I don’t drink that much wine from the Napa Valley, partly because I can generally find better value elsewhere, but this Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc from Truchard Vineyards really impressed me at the recent Marks & Spencer tasting. Nicely restrained in alcohol, it’s a subtly wooded, medium-bodied delight with fine, granular tannins, layers of cedarwood, cassis and fresh herbs and a waft of sweet oak spices.
Score Range: 90-94
2024 Sangenis I Vaque Garbinada, Priorat
( £17, 14.5%, The Wine Society )Wines from Priorat can be pricey by Spanish standards, so this is an impressive find by Wine Society buyer, Harriet Kinninmonth. Farmed organically and entirely unwooded, it’s a reminder of how well the Garnacha and Cariñena grapes can combine close to the Mediterranean. Aromas of hot stones, rosemary and thyme segue into a palate of plum and summer berries, framed by savoury tannins and supporting acidity. Delicious now but will develop further complexity in bottle.
2024 Co-op Irresistible Douro, Douro Valley
( £8.50, 13%, The Co-op )Portugal’s Douro Valley is still more famous for fortified than table wines, thanks to Port, but it’s much more diverse than most people imagine. This is an equal blend of Tinta Roriz (aka Tempranillo), Touriga Franca and Tinta Barroca with 10% Touriga Nacional that’s all about fruit rather than oak, revealing layers of blackberry and fig complemented by top notes of violet and mountain herbs.
2025 M&S Yarri Karri Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc, Margaret River
( £14, 13%, Marks & Spencer )Sales of Sauvignon Blanc as a stand-alone grape vastly outsell those of so-called white Bordeaux blends, but combining it with Semillon (70% of the mix here) often adds layers of complexity. This unwooded example from the Xanadu winery in Margaret River is a refreshing, tangy delight, with flavours of lemongrass, cream soda and fresh green herbs and a racy, energetic finish.
2025 New Dawn White, Western Cape
( £10, 13.5%, Majestic )A wonderfully drinkable example of what’s known as a Cape White Blend in South Africa, this cuvée from talented young winemaker Rüdger van Wyk combines Chenin Blanc, 42% Roussanne and 4% Verdelho, using grapes from the Breedekloof and Stellenbosch regions. Fresh, tangy and perfumed, it marries flavours of pear, peach and yellow apple with racy acidity and a herbal twist. A great party white.
2024 M&S Collection Stepp Riesling *S*, Pfalz
( £14, 12%, Marks & Spencer )It’s often said that we wine writers love Riesling more than consumers do, but I defy anyone not to enjoy this wonderful example from two nearby vineyards in Gerd Stepp’s native Pfalz region – Kallstadter Saumagen and Herxheimer Goldberg. Deliciously toasty, tangy and focused, it has lime and wet stone characters and a long, mouth-watering finish. Refreshingly low in alcohol too.
2024 The Society's Exhibition Godello, Valdeorras
( £14.95, 13%, The Wine Society )Valdeorras in the eastern part of Galicia makes some of Spain’s most exciting white wines, using the local Godello grape. This was blended by Wine Society buyer Harriet Kinninmonth and star consultant Jorge Navascués of Virgen de Galir. Showing the structure and intensity that are typical of the variety, it has flavours of pear, quince and aniseed and a whisper of oak spices.
2023 M&S Qvevris Kisi, Kakheti
( £12, 12%, Marks & Spencer )Kisi is one of the best of Georgia’s unique line-up of indigenous grapes, so it’s great to see an example on a supermarket shelf in the UK. This is a traditional, orange style white that was fermented and matured in buried clay vessels called qveveris. It has intriguing layers of oolong tea, orange zest and juniper, some underlying tannic structure and a fresh, tangy finish. Something a little different.
2021 Palazzo Maffei Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore, Veneto
( £15.95, 14.5%, The Co-operative )A Veneto red that tastes as good as it looks, this is a stylish, modern blend of Corvina, 30% Corvinone and 10% Rondinella, with plenty of acidity, a touch of appealing sweetness from the ripasso technique, red cherry, plum and pomegranate flavours, savoury, tea leaf-like tannins and a fresh, balanced, persistent finish.
2024 Nepenthe Grüner Veltliner, Adelaide Hills
( £16, 12.5%, Tesco )It’s wonderful to see Grüner Veltliner, Austria’s greatest white grape, being grown in the cool climate of Australia’s Adelaide Hills. Racy, textured and complete, this well-priced example has citrus, cherimoya and white pepper flavours, undertones of toast and lanolin and a pure, pithy, bone-dry finish. Perfect on a scorching-hot summer’s day.
2022 Thymiopoulos Vineyards Xinomavro, Naoussa
( £15.50, 13%, Majestic, Orlando's Wines )Something to buy now and drink when we shift into autumn perhaps, although I never need an excuse to drink a red from Apostolos Thymiopoulos at any time of the year. This is an intense, fruit-packed Xinomavro from Naoussa, the grape’s Greek heartland, with the spine of tannin that’s a feature of the variety, some clove spice from 25% whole- bunch fermentation, flavours of damson, redcurrant and black cherry and a dusting of Mediterranean herbs.
2023 Domaine de la Croisée Comtoise Poulsard, Côtes du Jura
( £17, 13%, The Wine Society )Part of the joy of the Wine Society’s range is that they champion wines from small, young producers like Louis Bordel and Chloe Nardin in the Jura. This the perfect summer red, sourced from two contrasting vineyards with different aspects. Sappy, juicy and refreshing, it has lovely goji berry and pomegranate flavours, subtle, savoury tannins and a wonderful sense of energy and freshness. The kind of thing I want to order by the case.