Not the grandest of Burgundy appellations, but winemaker Thomas Bouley is from Volnay and the vines for this expressive, aromatic Pinot lie above the village of Volnay. It has lovely raspberry and cherry purity, nutty, savoury depth and silky texture. 12.5% in , 4th Dec 2019

It pays to look outside the most famous appellations. And the less ambitious 2014s are beginning to be broachable. This has real pace and refreshment. in , 30th Nov 2019

There are some stunning north Rhône Syrahs around, thanks to a recent run of excellent vintages. This rich, unoaked example was grown just outside the limit of that useful appellation St-Joseph. in , 30th Nov 2019

This Loire wine’s morello cherry fruit is more charming than many a Gamay grown in its homeland Beaujolais. A useful aperitif? in , 30th Nov 2019

Vieux Château Saint André is the family winery of Jean-Claude Berrouet, who made Petrus for 44 vintages before retiring in 2007. Berrouet now runs this operation with his son Jean-François. Lovely and refined, made with 85 per cent merlot and 15 per cent cabernet franc. in , 23rd Nov 2019

A glorious Rhône syrah, made by a St Joseph producer from vineyards that aren’t classified for the appellation (they’re on flatter, more sandy soil) but which clearly make bloody good wine. There’s a plume of scent, then a waft of bacon fat. Beautiful. in , 23rd Nov 2019

This is one of my favourite discoveries of the year! Made from the Beaujolais grape, but coming from the Loire Valley, this is a fresh, crunchy, red-fruit-soaked wine with so much class and pizzazz it is amazing. You must taste this wine. in , 23rd Nov 2019

This is beautifully expressive, unoaked cool-climate Chardonnay – both vibrant and generous, with citrus, white blossom and fresh bay leaves on the nose and a textured palate suffused with quince, lemon and a briney, grapefruit-zest finish. It’s from Christophe Réthoré’s 42-hectare estate in the heart of the Pays des Mauges, an area between Muscadet to […]

The lirac made by Rodolphe de Pins is notably elegant for a red lirac – he cites burgundy as an influence – combining dark berry flavours with freshness and finesse. in , 11th Oct 2019

16.5pts – Vernatsch aka Schiave/Tronllinger grown on sandy soils in Kurtatsch hills, at 300–400 m above sea level. 80-year-old vines. Temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel with regular pumping over. Malolactic fermentation and five months’ maturation in old 6,000-litre Slavonian oak barrels. Tart and tangy but so juicy next to the much more austere Loire Cab […]

16pts – 100% Gamay Noir. East-facing, 4-ha vineyard at 350 m on deep granite soils. Vines average 45 years. Yields 50 hl/ha. Vinification without addition of SO2, 12 days’ maceration with remontage once a day, max 25 °C. All natural yeasts. Stainless steel and concrete tanks. No fining or filtering. Bottled March 2019. Cherry lip […]

17/20 Aged for 10 months, 70% in stainless steel, 30% in barrels. Buttery, creamy, toasty. Lots of rich apricot fruit too – but the acidity manages to keep the edges neatly tucked in. Expressive and bracing for Viognier. (RH) Drink 2019–2029 in , 16th Sept 2019

A couple of years ago I wrote six columns for the short-lived, highbrow, erotic magazine The Amorist. Its editor, Rowan Pelling, is a pal of mine and I relished the chance to write about wine and erotica. I think my articles turned out well, if a little light-weight in comparison with many of the other […]

Domaine Vallet Ritou Syrah 2018 Vin de France is a gleaming syrah, with a plume of bright scent, an underlying sensation of hard rock and bacon fat. It’s a syrah for drinking in its youth but there is just a trace of a savage hinterland. As with the [Ritou] viognier, the grapes come from the […]

When it comes to white I naturally incline to dry, focused wines with a clean edge of acidity, but at this particular point in the calendar viognier suddenly appeals. I tasted a beautiful example last week. Domaine Vallet Ritou Viognier 2018 Vin de France is made in the Rhône by a St Joseph producer whose […]