value wines

There are links to the Value Wine Archives at the bottom of the page

white - red - rosé - sparkling - sweet

white wines

La Chapelle (France) White 2008
Wine of the week 21/06/09.At first seems dominated by the grassy and elderflower character of the Sauvignon, but then an undertow of peachy fruit and lemon rind adds interest. On the palate it is punchy and vibrant, but it is not the more obvious asparagus and green bean punch of Sauvignon, but a decisive, mouthwatering panoply of citrus, white fruit and minerals with masses of zest and life. I drank this to great effect with an asparagus and pea risotto. £5.95, FromVineyardsDirect.com, who offer free delivery. (more)

Errazuriz (Chile) Chardonnay 2007
Wine of the week 14/06/09.This Chardonnay from the cool, coastal Casablanca Valley illustrates the point, with its buttery, vegetal nose showing white fruit and a touch of toffee apple. The palate has good fruit too which, whilst not enormously intense or complex, is well-balanced, classy and crisp, and the whole package delivers good value at £6.24, Majestic. (more)

La Motte (South Africa) Pierneef Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Wine of the week 24/05/09. Exudes class from the first sniff of its delicately tropical fruit, cut by a whiff of flint and smoke, and only hinting at more herbaceous, pea-shoot character. It has huge zest and zing on the palate, with passionfruit and guava succulence, but everything is tempered and well-balanced, with a core of acidity and that background, flinty minerality leaving this brimming with life. Top-drawer Sauvignon Blanc. Ł10.99, Tesco. (more)

Clotilde Davenne (France) Sauvignon Saint-Bris 2007
Wine of the week 10/05/09. The village of Saint-Bris-le-Vineaux is exceptional within Burgundy, as Sauvignon is the only grape allowed, not the usual Chardonnay and Aligoté. The style is distinctly one of Loire-like intensity and minerality rather than New Zealand flamboyance, but there's an extra dimension of lemony cut and apple flvour, as well as quite a richly-textured palate. Shimmering, flavourful stuff. £7.95, FromVineyardsDirect. (more)

Anakena (Chile) Viognier 2008
Wine of the week 12/04/09. The absolute essence of liquefied apricot on the nose, with little Botrytis-like touches of honey and marmalade. On the palate the fruit is just as bountiful and ripe, but acidity is good, and though the thick texture and opulence of the wine is unmistakable, this just hangs on to its savoury, food-friendly character. Absolutely terrific and a real bargain at the Wine Rack 'three for two' price. Ł8.49, Thresher and Wine Rack, but buy three @ Ł5.99 each. (more)

Bonterra (USA) Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Wine of the week 15/03/09. Aromas of peach and passionfuit kick things off, with a touch of gooseberry and lychee and a hint of nettles. On the palate it is really quite vibrant and punchy, with a bit of marlborough-like verve and swagger, but a slightly more mineral, white fruit and lemon and lime core starts to build into a savoury finish. £9.99, Waitrose and Ocado. (more)

Hartenberg (South Africa) Weisser Riesling 2007
Wine of the week 01/03/09. Around 30% of the grapes were Botrytis affected, adding just a touch of honey and apricot to otherwise clean, zesty, herbal aromas with hints of wax and a touch of paraffin. The palate has some lemon rind, waxy fatness, but then keen acidity leads into a juicy, concentrated finish which is off-dry, with a nice combination of tang and richness. A versatile wine for drinking as an aperitif or with food. £8.95, H&H Bancroft. (more)

Montana (NZ) Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Wine of the week 15/02/09. The attractive elderflower and gently herbaceous nose is softened by passionfruit and lifted, tropical aromas with touches of lychee and even Turkish delight. On the palate the texture is quite rich and creamy, which helps to marry the bold, pungent flavours of gooseberry and green pepper with a succulent, tropical mid-palate and tangy grapefruit finish. Stylish and well-made, this is an excellent example of its style. £7.99, Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrisons. (more)

Moselland (Germany) D:Vine Pinot Grigio 2008
Wine of the week 25/01/09. Crunchily fresh wine with notes of pear on the nose, as well as a touch of greengage and a hint of something floral. On the palate it is a decisive core of sharp, zesty lemon fruit and acidity that sparks this into life, cutting through more tropical fruit and giving some real bite on the dry finish of this screw-capped wine. I guess some will be asking whether we actually need a new Pinot Grigio from Germany, but there's no denying this is a very nicely made and pitched example. Ł4.98, Asda. (more)

Pewsey Vale (Australia) Eden Valley Riesling 2008
Wine of the week 11/01/09. The nose has white flowers and lime zest with little touches of hay and even a hint of Paraffin - but not too much. On the palate this is a dry Pewsey Vale, with the mouth simply flooded with fresh-cut lime and crunchy apple fruit and acidity. It begins to reveal little sub-strata of minerality, a hint of juicy peaches and plenty of firm, bracing acid structure that extends into a long finish. These wines cellar remarkably well, but this is invigorating and delicious right now. £9.99, Oddbins, or £7.99 by the case. (more)

