Reliable, independent buying advice from the wine anorak
June 2000

Wines under £8 | Wines over £8

Previous months' recommendations: January 2000 | February 2000|March 2000|April/May 2000

Bargain picks: wines under £8

Domaine de la Soumade, Rasteau 1995, Côtes du Rhône Villages, André Roméro
Deep red/purple colour. Lively, smoky, herby nose. Full and savoury on the palate with red fruits, a touch of farmyardy complexity and substantial structure from both the acid and the tannins. Good concentration and quite a bit of complexity. This is an old-fashioned, deep, earthy wine of real class. Very good + (Berry Bros £7.85)

Tim Adams Riesling 1999, Clare Valley, Australia
Huge, powerful nose of lime fruits. Complex and intense, this wine is richly concentrated with an amazing array of citrus-like flavours. One of the most dramatic Aussie Rieslings I have tried. Very good + (£7.99, Tesco, Fortnums and Mason)

James Herrick Chardonnay 1999, Vin de Pays d'Oc
Better than previous vintages I've tried of this wine. Lovely fresh nose of bright fruit. Ripe and full flavoured with a lovely, full creamy texture. Despite the roundedness of the palate, this is not at all fat, with the bright lemony acidity holding everything in balance. With no oak exposure, the depth and complexity comes from lees stirring. Previously I've been unconvinced by Languedoc Chardonnays, but this really gives other Chards at this price a good run for their money. Avoids being technological or synthetic. (£4.99, widely available)

E & J Gallo, Sonoma County Chardonnay 1997, California
You may be surprised to see me praising a wine from Californian giants Gallo, but in addition to their mass market wines they produce much smaller quantities of premium wines from leading vineyard sites in Sonoma. This is the lesser of the premium Chardonnays they produce, but it has real class at a bargain price. Now mature, showing rich buttery fruit with complex notes of melon, spice and tropical fruit, together with some mineral notes. Great concentration and much better than oher Chardonnays in this price bracket. (£5.99 Bentalls)

Norton Barbera 1997, Mendoza, Argentina
Bright, fruit-driven red with lashes of cherry fruit and some exotic, porty/herby complexity. There are notes of coffee and olives too. Really good, chunky stuff, with some Italian character married to the pure primary fruit typical of new wave South American wines. (£4.99 Oddbins)

Domaine Vessigaud Mâcon-Fuissé 1998
Macon villages often represent a good source for inexpensive white Burgundy. This is light, crisp and fresh, yet pleasantly rounded and full on the palate. Reasonably complex and concentrated this is a very attractive wine. Beautifully packaged, too. Good value. (£7.49, Oddbins)

Wines over £8

Domaine de Baruel, Cuvée Fontanilles 1996, Vin de Pays de Cevennes, France
From a small 12 Ha domaine in the Cevennes, in the South of France, this is a remarkable Syrah-based wine of real interest and complexity. Lovely spicy nose of smoky Syrah fruit, leading on to a ripe, full palate with dusty, dry tannins and dense, firm structure. Absolutely superb, and needs a decade or so in the bottle to soften fully. Excellent. (La Vigneronne, £11.95) 

Lis Neris, Isonzo del Friuli Chardonnay 1998, Alvaro Pecorari
A real treat, this is an Italian Chardonnay that manages to combine the best of the old and new worlds. Pale yellow with a full nose. On the palate it has complex, nutty fruit with mineralic notes and light oak influence. With good concentration of flavour, this is a rich Chardonnay with real character. (£8.95, Berry Bros)

Wirra Wirra Chardonnay 1998, McLaren Vale, Australia
Made from small batches of fruit, some of which were fermented in new French oak, some in 1 year old French oak and some in stainless steel. Lovely smoky/toasty nose gives way to rich fruit on the palate, with figgy, buttery and mineralic notes. Pure and complex, this is superb stuff, without too much oak. Excellent. (£9.99 Waitrose)

E-mail me with your recommendations or suggestions at wineanorak@i.am