Reliable, independent buying advice from the wine anorak
August 2003

Wines under £8 | Wines over £8

Previous months' recommendations: July 2002 | August 2002 | September 2002 | October 2002 | November 2002 | December 2002 | January 2003 | February 2003 | March 2003 | April 2003 | May 2003 | June 2003 | July 2003

My rating system explained. Use www.wine-searcher.com to locate a stockist in your area. See also: the wineanorak's shopping list - recommended wines from each of the main UK retail outlets.

Bargain picks   

KWV Chenin Blanc 2002 Western Cape, South Africa
I really like the subtle herbal character to the savoury fruit on this inexpensive Chenin. It's a fresh dry white which makes a versatile house wine, and more interesting than most Chardonnays at this price. Very good (£4.99 Thresher)

Warwick Estate Chardonnay 2002 Stellenbosch, South Africa
I'm a fan of Warwick's Chardonnay, which offers great balance between the fruit and oak, together with good acidity. The 2002 is a solid offering, with typically well integrated nutty oak and some forward tropical fruit underpinned with lemony acidity. Very good+ (£7.99 Waitrose)

Raats Family Wines Chenin Blanc Unwooded ‘Original’ 2002 Coastal Region, South Africa
Another impressive South African Chenin. Intense nose of rich, herb-tinged fruit with some lemony floral notes. Concentrated ripe fruit on the palate which is very herby and intense. Almost sweetly fruited, but the overall impression is dry. A bold style that would suit spicy fruit. Very good+ (£6.99 Oddbins)

Château du Parc 2002 Coteaux du Languedoc, France
The south of France is becoming hard to beat for value-for-money red wines. This example is a satisfyingly rich red blend that displays a good concentration of spicy berry fruit. Really good value here. Very good+ (£4.99 Marks & Spencer)

João Portugal Ramos Trincadeira 2001 Alentejo, Portugal
OK, this big, dense, chunky red isn't strong on finesse. But what it offers is plenty of rich, ripe new-world-style berry fruit with attractive (if slightly obvious) spicy oak. Lots of character here. A great barbecue red. Very good+ (£6.99 Waitrose)

Wines over £8

Quinta de Macedos 2000 Douro, Portugal
One of the crop of new wines from the Douro, Paul Reynolds' Macedos comes from 7 hectares of old Rio Torto vines. It's a field blend of mixed varieties, foot-trodden and handled natrually. Just 2800 bottles released. It has a lovely forward intense nose which is very sweet, chocolatey and rich - almost overpowering. The palate is vividly fruity with lots of herbal, spicy complexity. Hugely concentrated this is ripe and sweet but with enough spicy structure to make it work. A little bit alcoholic. Very good/excellent (£17.95 Availability: selected independents - contact UK agent Raymond Reynolds [danny@raymondreynolds.co.uk] for details - aside: Raymond is Paul's brother)

William Fèvre Don Victor Chardonnay Reservado 2000 Maipo, Chile
A relative rarity. A chilean wine that doesn't bore me rigid! Rich, intense herby nose with a smoky, toasty, nutty edge. Full on, yet still quite elegant. The palate is rich textured, nutty and herby with some ripe fruit. Pretty classy, with some elegance. Very good/excellent (£8.75 Berry Bros & Rudd)

González Byass Noé Pedro Ximénez, Jerez, Spain
Pedro Ximénez is a grape variety grown in the Jerez region in the far south of Spain, and any sherry labelled thus will be super-concentrated and super-sweet. It's not something you'd want to drink a whole bottle of, but it makes a perfect after-dinner sipper or even a winter warmer. This, one of the best examples, is a dark, rich, raisiny, ultra-sweet sherry. Viscous stuff, with flavours of toffee and raisins – you won’t forget this one for a while. (£10.69/half bottle, Tesco)

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