Weingut Leitz (Germany) Rüdesheimer Rosengarten Riesling Kabinett 2007
Wine of the week 30/11/08. Filled with a pure but ripe, fat, lemony, confident fruit. The palate has glorious clarity: this is like a laser beam, focusing in from a broad, expansive, peachy ripe base to a pin-point of precision on the finish as the glittering mineral acidity sweeps through. Wonderful and thrilling stuff at a very reasonable price - and bottled in screwcap. Ł8.99, Waitrose (only in 192 branches and online). (more)

Argento (Argentina) Artesano Chardonnay 2007
Wine of the week 23/11/08. The nose has quite an opulent cashew nut and honey character, as well as rich, dried apricot fruit with a hint of lime. On the palate there is no denying the power and substance of this wine, with concentrated fruit that is peachy and ripe, but cut by vivid acidity and that background support of the toasty, nutty oak. A very nicely-pitched Chardonnay this, and delivering genuine complexity for the price. £8.99, Majestic. (more)

Rocca di Tufo (Italy) Orvieto 2007
Wine of the week 09/11/08. Whilst the nose is crisp and fresh, it also has alluring depth, with hints of nuts and honey over fat, waxy lemon fruit. There is something distinctly mineral too. On the palate this has that same knife-edge balance: there is richness, a glimpse of nutty oxidation and full-bodied, sweetly-ripe fruit, but the clarity of the acidity and long, mineral and lemon zest finish fills the mouth with its tension and vivacity. Terrific stuff, that has a bit of grip too and I'm certain has cellaring potential. Ł8.85, FromVineyardsDirect.com. (more)

Herdade do Esporão (Portugal) Esporão Reserva White 2007
Wine of the week 12/10/08. There's a very lightly spritzy character at first, with a sherbetty quality, but then intriguing herbal notes and nutty nuances from the oak come through. The palate has a mouth-filling apple fruitness, that is sweet and juicy, but all the time that tugging weight of oaky spice and warmth, and excellent acidity, add tension and complexity. £9.95, See all stockists on wine-searcher.com. (more)

Castillo de Molina (Chile) Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Wine of the week 28/09/08. Fairly zings along on the nose with aromas of fresh pea pods, asparagus and a slightly flinty note. There's good, zesty lemon fruit too. On the palate that flinty, lightly smoky quality persists, as does that blast of verdant leafiness. There's a juicy, mouth-watering minerality here too, with cool, refined fruit flavours that stop short of out and out tropicality, hinting more at fresh-squeezed lime. Balanced and very long, this may cost as much as a decent Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, but I say why not on this evidence. Ł7.99, Majestic. (more)

Domaine Wachau (Austria) Wachau Collection Grüner Veltliner 2007
Wine of the week 14/09/08. This is a little star is a seriously authentic and delicious expression of 'Gru-V', with white pepper, herbal and floral notes set against sweet, ripe pear fruit. There's a hint of opulence on the palate, but such juicy orange acidity streaks through the finish that this is mouth-watering and brilliantly easy to drink. £6.50, Tanners. (more)

Arniston Bay (South Africa) Limited Release Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Wine of the week 07/09/08. Nose of fresh pea shoots melding into a gently tropical, lychee and guava fruitiness. There's a little hint of grapefruit zest too, in a nice aromatic picture. On the palate this is pretty much dry, with those tropical fruit notes of exotic fruit and melon submerged over a much more citrussy, keen and sharp flavour profile, where the little bit of Sauvignon grassiness persists too. It falls away rather rapidly, and there's a sense that the wine just lacks a bit of concentration, but this is good value on the current offer. Ł7.99, Co-op, but Ł3.99 on offer until September 14th 2008. (more)

Inama (Italy) Soave Calssico 2006
Wine of the week 24/08/08. This Soave Classico is a particularly aromatic example with a fine combination of taut precision and fruity ripeness. The nose seems to have an extra element of complexity, with stony minerality and a slightly leafy, herbal edge to white fruit aromas. The palate is poised and beautifully defined, hinting at ripe sweetness of that pear and almost peachy fruit, but all given tension and drama by racy structural acidity and the sheer purity of the fruit. Ł12.99, Majestic. (more)

Oxford Landing (Australia) Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Wine of the week 10/08/08. A nose of flowers and peach, delicately spiked with lime. On the palate it is that citrus character that drives this wine, with just a hint of tropical sweetness swept away in a dry, zesty finish. Good quality in a savoury, intelligent style of Sauvignon this, and great to see a big brand delivering the goods year after year. Ł5.99, Majestic, Waitrose, Tesco, widely available. (more)

Quinta de Azevedo (Portugal) Vinho Verde 2007
Wine of the week 20/07/08. This is a crisp, breezy and contemporary take on Vinho Verde, with just 5g/l of residual sugar and a touch of added C02 to give it the barest petillance. It is beautifully fresh on the nose, with quite limpid pear fruit and just a. There's a touch of waxy, leesy character and some floral aspects too. The palate has a little more richness, but a lemon rind bite and again a verve and cut of acidity comes through, with persistent fruit. Deliciously quaffable - bring on the sunshine. Ł5.99, Waitrose, Majestic, Wine Society. (more)

