Chiroubles is one of my favourite Beaujolais Crus (the 10 jewels in the Beaujolais crown that go under their own appellation names), but it’s never been one of the most popular in the UK. It’s one of the smaller Crus, admittedly, but I think the problem is more to do with pronunciation: the likes of […]

A wonderful example of northern Italy’s Lagrein grape – deep coloured and bathed in black cherry, spice, violet and slightly ashy mineral flavours, all carried by nimble tannins and Alpine freshness and energy (Lagrein’s tannins can be a bit coarse, so the velvet-smoothness here is all the more welcome). It’s a variety with fascinating origins: […]

This sophisticated pink fizz has emerged as one of England’s finest. Its tantalising aromas of ripe raspberries, redcurrants and biscuits lead to a racy but delicate sparkling wine. in , 7th June 2019

Quincy is one of the Sancerre satellites and typically a step above Touraine sauvignon but lighter and less magisterial than Sancerre. This one hums along, with fine and precise riffs of grass, citrus and stone. in , 7th June 2019

Holiday pinot noir that seems to have a faint waft of lavender and blowsy florals amongst the usual red and black cherries. Made from pinot noir grown amongst the craggy Cévennes mountains in south-central France. in , 7th June 2019

I hadn’t tasted this palest pink wine when I wrote my recent top rosés list and it is an absolute belter – all the elegance and class that you find only in Provence. If you’re planning a party know that it’s also bottled in magnums. in , 7th June 2019

I was lucky to see a very early sample of this wine and it is amazing.Also available in magnums (150cl) and jeroboams (300cl) get your order in for one of the most enchanting, classiest and most restrained rosés of the season. in , 13th April 2019

Tempranillo is the rioja grape, but this is from the northern Spanish region of Navarra. It comes in fresh and tangy then goes well beyond the “cheap red” brief, to fill out with darker flavours, structure and depth. Very smart. Hello, tomato and chickpea salsa. in , 8th March 2019

It’s the streamlined shape of this elegant wine that makes it such a pleasure. It’s made by Telmo Rodriguez from (mostly) verdejo, sometimes dubbed “the Spanish sauvignon”, though I find it more nettley and less shouty. Very stylish. in , 8th March 2019

…this is altogether sleeker and more refined – a real mini sancerre. Very finely delineated, with a grassy taste and a mineral backbone. Classy stuff. in , 8th March 2019

…I knew that ’17 Campriano was special and, of course, it is. This is one of the juiciest, most joyous and finest value Chiantis I have tasted in years… in , 8th March 2019

Made from vines that grow outside St-Joseph in the northern Rhône, this opens with a burst of dark fruit and moves on to bacon fat and smoke. One for food. in , 1st December 2018

Nero d’avola is Sicily’s signature red grape – here it makes a wine like a mouthful of tart redcurrants and sweet-sour cherries. Sappy, and crunchy, with a good intensity of flavour. in , 1st December 2018

A seriously impressive, refreshing Loire sauvignon blanc that is a delight to drink: lissom, with beautiful pace and flow, and ripples of fresh grass, citrus and cold gooseberries. in , 22nd November 2018

If you are searching for an inexpensive Pinot Noir which actually tastes accurate and also classy, then look no further. This wine comes from the wilds of the Cévennes but it is distinguished and also rather raffish and it will amaze you with its value for money. in , 23rd June 2018