Reliable, independent buying advice from the wine anorak
March 2002

Wines under £8 | Wines over £8

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

My rating system explained

Bargain picks: wines under £8

Torres Vina Sol 2001, Penedès, Spain
Made from the Parellada grape, this food-friendly white wine is a brilliant example of commercial wine making. The fresh, lemony nose has an attractive aromatic floral twist. It's almost Sauvignon-like. The palate is crisp and slightly spritzy, with nice taut fruit. High acidity provides a lovely foil for Chinese food, believe it or not. Try to get the most recent vintage (2001) if possible; it's fresher and zippier than the 2000. Very good+ (Majestic, Tesco £4.49)

La Nature Torrontes 2001, Famatina Valley, Argentina
From northwest Argentina, this organic wine is a delicious example of the indigenous Torrontes. Pretty, aromatic nose with floral, spicy, perfumed rose-petal notes. Nicely balanced fruity palate with a grapey character and good acidity. This is a superb summer sipper with a well poised, delicate texture. Very good+ (£4.29 Sainsbury, Vinceremos)

Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc 2001 Stellenbosch, South Africa
Wonderfully expressive grassy, blackcurrant-tinged nose is ripe and attractive. Good concentration of rounded gooseberry fruit on the palate: it's exuberantly fruity, but with good acidity keeping things balanced. Very impressive, and I'd be interested to see how this fared in a line-up with some of New Zealand's leading Sauvignon Blancs. Very good/excellent (£6.49 Sainsbury, Oddbins)

Weinert Carrascal 1997, Mendoza, Argentina
This is Argentina's answer to Château Musar: traditionally made with an unusual, old-fashioned character that toys with the border of faultiness. And in an age when all wines appear to be beginning to taste the same, it's a very welcome change. A blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, it has a rich, savoury, slightly leathery nose. It's not overtly fruity, and there's a little bit of volatile acidity. The medium-bodied palate shows some herby, spicy character, and there's a touch of sweetness to the fruit. Some meatiness emerges after a while and there's spicy complexity. Old fashioned in a nice way. Very good/excellent (£7.99 Majestic, Connollys)

Wines over £8

Torres Fransola 2000, Penedès, Spain
90% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Parellada, 50% of which is barrel fermented in new American oak. The striking nose is intense and fresh, with grassy, gooseberry fruit and a rounded, spicy edge. The palate is concentrated and rich-textured, with a crisp, high-acid grassy character and some herby, spicy complexity. Quite rounded. It works brilliantly: the lean, savoury fruit combines well with the integrated oak. Excellent (£12.95 La Vigneronne, Portland Wine, Hailsham Cellars, Laymont & Shaw)

Shaw & Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2001, Adelaide Hills, Australia
Australia's best Sauvignon? Made with hand picked grapes from the cool-climate Adelaide Hills region in South Australia. Really attractive full-yet-delicate nose is grassy and intense, but classy with it. The palate is rich and crisp with a good intensity and balance. It is quite light in character despite the depth of flavour. Impressive stuff designed to be drunk young and fresh. Very good/excellent (£9.99 Andrew Chapman, Tesco, Fortnum & Mason, Noel Young, Selfridges)

1997 Alión, Ribera del Duero, Spain
Owned by Vega Sicilia, Alión is a separate estate making Tempranillo-based wines in a slightly different style to its illustrious parent. And this is a superb wine from a year that's supposed not to have been very successful in 1997. Quite deep coloured, there's a compelling mineral edge to the deeply fruited, almost meaty nose. It has a superb, richly liquoricey palate with a great density of berry fruit combining well with the oak. There's a savoury, meaty, earthy edge and it's quite tight knit and brooding. Excellent (£19.95 La Vigneronne, Peter Watkins, Noel Young)

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