Domaine Bonfils (France) Blanc Neuf La Bastide 2006
Wine of the week 29/06/08. An enticing melange of dried apricot, ripe, juicy nectarine and the vanilla and almond toastiness. There's a little hint liquorice or caraway seed, in an aromatically complex wine. On the palate it shows lovely restraint, with a fat, lemony core dominating, and the more lush, stone-fruit flavours of peach and apricot layered beneath. The wine stays beautifully balanced with its moderate 13.0 alcohol, and finishes with crisp lemon and white fruit acidity. Ł8.25, Laithwaites, Ł6.67 equivalent by the case. (more)

Yali (Chile) Winemaker's Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Wine of the week 15/06/08. This wine was aged - in steel tanks - on its lees, which were stirred regularly to give it extra body and richness. The nose has just a faint grassiness, with plum and peach aromas and a twist of lemon. On the palate it is quite weighty, with lime and crunchy apple rather than anything overtly tropical, and a nice balance of acidity keeping it fresh and food-friendly. This is an intelligent, tasteful Sauvignon. £5.99, Majestic. (more)

Anta da Serra (Portugal) Vinho Branco 2006
Wine of the week 25/05/08. Vibrant, punchy nose, crammed with ripe stone fruit aromas of yellow plum and pear, but also hints of melon and nectarine, with a just a background hint of something herbal. On the palate it is medium-bodied but quite silky, and the punch and crunch of the fruit comes through powerfully, with all the fruit sweetness tempered by crisp, taut acidity and a refreshing minerality. Delightful stuff this. Ł6.16, Laithwaites. (more)

Lourensford (South Africa) Viognier 2007
Wine of the week 11/05/08. The nose leaps from the glass, with classic Viognier notes of apricot and ripe pear, and a background of creamy vanilla with a nuance of ginger and cinnamon. On the palate it is fairly full and rich with 14% alcohol, but the fruit stays pure and cool through the mid-palate, and there's just enough juicy orange acidity to leave this relatively crisp. A note too that this wine is suitable for vegetarians - which with national Vegetarian Week from May 19 - 25, is good timing. Ł6.99, Tesco. (more)

Vergelegen (South Africa) Chardonnay 2005
Wine of the week 27/04/08. Powerful, toasty oak amd malolactic yeastiness dominates the nose, with toasted oats and some burnt orange, marmalade fruit. On the palate this has a nice balance of power and racy quality, with a cool core of lemony acidity and rich, creamy fruit. Ł8.79, Averys, Majestic, Henderson Wines, The Wine Cellar. At time of writing, AG Wines is also listing the 2004 of this wine. (more)

Coriole (Australia) Fiano 2007
Wine of the week 30/03/08. The nose is wonderfully expressive, with delicate floral notes, and a honeyed character suggesting gently toasted almond and crushed oatmeal. There is plenty of ripe, juicy pear fruit too. On the palate this has a full, silky texture, and is a wine that whilst modest in alcohol at 13%, feels rich and concentrated. There's more of that sweet, mouth-filling pear fruit, and a fine balancing core of juicy citrus acidity. Long and flavoursome, this is an impressive rendition of a classic Italian style, though there are only a couple of dozen bottles available. Ł11.59, Great Grog. (more)

Jose Maria da Fonseca (Portugal) Periquita White 2007
Wine of the week 16/03/08. These wines come from the Setubal peninsula, south of Lisbon. A blend of native Arinto and Moscatel, the white has a delicately perfumed, attractively floral nose little white flower and pear drop notes, and a subtle background spiciness. On the palate the sweetness of the fruit in this 12% alcohol wine powers through, with crisp citrus and more ripe, juicy orchard fruit notes, and good acidity. Ł4.99, Waitrose. (more)

Sacred Hill (New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Wine of the week 02/03/08. Vivacious, tropical-fruited nose, bursting with lychee, mango and pineapple, and that typically grassy, verdant pungency lying just behind. On the palate this has superb mouthfeel, with a big, lush palate of vivid tropical fruit sweeping over the tongue, chased and harried along by crisp, refined, citrus and white fruit acidity. This is a very intelligently styled wine, with the punch and explosive fruitiness that Marlborough does so well, but its unctuous richness is also balanced and refined in the finish. In other words: delicious. Ł7.99, Tesco, Morrisons. (more)

Errázuriz (Chile) Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Wine of the week 20/01/08. The nose is beautifully pitched, with a luscious sense of tropical, ripe fruit, but a very nice grassy and currant leaf cut, and zest Kaffir lime leaf nuances. On the palate a beautifully cool, clear, prsitine fruit character, with echoes of that tropical mango and nectarine fruit, but a blast of tangerine and fresh, fat, juicy lime and a constraining edge of minerality give this lovely cut and precision. Juicy and mouthwatering, yet with plenty of fruit, substance and length, this is a tour de force Sauvignon form Errazuriz. Ł9.95, Berry Bros & Rudd, Ł8.95 by the case. (more)

