Reliable, independent buying advice from the wine anorak
April 2002

Wines under £8 | Wines over £8

Previous months' recommendations:  March 2001 | April 2001 | May 2001 | June 2001 | July 2001 | August 2001 | September 2001 | October 2001 | November 2001 | December 2001 | January 2002 | February 2002 | March 2002

My rating system explained

Bargain picks: wines under £8

Domaine Duffour 2000 Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne
From a region not known for its quality wines, this is a blend of 80% Colombard, 10% Gros Manseng and 10% Ugni Blanc, with an average vine age of 20 years. It has a wonderful striking nose of lemon and grapefruit: very fresh and aromatic. There is bright zesty fruit on the palate, with high acidity. Good concentration and some minerality. Brilliantly fresh and crisp, this is a good food wine. Very good+ (£4.85 Berry Bros & Rudd)

Fairview Goats do Roam 2000, South Africa
A real hotchpotch blend (33% Pinotage, 22% Shiraz, 13% Cinsault, 13% Grenache, 5% Gamay, 10% Carignan, 4% Mourvedre), but it works really well. Brilliant commercial winemaking. Tarry, herby fruit on the nose with a slightly funky, animal edge. Good concentration on the palate with some chewy, herby, berry fruit and a savoury, rustic edge. There's a slight sweetness to the fruit that makes it very accessible. Very good+ (£4.99 Sainsbury, Oddbins)

Avontuur Pinotage 2000, Stellenbosch, South Africa
I'm not really a fan of Pinotage, but I was quite taken by this full-throttle example. Winemaker Lizelle Gerber uses 5% new and 95% older oak, and this big wine weighs in at 15% alcohol. It’s a very deep red/purple colour, with a sweet creamy nose showing some vanilla/coconut notes and a bit of alcohol. The richly fruited palate is clean, with a lovely spicy, savoury edge. Firm tannins. This is a big, inky, dense wine – a bit of a brute. Satisfying though. Very good/excellent (£7.99 Waitrose)

Wines over £8

Alois Lageder Sauvignon Blanc Lehenhof 2000, Alto Adige, Italy
A single-vineyard wine from the mountainous Alto Adige region in northeast Italy. Lovely fragrant, elegant grassy nose is very delicate. Palate is fresh, grassy and quite brightly fruited. Full of character, but still in a light style. Wonderfully poised. Very good/excellent (£11.30 Bibendum)

Noel Verset Cornas 2000, Northern Rhône, France
Octogenarian Noel Verset still makes some of the best examples of Cornas, in a traditional style. This is a bright purple colour with an arresting savoury/meaty nose showing forward green olive notes. The palate shows a great concentration of pure Syrah fruit: dense, meaty and intense. Firm tannins. Superb stuff, and very satisfying. Very good/excellent (an en primeur wine from Bibendum, £150 per case ex duty and VAT, which results in a final bottle price with all taxes included of £16.06)

Quinta das Bágeiras Reserva 1998, Bairrada, Portugal
Fancy a challenging, personality-filled red from Portugal? Just 250 cases made of this varietal Baga. There’s a rich, minty, herby edge to the nose with some sweet fruit: this is almost perfumed. Palate is lively and juicy with some firm tannins and high acidity. Quite austere, but concentrated and with great intensity. Spicy finish. This is serious stuff; extremely youthful and needs loads of time to open out. Very good/excellent (£15.95 La Vigneronne)  

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon 1995, Margaret River, Western Australia
Leeuwin Estate is famous for producing what is widely regarded to be Australia's best Chardonnay, but it would be a mistake to overlook this stunning Cabernet Sauvignon. There’s a lovely chalky, mineral edge to the expressive nose. It’s in perfect balance, with lush berry fruit and a lovely, chunky savouriness on the palate. There’s some tannic structure, minerality, and the fruit is beginning to fade just a little. Delicious stuff drinking well now, this is a little more complex than the 1996 (which is also recommended), but still restrained. Excellent (£17.62 Domaine Direct)  

Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock Riesling 1998, Heathcote, Victoria, Australia
Jasper Hill red wines have achieved cult status, but this is the first time I've come across one of their whites. Ex-food scientist Ron Laughton makes this Riesling from a seven acre parcel of vines that are farmed biodynamically. A full yellow colour, it has a really striking limey nose with a bright floral edge. The fascinating, expressive herby palate has a limey edge. This is really interesting: wonderful stuff and worth the rather high price tag. Very good/excellent (£13.50 Yapp Bros)

E-mail me with your recommendations or suggestions at jamie@wineanorak.co.uk