauvignon. This fresh, typically medium-bodied example from Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil is wonderfully bright and appealing, with rocket, coriander and graphite aromas and a tangy, unwooded palate of black cherry and red pepper framed by granular tannins.