Oyster Bay (New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Wine of the week 06/01/08. Verdant aromas of nettles and green peppers vie with juicy, tantalisingly ripe tropical fruit. On the palate this is very successfully pitched, with some elegance and raciness and plenty of tangy freshness. The fruit is succulent and ripe without being too obvious and sweet, and it is a wine that keeps you coming back for another sip. This wine is often to be found a pound or two cheaper - it's £5.99 when you buy two in Majestic currently. £7.99, Majestic, Waitrose, Asda, Morrisons, Co-op, Tesco, Thresher. (more)

red wines

Campo Aldea (Spain) Rioja Graciano 2005
Wine of the week 31/05/09. Big, gamy and super ripe on the nose with masses of deep, plummy fruit and a great sense of richness. The palate has relatively restrained, lightish mid palate, where the spice of the 24 months in French and American oak comes through strongly, but it delivers a great deal of rich, full fruit that builds in the finish as smooth, silky tannins and good acidity grip. It's terrific that a wine such as this is available on the high street. Available in 200 stores and online, it costs £9.99, Marks & Spencer. (more)

Masi Tupungato (Argentina) Passo Doble 2007
Wine of the week 17/05/09. Dark, liquorice and chocolate nose with deep cherry and plum fruit and a touch of leather. There is a lot of interest aromatically, and that kirsch-like, cherry lift carries through to the palate where a keen, spice and chicory edge to the fruit combines with freshening acidity to leave this savoury and moreish. The 2006 is still drinking very well too if you find it on the shelves. Ł10.99, Oddbins, but widely available in independents too. See UK stockists on wine-searcher.com. (more)

Skillogalee (Australia) Basket Pressed Shiraz 2005
Wine of the week 03/05/09. Alluring nose, where a curranty, rich darkness marries with a bold, juicy black cherry core, and complex, peppery notes of spices, leather and tobacco are layered beneath. On the palate the broadly-painted canvas is daubed with thick, sweet fruit, but that core - a spine - of acidity, firm tannins and complex oak lingers into a long, sweetly-tuned finish. Around £13.00, Booths, The Fine Wine Co, Nidderdale Fine Wines, Hic Wines. (more)

Doña Dominga, Reserva Carmenčre Shiraz 2006
Wine of the week 26/04/09. Abundant raspberry and cherry juiciness on the nose, with a little glimpse of Syrah white pepper and a touch of chocolate and spice. The palate is firm, with a fairly hard, rustically chewy edge to the tannins, but the broad plummy weight of the fruit persists through the mid-palate, and this wine finishes with the fruit holding up against the spicy character and rather lean, savoury tannins that suggest it would be best with a juicy steak or other robust dishes. Ł6.99, Waitrose. (more)

De Bortoli (Australia) Gulf Station Pinot Noir 2008
Wine of the week 19/04/09. Brimming with smoky, swirling, tobacco and strawberry pulp aromas, there's a schisty, earthy edge and plenty of complexity. On the palate the fruit is intensely sweet - really pinging across the mid-palate with its concentration - and yet the spice, warm, truffle and woodsmoke complexity and structural line of the tannins and acidity never waivers. Truly great Pinot at its price this, and I have to say it would be pretty damn good if it cost twice as much. Ł9.99, Sainsbury's. (more)

Hans Nittnaus (Austria) Pinot Noir 2004
Wine of the week 29/03/09. Delicate, cherry-fruited nose with a touch of cranberry and something nutty too. There's a nice PInot background of gentle smoke and damp earth. On the palate it is medium-bodied and fresh, with modest fruit but a nicely-balanced character where a touch of spice and smoke mingles with good cherry acidity and a fine tannin structure to give a bit of length and finesse. At this price, a bit of a bargain. £8.95 from Lea and Sandeman's London stores or website. (more)

Pena de Pato (Portugal) Dão Tinto 2005
Wine of the week 22/03/09. Plenty of bright, chunky, raspberry and cherry fruit with a suggestion of something intriguingly aromatic: spices or herbs. On the palate it is medium-bodied and smooth-textured, with copious black cherry fruit flooding the mouth. Acidity is good, and the tannins are creamy and quite refined for such a chunky, direct wine. Lovely stuff and persistent on the finish. £6.99, Waitrose and Majestic. (more)

Fincas Las Moras (Argentina) Mora Negra 2005
Wine of the week 08/03/09. Sumptuous nose, flooded with deep, sweet, cassis and bramble fruit that has a dark chocolate depth backed up with spicy, cedary notes from ageing 15 months in French and American oak. On the palate the ripe fruit powers through, filling the mouth with black fruit sweetness, but then there's a nice core of dusty, nicely grippy tannins and some cleansing cherry acidity. The depth and gloss of the fruit, and more of that chocolate and spice, builds again on the finish. Ł12.49, Majestic, but on offer at Ł9.74 until 31st March 2009. (more)

Fairview (South Africa) Pinotage 2007
Wine of the week 22/02/09. This has cherry and black berry fruit on the nose, a little hint of orange peel and some coffee and chocolate beneath. On the palate it is dry and savoury, the firm-edged tannins giving a bit of muscle and heft to ripe berry flavours and the juicy cherry acidity cutting through some spice and toast on the finish. This may not be the most profound example of this variety, but it displays Pinotage's freshness well and might just convert some sceptics. £8.50-8.99, Cooden Cellars, Flying Corkscrew, Hennings, Highbury Vintners, Arthur Rackham, Bradgate Wines Direct. (more)

