Marktree Merlot / Cabernet / Syrah 2006

Quintessentially Australian, this offers appealing, up-front aromas of fresh, ripe berry fruit which  mingle with light spice and minty eucalyptus flavours in the mouth. Smooth and full on the palate with a nicely balanced structure, sweet, ripe fruit on the finish and a hint of spice. Predominantly produced from Merlot, with fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel retains the fresh fruit character of the wines. The Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon components are barrel aged in American oak which add a little richness and complexity to the blend. Great with barbeques or simple pasta and pizza dishes.Ref MMCS06

Domaine de Malavieille Charmille 2005

 A great blend of 70% old vine Merlot topped up with Cabernet Franc and Mourvedre, this estate near Clermont - Herault in the Languedoc is only 35 hectares. M and Mme Bertrand are now 5th generation of the family to run the estate since it was replanted after the phylloxera outbreak of 1881 practically wiped out viticulture in France. The grapes used mean that it has to be classified as Vin de Pays d'Oc. The Bertrands practise organic viticulture and the wine is certified as organic. Beautifully balanced, with red fruit and spices the wine provides, as the French say, un excellent rapport qualité / prix! Ref DMC05

Vineyard website

Chateau St Martin de la Garrigue Bronzinelle 2005

Owner Umberto Guida has invested heavily in both the vineyard and the winery since he bought the estate in 1992 and more is planned for the future. Even now the cellar is more Grand Cru Bordeaux than lowly Languedoc! This is an ambitious producer and, under the guidance of estate manager Jean-Claude Zabalia, he has established hallmarks of generous wines that offer consistency and fair pricing. The Bronzinelle is particularly excellent value for money.  A blend of 41% Syrah, 13% Grenache, 27% Carignan and 19% Mourvedre, the wine has forest fruit aromas followed by loads of cherry fruit and herb flavour. The tannins are well integrated. A complex wine, it has a lingering finish and best of all is great value. Bronzinelle was one of Wine Spectators top 30 wines of the year in 2001. Ref CSMB05

Vineyard website -
www.stmartingarrigue.com

Villard Expresion Merlot 2006

The best of both worlds - great Chilean climate and fruit allied to the expertise and experience of French wine maker Thierry Villard. St Emilion lovers will adore this big, ripe, voluptuous wine. Low yields and subtle oak ageing have produced superb Merlot concentration and flavour and great length. An attractive nose of mint and juniper is followed by a palate that is rich, fruity, smooth and well-balanced. Ref VM06

Vineyard website -
www.villard.cl

Norfolk Rise Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Norfolk Rise is one of the most significant wineries in Mount Benson (one of the better known Limestone Coast regions alongside Padthaway and Coonawarra in the south-east of Australia. Inky intensity and with an immense depth of flavour, this minty cool Cabernet with seductive blackcurrant fruit and a fine grained tannic structure is sure testament to the quality of the fruit from this up and coming cool climate region. What strikes one is the purity of flavour – Cab Sauv at its best! Great with rare seared steak, roast beef, filet mignon, baked aubergine with parmesan. If you’re a Robert Parker fan, hear what the great man says…'The cool climate 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Noolook spent 14 months in a combination of French and American oak. Its dark ruby/purple colour is followed by a clean, pure nose of black currants and smoke, medium-bodied, pleasant, easy-going flavours, and a soft seamless finish. Drink it over the next 3-4 years. 85/100 Points.'-Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, 31 October 2005. Ref NRCS05

Vineyard website
www.kreglingerwineestates.com.au

Chateau Lamartine Cahors 2005

Alain Gayraud at Soturac in the Lot Valley is a dedicated wine maker producing relatively small quantities of great wine. Made from the characteristic Malbec (Cot) grape (80%) and Merlot, this beautifully presented wine has a aromatic nose with a touch of liquorice and red fruits. Strong and powerful this wine is drinking well now but has considerable ageing potential. Silver medal winner in the regional South West France annual wine competition. Ref CLC05

Vineyard website -
www.cahorslamartine.com/

Quinta da Garrida Dao 2006

You may not have come across the grapes used to make this wine (Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional for the record) which are often used in making port. This gives a clue as to the style of this classic – and classy - Portuguese red. From the Dao region, the wine is rich, ripe and intense, despite a ABV of only 12.5˚ with powerful black fruit balanced with vanilla characters from 12 months in American oak and finishes harmonious and full. An excellent wine equally at home with barbeques or robust stews. Dense, concentrated, developed fruit. Intense, rich, sweet black cherry aroma and firm, juicy tannic structure, balanced by high acidity. A barbecue red.'
Decanter, Best New Releases, June 2005. Ref QGC06

