The top red wine from LaFou is an impressive blend of mostly Grenache with lesser amounts of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, again showing judicious oak handling, refreshing minerality and ripe, but not over-ripe flavours of plum, chocolate and red fruits, with hints of tapenade and a brisk, refreshing finish. This is winemaking of a high order.
Price Range: £20-£30
2005 Majolini Franciacorta Electo Millesimato, Ome, Brescia
( £24.76, 13%, Bat & Bottle )Made entirely from Chardonnay, this Franciacorta fizz doesn’t show its age. It’s on the swee side, with notes of peach and apricot, small bubbles and a soft, caressing finish. A good Champagne substitute at a decent price.
2008 Domaine de Montcalmès, Coteaux du Languedoc, Languedoc Roussillon
( £20, 14%, The Wine Society )One of the best reds in the Languedoc (and at a very affordable price, too), this blend of Syrah with 20% each of Grenache and Mourvèdre also proves that the region’s top wines age gracefully. It’s sweet and savoury with fruit flavours that nod towards Pinot Noir as well as more Mediterranean varieties, but with a dusting of wild herbs and a touch more alcohol.
2011 Greywacke Chardonnay, Marlborough
( £21, 14.5%, Liberty Wines )Kevin Judd was better known at Cloudy Bay, just as he is at Greywacke, for his Sauvignon Blancs than his Chardonnay, but he’s always been a very skilful producer of the latter grape. This is arguably the best Chardonnay he’s made yet at his new venture, a minerally, citrus-tinged white with deftly interwoven oak and flavours of oatmeal and honey. Very classy.
2011 Craggy Range Single Vineyard Pinot Noir, Martinborough
( £22.50, 13.5%, Majestic )Craggy Range makes some of the best Pinot Noirs in New Zealand, without charging the high prices of some of its competitors. This is a typically savoury Martinborough Pinot Noir, with less colour than examples from Central Otago, but more complexity than the majority from Marlborough. Red cherry and pomegranate, toasty oak, medium-weight tannins and a long, refreshing finish. It should age nicely, too.
NV De St Gall Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne
( £29 down to £21.75, 12.5%, Marks & Spencer )Well up to the very good standards of the Union Champagne co-op, this all Chardonnay fizz from Premier and Grand Cru villages is a very refined drop: fresh, focused and well structured with lowish dosage (residual sugar) and hints of brioche and citrus fruits. A Champagne that will age well, too, on past performance.
2012 Terra Remota, Tan Natural Tempranillo, Empordà, Empordà
( €12, 13% )Unusually for Empordà (uniquely?) this is a varietal, organically-farmed Tempranillo with minimal sulphur. It’s the cheapest red from the bodega: vibrant and juicy, with plum and raspberry fruit and good concentration.
2008 Castillo Perelada , 5 Fincas, Empordà, Empordà
( €12, 14% )A blend of Garnatxa, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon that flirts with high volatile acidity and some green notes but still manages to work. Serious tannins, slightly dry, with capsicum and blackcurrant flavours.
2009 Castillo Perelada, Finca Espolla, Empordà, Empordà
( €14, 14% )Combining Syrah and Monastrella (Mourvèdre), this is made in a modern style. There’s a marked minty note on the nose and palate (almost eucalyptus) that adds another dimension to the spicy, blackberry fruit.
2008 Oliveda, Furot Reserva, Empordà, Empordà
( €12, 13% )A feral, slightly chewy blend of Cabernet, Grenache and Merlot with tannins that are too pronounced for the fruit. A twist of the pepper grinder adds interest here, but this would have been better two years ago.
2008 Martí Fabra, Masia Carreras, Empordà, Empordà
( €18, 15% )A Cariñena-based blend with some bottle age. Despite the high alcohol, this is a stylish wine, with savoury tannins, sweet flavours of fig and wild strawberry and a rich, satisfying finish.
2009 Vinyes dels Aspres, Negre dels Aspres, Empordà, Empordà
( €15, 15% )The more popular David Molas’ wines become the less we will see reds with some bottle age, which is a shame as these certainly develop over time. Combining Cariñena, Garnacha, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a stylish, spicy, sun-kissed wine with subtle oak and notes of incense and dried herbs.