Domaine Sol-Payré, Cuvée Ivresse de Sens 2006
Wine of the week 09/02/09. Soaring nose of cassis and kirsch. There's a promise of richness and depth here, with a luxurious gloss and lifted, almost violety aromatic. The palate does not disappoint, with a striking, sweet core of black berry fruits, the mid-palate flooded with a creamy weight of fruit and supple, chocolaty tannins adding more texture. But this is fresh too, with good acidity and a balanced, long finish. Lovely stuff this in a plush and pleasurable, yet ultimately savoury style. Ł10.50, Leon Stolarski Fine Wines. (more)

Domaine Cazes (France) Hospice de Catalans Côtes de Roussillon Villages 2006
Wine of the week 18/01/09. This screams of the hot, rocky soils and garrigue of the south, with notes of crisp, bright, juicy cherry and berry fruit and black peppery nuances, and that schisty, stony minerality persisting. On the palate it balances exuberant, bold fruitiness with a certain darkness and tension from a gamy, sauvage undertone and grippy, intense tannins. A striking style this, with an edgy character through that mineral racininess to the fruit, tannins and acidity. It packs a lot into the bottle for its '3-4-2' price of just Ł5.99. £8.99, Thresher, or £5.99 each when you buy three. (more)

Casa Santos Lima (Portugal) Quinta de Bons-Ventos 2006
Wine of the week 04/01/09. Lovely nose of deep, ripe berry fruits like brambles and blackcurrants, but it is infused with an earthy smokiness too, helped along by a few months ageing in barrel. The palate delivers a big, chunky mouthful of wine that is powerful and rich, with a hearty quality of robust fruit and food-friendly, meaty tannins. Acidity is good too, but the wine maintains that juicy fruit quality into a dark, liquoricy finish. £5.49, Oddbins. (more)

Henry Fessy (France) Brouilly Cuvée Georges Fessy 2007
Wine of the week 21/12/08. Expressively Gamay, with lifted cherry aromatics and just hints of swirling, smoky spice and earth beneath. On the palate it is juicy and vital, with a firm core of tannins and a steely streak of bitter cherry, but the ripeness and generosity of the fruit is there to balance in a structured and focused wine. A fine contender for roast turkey or duck too. Ł10.95, Handford, Amps, Planet of Grapes, everywine.co.uk. (more)

Viña Chocalan (Chile) Carmenère 2007
Wine of the week 14/12/08. It is really quite plush, with a nice sense of incense-lke, camphor and smoky character from 20% barrel ageing. The palate has great fruit sweetness and depth, with lovely chocolaty tannins and a rich, tobacco-infused finish. Very classy stuff this. Ł7.00, Woods Winters, Noel Young, House of Menzies and other independents. See all stockists on wine-searcher.com. (more)

Domaine Preignes Le Vieux (France) Alicante Par Preignes 2007
Wine of the week 07/12/08. A certain schisty, muscular quality on the nose with masses of blue-black fruit; a really glossy, tight, deep-seated fruit quality. The palate too has a density, with no shortage of fine-grained tannin and nuances of chocolate and plum filling the mouth. There's a lot of wine here for the money, and structure as well as copious fruit. Ł6.49, Majestic. (more)

Salentein (Argentina) Selection 2006
Wine of the week 16/11/08. This French oak-aged bottling has a rich, warming nose of blackcurrant and blueberry, with smoky, plummy notes and some cedary spice. It fills the mouth with sweet black fruit with touches of coffee, more spices and chocolate, delivering a plush but quite complex mouthful of wine. Big, but certainly beautiful at a most unpretentious price, this also lingers on the palate with a good balance of spicy tannins and acidity. Really lives up to the old cliché of 'over-delivering' this one. £7.99, Tesco. (more)

Asda Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (Italy) 2007
Wine of the week 02/11/08. Precious few wines costing less than £3.00 would be suitable for 'wine of the week', but this is an exception: it is a light ruby colour, and a nosed of slightly spicy, red plum and cherry fruit. On the palate there is genuine personality here, and I have to say the fruit is excellent, with that slightly herbal edge and twist of typical Italian bitter cherry acidity to softer berry and plum flavours. £2.98, Asda. (more)

Estancia Piedra (Spain) Toro 'Azul' 2006
Wine of the week 26/10/08. The aromas are schisty and bright, with crisp but deeply glossy black fruit and a hint of something mineral behind. On the palate there's more of that dashing minerality that means this wine stays fresh and vital from first to last, but the fruit is copious with mouth-filling blackberry and just a touch of black chocolate. Tannins are suede-like and creamy, acidity is good, and the overall package is layered and intense. Terrific stuff with bags of personality. Ł7.95, Berry Bros & Rudd (£7.15 by the case). (more)

Finca Las Moras (Argentina) Alma Mora Malbec 2007
Wine of the week 19/10/08.The nose is mostly about quite dark, seductive smoke and plum with some spicy toast in the background. There's no sign of the blue/black, violetty character of top-notch Argentine Malbec, but it is an attractive profile. On the palate this continues in a similar vein, with swirling, smoky and charry aromas dominating red berry and plum fruit. The tannins and acidity are very low, meaning this doesn't have a lot of staying power, but on offer until October 26th 2008 at £3.99 this is easy to drink and easy to recommend. £7.99, but £3.99 until October 26th 2008, The Co-op. (more)