Domaine de Bastide Corbières l’Optimée 2006

Between the towns of Narbonne and Carcassonne stands the imposing Château la Bastide. Often Corbières are flawed by a certain rusticity that dries out the month when they are drunk. Not this one. The blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache from vines with average age of 50 years produces a concentrated wine with great length. The yield is low (35 hl / ha) and it is aged in oak barriques for 12 months. A spicy nose, with tastes of blackberry, cherry, blackcurrant Inviting minty aromas give way to a hugely complex mouthful of raspberries and menthol. Enjoy! Ref BCO06

Vineyard website -
www.chateau-la-bastide.fr

Guery Esprit d'Eloi 2005

Vineyard website -
www.chateau-guery.com

Fonty’s Pool Shiraz 2006

From Pemberton in Western Australia this is a much more classy and elegant Shiraz than some of the more commercial versions you may have tasted. This is as a result of the (relatively) cool climate that prevails in this part of Australia. Elegant minty aromas give way to a classy mouthful of concentrated shiraz fruit and hints of peppermint reminiscent of a top quality French syrah, with a great finish which goes on and on! This wine will keep and continue to improve until 2013 - not that you will be able to keep it that long !! Ref FP06

Vineyard website - Click Here

Ninth Island Pinot Noir 2007

This sensational wine comes from Tasmania, where the relatively cooler climate is ideal for the pinot noir grape. The wine is bottled early, without extended maturation, to attain a style which is intensely perfumed and with silky tannins. This makes a vibrant pinot noir; ruby in colour with aromas of strawberries, red and black currants and dark cherries, with a faint background of spicy cloves and rosemary. The palate is concentrated and long, with the characteristic hallmark of good pinot noir – a sensual, velvety mouth-feel. Sweet fruit on the mid-palate is balanced by satisfyingly integrated tannins on the finish. This wine impressed the judges at the International Wine Challenge who said, 'Clear and vibrant, this wine's a luxuriant jumble of raspberry and strawberry fruit, Bourbon vanilla and touches of cinnamon spice.' The wine has also caught the eye of Andrew Catchpole, the Daily Telegraph’s wine critic who wrote that,  'The cooler Antipodean vineyards of New Zealand, along with Victoria and Tasmania in Australia, produce pure, generous wines. Under £10, wines such as Tasman Ninth Island Pinot are among the best value Pinots in the world.' Drink now till 2013. Ref NIPN07

Vineyard website -
www.kreglingerwineestates.com

Valpolicella Classico Capitel della Crosara Ripasso 2007

With over 100 hectares of high quality vineyard, this long established Veronese family firm produces modern classy wines. For those interested, this is a blend of Corvina Veronese, Rondinella and Molinara. More importantly, it’s a medium to full bodied red in a deep ruby red colour with deeply inviting aromas of rich fruit, almond and cinnamon and a smooth velvety palate, with hints of raisin and a long, complex finish underpinned by notes of tangy cherry and liquorice - simply outstanding.  Made by the Ripasso (literally 'repassed') method, which involves adding the unpressed skins from the dried grapes which were used to make an Amarone to a young Valpolicella wine. This helps to add extra flavour and alcohol to the wine (causing it to start re-fermenting) and gradually the luscious flavours of Amarone are imparted to the wine. After this the wine is aged for 16 months in French and American oak casks along with some small barriques. Try with chicken cordon bleu, calf's liver or a mushroom pasta dish. Also particularly good with dried and smoked meats, the inherent acidity working well with the natural fattiness of the meats. In the region it is a fairly common partner to 'Bollito misto' which is an assortment of boiled scrag ends and offal - o.k. if you like that sort of thing! Ref VC07

Bodegas Langa Reyes de Aragon 2000 Reserva

The undisputed star of the Langa range. To qualify for Reserva status, the wine must have been matured for a minimum of 36 months, with at least one year in cask and at least one year in bottle. For this wine, Langa have opted for 20 months maturing in oak barriques, with a further 16 months in bottle. The wine is made from a judicious mixture of Merlot and Garnacha grapes from the excellent 2000 harvest. Slightly lighter in colour than the two wines above as befits its age, this is a well-structured wine with a nose of blackberries and raspberries. It has a silky mouthfeel and a long finish. Cesar Langa, the Production Director, is understandably proud of this wine and believes that it will keep and improve, well-cellared, for 12-15 years. Ref LR00

Click here for more information on Bodegas Langa

Vineyard website -
www.bodegas-langa.com

Rive Barbera “Il Cascicone” 2006

A deep garnet hued Barbera with vibrant aromas of black cherries and prunes with chocolate and toasty oak undertones and a touch of mint. An abundance of vibrant red currants, black cherries and a touch of spice show through on the palate, which has a rich, voluptuous texture balancing taught acidity and fine oak tannins. The Cascinone project began in 1999. Thanks to the good intuition of Claudio's father, Livio Manera, Araldica purchased one of the jewels of the Monferrato area. Cascinone’s vineyards had been hard to maintain because of the steepness of the slopes and over the last 20 years many vines were lost. Now, with modern equipment and tractors it has been possible to make these steep slopes productive again, 70 hectares of the 102 have been reclaimed and are in full production. The winery has also been restored and this is where the ‘Il Cascinone ‘ range is produced and aged. What to eat with it? Try mature hard cheeses, pepperoni pizza, gnocchi with pesto and sun-dried tomatoes or smoked gammon with onion mash. Ref RBIC06

