Chapel Down Flint Dry 2015, England (£10, Sainsbury's or via WineSearcher) We're big fans of Chapel Down's wines, especially their still ones - proving that English wine isn't just about fizz. Their Chardonnay (in particular their Kit's Coty) is regularly outstanding and well worth a try. This one's a...
Tim Adams Clare Valley Semillon 2014, Australia (from £9, Tesco or via WineSearcher) This wine is one of the best in Tesco's range - and one of the most reliable (of the very few) decent oaked whites under a tenner in the UK. With the zesty acidity you'd expect of good Ozzie...
Pietradolce Archineri Etna Rosso 2014, Italy (from £27.55, Armit Wines, Oxford Wine Company or via Wine Searcher) I first came across the rugged, uncompromising wines of Sicilian producer Pietradolce at our wine festival and have followed them with interest since. I tried the full range at the recent Italian tasting...
Cérvoles Blanc 2005, Costers del Segre, Spain (£21.95 for the 2013 at Berry Bros or globally via Wine Searcher) Tasting this venerable white wine in plush London surroundings, it was odd to recall that Susie and I had visited the sun-strewn, dusty upland landscape of Costers del Segre shortly before this...
If wine has a grape-shaped equivalent of Lord Lucan, Amelia Earhart or George Mallory, it's Carmenere. This grape was a familiar and well renowned part of the landscape in Bordeaux for centuries until phylloxera struck in the 19th century. Growers weren't keen to replant it because it...
Colinas de Uruguay Albariño 2016, 13%, Uruguay (£8, Sainsbury's or in the Netherlands and Canada via Wine Searcher) We often find ourselves searching for whites that have plenty of oomph but aren't super extrovert in their flavour profile. This happens especially when we're picking wines to go with food: whites can need...
Arboleda Pinot Noir 2016, 13.5%, Chile (£18-20 for the 2015, Loki, Surrey Wine Cellar, Bonafide Wines or globally via Wine Searcher) Arboleda is the sister brand to the better known Errázuriz label, which are both based out of the Aconcagua Valley north of Chilean capital Santiago. And, just...
Château Angélus 2012, 14%, Saint-Émilion, France (c £270+ per bottle in bond, BI and other sellers, see Wine Searcher) Angélus is not a wine to shy from the limelight. It commands superstar prices. It features in James Bond movies. Its grandly renovated chateau in Saint-Émilion boasts a...
Château Pontet-Canet 2007, 13%, France (c. £600 per case of 12 in bond, BI – but widely available, see also Wine Searcher) The 2007 vintage in Bordeaux wasn’t particularly memorable. As we noted when we last tasted the vintage in November 2011 (Bordeaux 2007 in stereo), the challenging...
Broglia Gavi di Gavi 2015, Italy (from £9 down from £14.99 until 21.2.2017, Waitrose - or via WineSearcher) At the discounted price, this Gavi is a bit of a bargain. What's more, it's a beautiful food wine to put with food, which is why I paired it with Marianne...