Trentham Estate (Australia) La Famiglia Nebbiolo 2005
Wine of the week 05/10/08. Matured in older French oak barrels for 18 months, it is very distinctive, with a high-toned character of leaf tea and bright, focused strawberry fruit with lovely floral nuances. The fruit is smooth and lusciously sweet. There's a great juiciness and energy to this, with those exotic, floral and herbal characters coming through against svelte, fresh tannins and good acidity. Unusual, and terrific. Ł8.99, Great Grog Company (free delivery in mainland UK via greatgrog.co.uk). (more)

Viu Manent (Chile) Secreto Carménère 2007
Wine of the week 21/09/08. Intense purple colour and a big, mineral and cedar nose, with charcoal, coffee and black fruit. The fruit on the palate is very pure and ripe, with a charry-edged blackcurrant character that is plush and sweet, before espresso and liquorice beefs up the finish. Balanced and with a long, savoury finish, this is a really impressive Carménère with bags of character and enough structure and concentration to cellar for five years or more. Ł7.99, Les Caves de Pyrène, Noel Young. (more)

Esk Valley (New Zealand) Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2006
Wine of the week 31/08/08. The nose is beautifully creamy and composed, with a svelte, thick layer of black fruit and a hint of violet. There's just a background touch of woodsmoke and chocolate adding depth. On the palate this is structured and savoury, with quite chunky, grippy tannins that are plummy and dense. Acidity is good too, giving a keen edge to the blackcurrant and black cherry fruit character. A little of that spice and smoky quality fills out the finish, in a concentrated and powerful wine, yet one that has some elegance and freshness too. Around Ł10 from independent merchants including Fine & Rare Wines, Cambridge Wine Merchants, WoodWinters and nzhouseofwine.co.uk. See all stockists on wine-searcher. (more)

Julien Schaal (S. Africa) Merlot Petit Verdot 2006
Wine of the week 17/08/08. There is a racy black fruit quality that has a suggestion of complex depth, showing some tobacco and fennel notes. It is quite racy and crisp on the palate too, with refined tannins and a taut core of acidity, but the plummier depth of the fruit swells on the mid-palate, and the warming background depth of oak also adds a more plump, mellow appeal. Lovely stuff this, and very carefully thought through. Ł10.85, Handford, Ethical Wines, Ballantynes, Everywine. See all stockists on wine-searcher. (more)

Mas des Dames (France) Rouge 2004
Wine of the week 27/07/08. Unoaked, this wine is all about expressing the fruit of the Mediterranean south, with lots of juicy black cherry and a tight, kirsch-like quality. The palate has a flood of sweet, vibrant fruit, but a firm liquoricy edge adds structure into a fleshy, ripe and bittersweet finish. Elegant yet full of charm and richness.Ł7.95 Berry Bros & Rudd, or Ł7.15 when bought by the case. (more)

Piccini (Italy) Chianti Orange Label 2006
Wine of the week 13/07/08. Interestingly, a small proportion of dried Sangiovese grapes are added to the must of this wine to produce a second burst of fermentation which winemaker Antonella Conti believes enhances the wine's aromatics. This certainly has an appealing cedar, briar-wood, cherry and gently truffly nose, that leads on to a medium-bodied, but quite silky and rich palate, where the creamy red berry fruit and a touch of vanilla plays against crisp, sprightly tannins and neat acidity to give a balanced, delicious Chianti at a very attractive price. Ł5.99, Sainsbury's. (more)

Mas Fondrèche (France) O'Sud 2006
Wine of the week 06/07/08. This joyous little wine is a 50/50 blend of Grenache and Syrah and has a bright, breezy, up- front character with creamy raspberry fruit and a certain confiture quality. A little edge of something gamy and schisty creeps in, adding a layer of complexity. On the palate the sweetness of the black berry and autumnal, slightly smoky fruit powers through, with spice and a bit of grippy tannin adding texture and weight, and crisply-defined plum-skin acidity adding a nicely tart note to give savoury balance in the finish. Ł6.49, Cadman Fine Wines. (more)

Cono Sur (Chile) Vision Pinot Noir 'Old Vine Block 78' 2007
Wine of the week 22/06/08. Terrifically aromatic nose, brambly and rich, yet has a really bright fruit focus that has nuances of pomegranate and redcurrant, but all very ripe and inviting. The palate too has that almost lifted, peachy brightness of fruit, though a smoky, chocolaty background adds support. Fabulous stuff for the sheer verve and joy of the fruit quality. Ł7.49, Majestic. (more)

Schroeder Estate (Argentina) Merlot 2006
Wine of the week 08/06/08. Brimming with cedary, spicy, coffee and mocha-edged black fruit, and with a mouth-filling richness of sweet berry fruit, layered with chunky, chocolaty tannins and infused with tobacco and smoky oak. With a nice edge of cherryish acidity adding a little cut and definition, this really is a beautiful, quite sumptuous style of Merlot. Even better, whilst at it's regular price of Ł9.99 it would be highly recommendable, a 12-bottle case is on offer during June at Ł75.95 - that's only Ł6.33 per bottle and an absolute steal for this quality. Laithwaites. (more)