Vineyard website -
www.araldicavini.com/

Three Peaks Côtes du Roussillon 2006

Three Peaks is named after the three peaks which overlook the vineyards - Pic des Trois Termes, Roc de France and Pic de Canigou. It also refers back to the Three Peaks of owner and wine maker Jonathan Hesford's native Yorkshire. Jonathan is fanatical about quality. He says, "I make all the wine myself. Everything from pressing, to digging out the vats, to cleaning the barrels, to performing the analysis. This ensures that all is done to my own high standards."

A full-bodied red blended from Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre, which has been partially aged in barriques to provide a balanced wine ready for drinking upon release but which benefits from ageing for 1-7 years, the wine is dark ruby in colour. There are aromas of mixed berries and Caribbean spices. The wine is rich and complex with berry fruits leading to a long spicy finish. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. As a result, it loses no flavours or aromas and may form a sediment in bottle on ageing.

Three Peaks was chosen by the Roussillon Wine Promotion Board (CIVR) to represent the best of Roussillon wines for 2007/08. Jonathan and his wife Rachel were both surprised and flattered to have their first vintage recognised by the local wine authority - A fantastic match with beef and lamb stews, casseroles and medium to strong cheeses - try Cantal, Cheddar, Chaumes and farmhouse Double Gloucester.  Ref TTP06

Chateau Fongabon Pierdon  Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion 2005 

Over the years the town of St Emilion has raised the practice of fleecing wine tourists to an art form. However, the good news is that if one ventures outside the tourist hot spots, one can find much better value. One such village is Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion. It is here that Pierre Taïx has just 8 hectares in this commune, and another 35 hectares in the adjacent commune of Côtes du Castillon. The terroir is identical to that of the adjacent Saint Emilion vineyards, but the land is much less expensive, and the wines correspondingly better value. 

Made from Merlot grapes, his Pierdon 2005 is his flagship wine, only made in outstanding vintages from 100% Merlot vines with an average age of 55 years, and low yields of only 35hl/ha. It is then aged but in 100% new Tronçais oak barrels. It has an expensive, perfumed cassis with hints of cedar, while in the mouth it is very concentrated and dense, with loads of delicious cassis flavours and great complexity. Once again there are soft ripe tannins, and great length. Gorgeous now, but this would repay keeping – drink now till 2020!

It makes a great accompaniment to roast and grilled lamb and beef. The producer is even more specific, with a list that perhaps reflects the robust French attitude to hunting: wood pigeon, ducklings with cherries, partridges and wild mushrooms, deer and wild boar! It’s also the perfect accompaniment to a range of cheeses including Brie, Saint Nectaire and Port Salut. Ref CFPSE05

Bodegas Langa

Made by Bodegas Langa, a family owned business outside Calatayud, near Zaragoza in Spain. They're passionate about the wine they make, and these are great examples of their craft. They have about 50 hectares of vineyards spread in different locations in the locality allowing them to make a variety of wines and styles. We spent three days in the region in March 2005, and visited eleven producers who we had researched and identified as potential sources of high quality, good value wine. We tasted some good wines, but Bodegas Langa stood out as the one  we wished to partner and import from. They’re also notoriously  selective about who they work with, but fortunately they seemed to like us as well

Domaine Colinot Irancy

Granted AC status in 1999, Irancy (above) is a small red wine appellation in northern Burgundy where white wine dominates.  Made from pinot noir with an allowed addition of up to 10% cesar (a grape variety dating back to 11^th century Roman plantings), the newly granted AC status recognises much improved character and quality.  It is virtually unheard of outside Burgundy because production quantities are so small.

Within this small appellation Domaine Colinot is a very small family vineyard of 11 hectares and is recognised locally as one of the best two producers. The daughter of the house has recently qualified in oenology from Beaune University and the family make separate wines from each of the vineyard slopes maximising the ‘terroir’ characteristics of each wine.

In a world of increasing conformity, it is a breath of fresh air to find wines of such individuality, and each wine expresses its own character.  Red Burgundy will always be expensive - the difficulties in growing pinot noir, the marginal climate, and the increasing world demand in the face of tiny quantities will always see to that.  However, in the scale of burgundy prices these wines represent truly remarkable value for money and if carefully cellared will continue to improve for the next 5 – 10 years.