Burgundian négociants such as Bouchard Père et Fils can be a great source of wines from neighbouring Beaujolais, too. This is mostly sourced from the Domaine du Château de Poncié and it’s a classically fruity, charming Fleurie, exhibiting fresh, juicy flavours of cherry, raspberry and pomegranate and a zesty finish.
Score Range: 86-90
2011 Triade Rosso, Puglia
( £8.99 down to £6.75, 13.5%, Waitrose )This is a comparatively unusual southern Italian red, given the presence of one third of Nero di Troia alongside the more widely planted Primitivo and Negroamaro in the blend. It’s also quite light by the toothsome standards of some of the region’s high octane reds, but certainly not lacking in flavour. Plum and damson fruit are underpinned by sweet toasty oak and a refreshing, peppery finish.
2012 Waitrose Reserva Carmenère, Rapel Valley
( £7.99 down to £5.99, 14%, Waitrose )USP or liability? Depending on your view of Carmenère, you will either love or loathe this wine because it’s very true to its grape variety. Plush and sweetly oaked, it’s a ripe, malty, vanilla-scented red with flavours of green pepper and chocolate and plenty of texture. Impressive winemaking from Chile-based Kiwi, Brett Jackson.
2012 Loosen Brothers Grey Slate Dr L Reserve Riesling, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
( £9.99 down to £7.49, 10%, Waitrose )This is a step up from Ernie Loosen’s widely available (and very drinkable) Dr L Riesling, made exclusively for Waitrose. The result is a classic Mosel Riesling, with sappy, sweet and sour flavours, notes of lemon and lime and a finely-judged interplay beween acidity, fruit and residual sugar. Long and refreshing.
2012 Astrolabe Province Pinot Gris, Marlborough
( £17.99 down to £13.49, 13.5%, Waitrose )Both of my regular readers will know that I am not the greatest fan of Pinot Grigio/Gris when it’s watery and doesn’t taste of much. But this Kiwi example from the Awatere and Wairau Valleys is a very smart wine indeed. It’s just off-dry, with good texture and weight and beguiling flavours of pear and stone fruit. The wine finishes fresh and long on the palate. A really good food wine, too.
2012 Joseph Drouhin Rully, Côte Chalonnaise, Burgundy
( £14.99 down to £11,25, 12.5%, Waitrose )2012 was on the smallest vintages on record in Burgundy, but quality was high, even in “lesser” regions, such as the Chalonnaise. This lightly oaked, harmonious Chardonnay is fresh and crisp, with notes of nutmeg spice and citrus peel and a tangy, chalky undertone. Great value. And it will age well, too.
NV Albinea Canali Lambrusco Secco, Ottocentonero, Lambrusco dell'Emilia, Emilia-Romagna
( £7.95, 11.5%, The Wine Society )Visitors to Bologna will be familiar with drier styles of the local frothy red, Lambrusco. Elsewhere, it tends to be regarded as sweet and a bit too commercial, which is a shame, as wines like this one deserve a wider audience. Juicy, dry and very drinkable, even with food, this has bright plum and black cherry fruit, a nip of tannin and a mouthful of bubbles.
2012 Bolo Godello Mountain Wine, Valdeorras
( £9.95, 13%, The Wine Society )Alabriño may be more familiar to consumers than Godello, but the latter grape can be just as exciting. It’s more mineral and weighty (and even works well with oak on occasion). This high altitude example is fresh and bone dry, with a chalky, almost Chablis-like note and flavours of citrus, apple and pear.
2009 The Liberator (This Bird Has Flown), Swartland
( £11.95, 14.5%, The Wine Society )This Cape blend of Chenin, Viognier, Chardonnay and Clairetter Blanche won’t be to everyone’s taste – it’s got some age to it and a developed, Sherry-like not – but I salute its ambiiton and left field flavours. Rich and honeyed, with some vanilla and nutmeg spice, fresh acidity and bags of concentration. Appealingly funky.
2012 Chartreuse de Mourgères Le Pèlerin Blanc, Pays de Caux
( £6.25, 12.5%, The Wine Society )The grapes for this blend of Sauvignon, Vermentino and a hint of grapey Muscat come from land formerly owned by a Carthusian monastery in the Languedoc. It’s certainly an unusual wine with notes of wild herbs and flowers and a slight sweetness that reminds you of acacia honey. The Muscat adds an oily richness to the crisp frame.
2012 Esprit de Labaside, Le Perlé, Gaillac
( £5.95, 12%, The Wine Society )Made by the local Gaillac co-op, this all Mauzac white is slightly sparkling – hence the perlé name. It’s a fresh, medium bodied white that’s a little like a Spanish Albariñon in flavour and texture. Tangy and fresh with flavours of pear and apple and a hint of tangerine. Very quaffable.
2011 The Curator, The Swartland
( £6.95, 13.5%, The Wine Society )By the hot house standards of the Swartland, this is a light and comparatively elegant red blend of mostly Shiraz with some Mourvèdre, Cinsaut and Viognier. It’s a scented, unoaked style with some pepper spice, raspberry and red cherry fruit and refreshing acidity.