Montes (Chile) Alpha Syrah 2006
Wine of the week 01/06/08. Redolent of blackcurrant, juicy, kirsch-like black cherry and a wonderfully peppery, spicy, cedarwood, vanilla and leather components that adds layers of interest. On the palate this is tight and very densely fruited, with a great, solid core of bittersweet black fruit, and a big mouthful of charry oak and spice, and sinewy tannin. Becoming quite chocolaty in the finish, this is young wine that currently demands food but it will come together and become more integrated with a few years in the cellar. Ł10.99, Tesco, Waitrose. (more)

Château St Jacques Calon Montagne St-Emilion 2006
Wine of the week 18/05/08. A combination of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, it has a dark, velvety nose of cassis and black plum, with hints of chocolate and clove spice. On the palate there's a freshness about this wine, with acidity and tannins providing a bright, crisp background, and the cool, essence of blackcurrant fruit running through the mid-palate. On the finish, there is plenty of spice and a touch of smoky warmth and breadth. Ł44.00 for a five-litre bag-in-box, which is Ł6.60 per bottle equivalent, from Provenance Boutique Wines. (more)

Winegrowers of Ara (New Zealand) Composite Pinot Noir 2006
Wine of the week 04/05/08. Nicely schisty and briary nose, with good Pinot perfume and a real sense of refinement. The palate has energy about it too, with lots of juicy cherry and orange fruit, and beautifully balanced acidity and tannins giving good length and a sense of precision. Fine stuff this, and well priced at Ł10.95, from Berry Bros. (more)

Domaine de la Grande Bellane (France) Côtes du Rhône Villages 2006
Wine of the week 20/04/08. It has a beautifully nutty richness on the nose, with robust, ripe, red plum fruit as well as spicy notes of nutmeg and a certain smokiness. The palate has real juiciness, with plenty of life about it and excellent balance, as refined, creamy tannins and gently supportive acidity extend the finish. A cracking little wine like a mini-Châteauneuf-du-Pape, that has energy and savory zest, and is as drinkable on its own as it with most red meat and even mildly spicy dishes. Ł5.99, Tesco. (more)

Château Prince Noir (France) 2006
Wine of the week 13/04/08. The wine is 40% merlot and 30% each of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, aged in new American oak. That gives it a decidedly plump, luscious vanillin appeal, with very ripe and rich berry fruits and a palate that is creamy and warm, with tobacco and chocolate notes and just enough structure to maintain a food-friendly edge. Lovely stuff. £5.12, Asda. (more)

Punt Road (Australia) Pinot Noir 2006
Wine of the week 23/03/08. This delicately coloured wine is very fragrant, with beautiful floral and cedary notes and plenty of exotic spice and smokiness coming through. There's a certain truffly, very Burgundian earthiness too. It has really lovely, quite sumptuous and textural fruit on the palate, with a savoury, fine tannin and acid structure giving it excellent length. A terrific Pinot this. Ł10.99, Majestic. (more)

Jose Maria da Fonseca (Portugal) Periquita Red 2005
Wine of the week 16/03/08. A blend of indigenous Portuguese grapes Castelão, Trincadeira and Aragonez. The red offers a ripe, full-fruited nose of rich autumnal berries, a certain warming earthiness and a nicely briary, almost gamy edge. On the palate this is a red with a bit of real personality: though the fruit is a touch jammy, there's a background of rustic, meaty flavours and tannins, and enough acidity to keep it interesting. Ł4.99, Waitrose. (more)

Mas Oliveras (Spain) Tempranillo 2005
Wine of the week 09/03/08. The nose majors on shiny, supple black cherry-like fruit, with a liquoricy, tight character. On the palate there is real fruit sweetness here, with no oak influence, but just a silky, dense, mouth-filling richness of black fruits with a ruffled velvet smoothness as chocolaty tannins and lowish acidity add some structure and balance to a plush, but juicy picture. Lovely easy-drinking stuff this, and very stylish. Ł5.45, Corney & Barrow. (more)

Tagonius (Spain) Vinos de Madrid Tinto 2004
Wine of the week 24/02/08. Warm and inviting nose of rich cherries and berry compote, with sweet, damp earth and a background of prune and plum. On the palate the fruit is rich and ripe, perhaps a touch baked, but then it floods the mouth with clean, sweet berry flavours backed up with a stripe of agile, lively tannin, to give a nicely crisp edge. The acidity is good too, in a really distintive Spanish wine, with the Tempranillo fruit and tobacco character coming through. Ł7.75, FromVineyardsDirect.com. (more)

Mont Tauch (France) Fitou Les Douze 2006
Wine of the week 17/02/08. Beautifully deep, creamy and dense nose of ripe fruit, suggesting plum and firm black berries, with a nice little hint of baked pastry and a touch of earthiness. On the palate this has lovely authority and energy, with crisp, medium bodied and creamy fruit set against fairly chunky, rustic tannins that give real, spicy grip. The balance is very good, with a cherry acidity and some more of that earthy, robust character coming through, in a savoury, food-friendly wine. Ł6.49, Majestic. (more)

