More structured than the Bricco delle Viole, this comes from a 2.2 hectare, south- and south-east facing vineyard and is a first release. It’s got a bloody, almost iron-like note on the palate, firmish but well integrated tannins and minerally freshness. The tannins need food (preferably a lump of protein) to take away their edge. One to tuck away.
Score Range: 91-95
2013 G.D. Vajra, Coste & Fossati, Dolcetto d'Alba, Piedmont
( £18, 13.5%, Wine Liberty )Made from a “proprietary selection of red-stalked clones”, the estate’s top Dolcetto hails from a single vineyard in Vergne. Rich in colour and more concentrated that the straight Dolcetto d’Alba, it’s worth the extra money. Plush and aromatic, with sweet plum and damson fruit, soft tannins and a sweet, lingering finish. Dolcetto doesn’t get much better than this.
2012 Clos Floridene, Graves, Bordeaux
( £17.99, 13%, The Co-operative )Denis Dubordieu deserves his reputation as one of the best white winemakers in Bordeaux. Clos Floridène is a case in point, a textbook blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and a dash of Muscadelle that benefits from 25% barrel fermentation. Tangy, fresh and grapefruity, this has subtle oak, good texture and minerally flourish.
2011 Seresin, Leah Pinot Noir, Marlborough
( £20.99, 14%, Armit Wines )Leah is a blend of the three Seresin estate vineyards (Home, Tatou and Raupo Creek) and is often the most forward of the Pinots from this outstanding Marlborough producer. 2011 was a tricky vintage for Pinot in New Zealand, but this top-notch biodynamic producer has excelled. This is concentrated, spicy and textured with notes of white pepper and red fruits, plenty of concentration, well integrated oak and a complex, earthy finish.
2013 De Martino Viejas Tinajas Muscat, Itata Valley
( £10-15, 12.5%, Les Caves de Pyrene )De Martino’s Viejas Tinajas project is producing some of Chile’s most interesting wines at the moment. This savoury, aromatic white has a touch of grapeskin bitterness to it that adds structure as well as a layer of complexity. It’s not a typical Muscat by any means: you can taste the grapey notes of the variety but they are subtle and restrained rather than overt.
2009 CVNE Imperial Reserva, Rioja
( £20.49, 14%, Berry Bros & Rudd, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Majestic, The Co-operative, Wimbledon Wine Cellars, Wine Rack )CVNE’s Imperial is one of Rioja’s best value, ageworthy wines. This is still an infant and will need at least another five years in bottle to come close to its best. Dense, concentrated and sweetly oaked with a chalky undertone adding freshness and bite to the plum and raspberry fruit flavours. Traditional Rioja at its youthful best.
2011 Pegasus Bay, Bel Canto Dry Riesling, Waipara Valley
( £13-£17, 14%, New Generation Wines )An evocative name for a delicious wine. This full-bodied “dry” Riesling from the Waipara Valley is actually off-dry, but it’s none the worse for that. This is exotic and rich, with old vine complexity and flavours of lime, peach and nectarine. It’s especially good with spicy food, but is also delicious as an aperitif.
2012 Pegasus Bay, Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Waipara Valley
( £15, 14.5%, New Generation Wines )There aren’t many producers around the world who can make Bordeaux blends to rival the stuff that’s made in Pessac-Léognan, but Pegasus Bay is one of them. This delicately oaked, full-bodied cuvée is rich and sumptuous, with waxy, herbal flavours, a hint of vanilla and a tangy, refeshing finish. On past form, this should age well too.
NV Krug, Grande Cuvée, Champagne
( £80-£100, 12%, Widely available )A blend of 20 wines from ten different vintages, some of which are 15 years old, Krug’s non-vintage blend is one of a kind. It’s rich, complex and palate coating, with small bubbles, savoury, umami notes, hints of hazelnut and honey and a dry, refeshing palate. The kind of Champagne that works extremely well with food rather than as an aperitif.
NV Hambledon, Classic Cuvée, Hampshire
( £28.50, 12% )Sourced from England’s oldest commercial vineyard (we are talking 1952), this blend of the Champagne grapes, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, is delicious, a fizz that manages to taste English while showing the complexity and nuances of a top Champagne. It’s chalky and dry, with subtle bubbles, hints of fresh pastry and citrus and a tapering finish: elegant, refined and understated.
2009 Ca'del Bosco Collection Brut, Franciacorta, Lombardy
( £26.60-£31, 12.5%, Olivino, The Oxford Wine Company, Winedirect )At its best, Franciacorta can rank among the best sparkling wines in the world. This is rich, bready and nicely developed with toasty complexity, fine bubbles and a dry, savoury finish. Tangy, chalky and long on the palate.
2012 Château L’Hospitalet Grand Vin, La Clape, Languedoc
( £16.66, 14.5, Majestic )One of the best wines of the Languedoc, delivering incredible value for money and a rich array of aromas and flavours, this strapping, Syrah-based blend is smooth and intense, with bags of black fruits and Mediterranean herbs and seamlessly integrated oak.