Reliable, independent buying advice from the wine anorak
February 2001

Wines under £8 | Wines over £8

Previous months' recommendations: July 2000|August 2000|September 2000|October 2000|November 2000|December 2000|January 2001 

Bargain picks: wines under £8

Paul Zinck Gewürztraminer 1999, Alsace, France
This full flavoured Alsatian shows great varietal character. It has a ripe, rich, floral nose with pronounced lychee notes. This is followed up with a nicely balanced palate: rich and full with a touch of sweetness in the finish. I often find that there's a discontinuity in many bone dry Gewürztraminers between the sweetly floral nose and bone dry palate, but this wine gets it right. Very good/excellent (£7.99 Majestic)

La Cuvée Mythique 1998, Vin de Pays d'Oc, France
A blend of Val d'Orbieu's best parcels of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Carignan, this is a superb, dense, fruit-packed red at a very good price. Deep coloured, it has a lovely nose of ripe fruit, herbs and well-judged oak. On the concentrated palate there is sweet fruit and oak, underpinned by firm tannins. In style, this sits somewhere in between other new wave Languedoc reds (which tend to be more terroir-driven) and Aussie Shiraz. It's a wine to buy by the case for drinking over the next few years. Very good/excellent (£6.49 Majestic, Waitrose)

Tedeschi 'Capitel San Rocco' 1997, Vino da Tavola Veronese, Italy
Made by the ripasso method, in which young Valpolicella is fermented on the lees of Amarone (a wine made from grapes that have been concentrated by drying). This has a lovely, complex nose of spice and herbs, with a bitter, dry edge to it. On the palate it is a dense, spicy mouthful, bone dry and with a slightly bitter, high-acid character. Super stuff, calling out for food to accompany it -- very Italian in style. Very good+ (£5.99 Majestic)

Chapel Down Epoch I 1998, England
i never thought I'd be recommending an English red wine on these pages, but Chapel Down have succeeded in creating a compelling red wine from four grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Dornfelder, Gamay and Rondo. This is deep red colour with a slightly brownish edge, and has a delightful nose of spice, herbs and smoky fruit. There's a pronounced 'medicinal' edge to the fruit: this sounds unpleasant, but it isn't, and adds to the complexity and appeal. On the palate it shows ripe, spicy berry fruit, coupled with some herbaceous notes and a cheesy, meaty edge. Unusual and appealing. Very good/excellent (Available in some branches of Tesco and direct from Chapel Down, around £5)

Wines over £8

Domaine La Courtade 1998, Côtes du Provence
From an ambitious domaine on the island of Porqourelles, this is a really attractive Mourvèdre-based wine in a modern mould. Lovely, exotic nose of deep, smoky fruit with liquorice and menthol. On the palate it is tannic and dense -- although it is oaky, there's a nice balance between this and the fruit. Very good/excellent (£13.95 La Vigneronne)

Ridgeview Cuvée Merret Belgravia NV, England
Along with Nyetimber, Ridgeview are making the UKs best Champagne-style wines. A blend of the three main Champagne varieties, this is a stunning effort from fizz specialists Ridgeview. It has a grapey, yeasty nose which is followed up on the palate with a lovely bready character, fine bubbles and great balance. The overall impression is of a sophisticated, polished product. Very good/excellent (Available direct from the producer, 01444 241441)

Domaine de la Casa Blanca, Banyuls Tradition 1998
A fortified wine from the Roussillon region of France (near the Mediterranean border with Spain) this is made mainly from the Grenache Gris grape. Ripe, sweet, herbal nose -- slightly caramelized. Full, dense and rich on the palate, with great balance and sweet herbiness. This has plenty of what is known as 'rancio' character. Very good/ excellent (£10.95 La Vigneronne)

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