Wild Rock (New Zealand) Cupids Arrow Pinot Noir 2006
Wine of the week 10/02/08. Fine, aromatic nose, with some exotic incense notes, juicy red cherry and summer berry fruit and a touch of something sage-like and herbal. On the palate it is crisp and juicy, with a fresh fruit and a crisp tannin and acid axis giving it some vivacity and life. The creaminess and tobacco and spice character of the oak adds a little depth to a light, slightly lean, but nice expression of Pinot. Ł9.95, winedirect.co.uk.(more)

Angove's (Australia) Nine Vines Tempranillo Shiraz 2006
Wine of the week 27/01/08. There's plenty of vanilla and rich, minty sweet fruit and oak on the nose, with ripe summer berries, cherry and a hint of leafy tobacco. Onto the palate, and the lighter, creamier fruit of the Tempranillo melds with a chunky, slightly baked black berry fruit richness of the Shiraz, to make a mouthful of wine that is robust and chewy, yet has a bit of smokiness and mystery about it too. For fans of the fairly big and obvious style, but one that delivers that with panache. Ł5.99, Tesco. (more)

Stamford Brook (Australia) Shiraz Viognier 2006
Wine of the week 13/01/08. A little aromatic lift on the nose, but the aromas are all about ripe, but dark and spicy plums and berries, with a little sheen of savoury oak adding polish. On the palate the fruit is very bright and fulsome, with plenty of that plum, creamy depth but a nice crisp edge too, where a hint of the Viognier's peachy quality shows through, along with ripe, sweet tannins and well-balanced acidity. A lovely wine this, not trying to be too flashy but delivering loads of flavour and style. Ł5.99, Sainsbury's. (more)

rosé

Vinha da Urze (Portugal) Rosé 2008
Wine of the week 28/06/09. The summer berry-scented nose also has a hint of something pleasantly herbal. On the palate, this is a rosé with a fairly serious structure: there's a backbone of tannin here, as well as juicy lemon acidity, though the taut redcurrant and rasberry fruit is clear and concentrated on the mid-palate. Quite a grown-up, dry style of food-friendly rosé that would match anything from tuna steaks to char-grilled Mediterranean vegetables. One of my favourite rosés of the season so far. £5.99, Marks & Spencer. (more)

sparkling wines

La Châsse du Pape Blanc de Blancs Brut NV
Wine of the week 03/08/08. The nose is mainly about ripe apple fruit and touch of candied lemon, but there is a background of yeastiness too. On the palate the wine is crisp and lively, with a prickly, tangy quality to the mousse and those nicely ripe, sweet and full apple flavours continuing. This is a nicely balanced wine, with just enough toffeed sweetness to make it very sippable, and a clean core of acidity to keep it sprightly and fresh. Ł9.99, Morrisons. (more).

sweet wines

Anthemis (Greece) Muscat of Samos 2002
Wine of the week 07/06/09. Traditional Greek dessert wine matured five years in 500 litre oak casks before release. It has a rich tawny/gold colour, and a fantastically rich, sweet, stewed tea, walnut and sultana nose, with a delicious layers of toffee. The palate is just as rich and unctuous as promised by the nose, with that massive sweetness, the honey, fig and quince jelly fruit, and huge core of acidity powering through into a long, balanced finish. What a beauty. £9.99 per 37.5cl, Waitrose Wine Direct. (more).

Mount Horrocks (Australia) Cordon Cut 2008
Wine of the week 02/02/09. Gorgeous marmalade and honey aromas, a touch of leaf tea and a lime fruitiness underpinning the whole picture. The clarity and quality of the fruit never gets lost amongst the gorgeous sweetness and opulent weight of glycerine richness on the palate. I apologise now for including a wine that bursts through our usual £10 to £12 ceiling, but taste it and you will agree it is a very special wine. Ł14.99 - Ł18.25 per 37.5cl, Virgin Wines, Noel Young, Martinez Wines, Reserve Wines (Mancherster), Nickolls & Perks. For other UK stockists see wine-searcher.com. (more).

Château d'Aydie (France) Maydie 2006
Wine of the week 06/04/08. Fairly restrained notes of black plum with some subtle floral nuances. On the palate it is rich, smooth and powerful (17% ABV), with a thick core of sweet blackberry and chewy, dark, prune and raisin notes. There's a lovely cherry edge of acidity that adds some freshness, and just hints of a chocolaty depth from ripe tannins and the richness of the fruit. Quite long and retaining its sweetness and warmth, this would be a great match for dark chocolate desserts. £10.95 for 50cl, The Wine Society. (more).

Yvonne Mau (France) Seigneurs de Monbazillac 2005
Wine of the week 03/02/08. The nose is filled with unctuous notes of honey and roasted figs, with a touch of candied orange peel. The silky, creamy palate flushed with peach and apricot fruit. It has real sweetness through the mid-palate, though the whole picture is given some zest by elegant citrus acidity. Yummy and inexpensive stuff this, in a tall, elegant, 50cl bottle. Ł6.99, Tesco. (more).

Value Wine Archives 2006-2007
Value Wine Archives 2005-2006
Value Wine Archives 2004-2005
Value Wine Archives 2003-2004
Value Wine Archives 2002-2003
Value Wine Archives 1999-2001