93

2018 Fincher & Co The Dividing Line, Marlborough

( £18.95, 13%, The Pop Up Deli )

So much Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc tastes as if it’s come out of the same bottomless tank, that it’s a pleasure to come across something that restores your faith in the quality of New Zealand’s most popular wine style. Made by Master of Wine Liam Stevenson, this was picked early (by hand, not machine) and fermented with lots of solids in old French oak barrels. Dry, savoury and complex, it has appealing notes of gunflint and elderflower with subtle oak and a hint of passion fruit. Very smart.

BuyDrinking window: 2020-23Similar Wines: £15-20, 90-94, New Zealand, White, Sauvignon Blanc
93

2018 Pedro Parra Imaginador Cinsault, Itata Valley

( £17.99, 12.5%, Liberty Wines )

Imaginador comes from four different sites in the coastal-influenced sub-region of Guarilihue and encapsulates everything that is most appealing about Itata Valley Cinsault. Spicy, fresh and stony, with classic granitic focus and tannins, it has a hint of Asian spices from partial whole cluster fermentation and a core of raspberry and summer pudding fruit sustained by acidity and zip.

BuyDrinking window: 2020-24Similar Wines: £15-20, 90-94, Chile, Red, Cinsault, Cinsault
92

2018 Pedro Parra Pencopolitano, Itata Valley

( £17.99, 13,5%, Liberty Wines )

A Pencopolitano is a native of Pedro Parra’s native city of Concepción, where it is surprisingly difficult to find examples of the local wines in restaurants. (I know, I’ve tried.) This is a blend of Cinsault with 33% País and has more structure and acidity than the pure Cinsaults in which Parra specialises. Dry-farmed vineyards in Guarilihue and Portezuelo supply the grapes here, with 30% whole bunches adding some spice and structure to the raspberry, redcurrant and red plum flavours. The finish has some sinewy grip.

BuySimilar Wines: £15-20, 90-94, Chile, Red, Cinsault, País
92

2018 Pedro Parra Trane Cinsault, Itata Valley

( £29.99, 13.5%, Liberty Wines )

Trane, named after jazz legend John Coltrane, comes from a 70-year-old vineyard at 300 metres on shallow granite soils with silt and stones. Fermented with 30% whole bunches, it has medium colour, aromas of wild strawberry and Turkish Delight, juicy red berry fruit of raspberry and bramble, subtle reduction and classic Itata grip and understated intensity.

BuyDrinking window: 2020-25Similar Wines: £25-30, 90-94, Chile, Red, Cinsault
91

2018 El Garbi Garnacha Blanca, Terra Alta

( £16.95, 14% , Red & White )

Master of Wine Liam Stevenson wrote his dissertation about Priorat and was inspired by the white wines of the region to produce a Garnacha Blanca in nearby Terra Alta. This is made in partnership with another MW, Mark Pygott, and is excellent value. Leesy, intense and very lightly wooded, it has grapefruit and lemon peel flavours, a dusting of baking spices, stony minerality and top notes of jasmine and hawthorn blossom.

BuyDrinking window: 2020-23Similar Wines: £15-20, 90-94, Spain, White, Grenache Blanc
91

Douro Valley Ramos Pinto Duas Quintas Reserva White

( £31.30, 13.5%, Wine Buyers )

For local grape varieties make up the blend here – Arinto, Folgazão, Rabigato and Viosinho – sourced from vineyards on the southern side of the Douro Valley in their Quintas de Ervamoira and Bons Ares. An appealing counterpoint to the more powerful reds and fortifieds of the region, this has lovely freshness, aromas of fennel, citrus and oatmeal and a youthful, tangy, deftly wooded palate. Should develop further in bottle.

BuyDrinking window: 2020-24Similar Wines: £30-35, 90-94, Portugal, White, Arinto, Folgazão, Rabigato, Viosinho
94

2019 Pepe Mendoza Pureza Moscatel Abargués, Alicante

( £15.50, 12.5% )

Coastal Alicante – with a marked marine influence – is the source of this stunning, amphora fermented and aged, old-vine Moscatel de Alejandría from the region’s most exciting producer, Pepe Mendoza. Fresh, tangy and salty, with mouthwatering acidity, flavours of pear, citrus and orange water, amazing focus and some grip from partial skin contact.

BuyDrinking window: 2020-24Similar Wines: 90-94, Spain, White, Moscatel de Alejandría
93

2019 Pepe Mendoza Giró-Gironet 6 Meses Ánfora Velo Flor, Alicante

( €24, 13.5%, Available from the winery )

This is a small production red from Pepe Mendoza, fermented and aged in amphoras and made with a combination of the rare Giró grape and Garnacha (Gironet). Lightly oxidative in style, it has raspberry and pomegranate flavours, sinewy tannins and undertones of wild Mediterranean herbs. The acidity of both varieties freshens and lengthens the finish.

BuyDrinking window: 2020-23Similar Wines: 90-94, Spain, Red, Giró, Gironet
93

2018 Pepe Mendoza El Veneno, Alicante

( £22, 14%, The Wine Society )

Pepe Mendoza is one of the best producers in the historic region of Alicante, bringing bags of energy and creativity to the denominación de origen. Called “poison” because of the strong character of the bush vine vineyard that supplied it, this pure Monastrell is fresh, bright and intense, with plum and black cherry fruit, some spices from 50% whole bunches, very subtle wood and tannins that are grippy but not overwhelmingly so.

BuyDrinking window: 2020-26Similar Wines: £20-25, 90-94, Spain, Red, Monastrell
94

2018 Pepe Mendoza Giró de Abargues, Alicante

( £21.93, 14.5%, Gourmet Hunters )

Made from the extremely rare Giró grape, which probably came to Alicante from Sardinia in the 17th century, this is part of a brilliant range from the ever-creative Pepe Mendoza. Sourced from a bush vine site planted on red clay soils in 1943, it has a wonderful combination of freshness and presence, with savoury tannins, red cherry and will herb flavours and levels of acidity that are reminiscent of Italy rather than Spain.

BuyDrinking window: 2020-26Similar Wines: £20-25, 90-94, Spain, Red, Giró
94

2017 Viñas del Cámbrico Rufete Blanco Granito, Sierra de Salamanca

( £24.99, 12.5%, All About Wine )

Made with organic grapes grown on granite soils in the little-known Sierra de Salamanca at 700 metres, this is a very rare Spanish white with incredible texture, focus and minerality, especially at only 12.5% alcohol. Salty, yeasty and beeswaxy, with a bracing, mouthwatering finish. No oak, just fruit intensity and texture. 

BuyDrinking window: 2020-24Similar Wines: £20-25, 90-94, Spain, White, Rufete Blanco
93

2015 Cuatro Rayas Amador Diez Cuvée, Rueda

( €34.90, 13%, Available from the winery )

Made with a selection of the co-operative’s most venerable vineyards, this hails from plots that are all over 100 years’ old. It’s an oxidatively handled style that will appeal to fans of traditional white Rioja, with a mix of French and American oak, lots of toast and spices and flavours of pear, saffron and beeswax underpinned by salinity. Developing nicely in bottle.

BuyDrinking window: 2020-25Similar Wines: €30-40, 90-94, Spain, White, Verdejo