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December 2004

Previous months' recommendations: November 2003 | December 2003 | January 2004 | February 2004 | March 2004 | April 2004 | May 2004 | June 2004 | July 2004 | August 2004 | September 2004 | October 2004 | November 2004

My rating system explained. Use www.wine-searcher.com to locate a stockist in your area and my directory of UK wine merchants for details of those listed here. See also: the wineanorak's shopping list - recommended wines from each of the main UK retail outlets. These recommendations are truly independent: I don't accept payment or other favours for inclusions, nor do I sell wine.

Alain Brumont Gros Manseng 2002 Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne , France
A superb white wine, this. Very full expressive nose with herby, full, rich fruit. It’s lemony fresh but at the same time fat, creamy and full. The palate is full, rich and fruity with notes of straw, herb and vanilla. Amazing for a sub-£6 wine – almost profound. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£5.49 Les Caves de Pyrene, www.lescaves.co.uk)

Jacobs Creek Shiraz Cabernet 2002 South Eastern Australia
I’m normally a critic of branded wines, which often disappoint. This is surprisingly good, though. Quite a forward, ripe, spicy tarry nose displays sweet berry fruits. Very rounded and balanced. The palate is brilliantly balanced with the spicy, tarry notes offsetting the ripe berry fruit very well. A rich, generous, fruity wine that’s ripe with just a hint of greenness, and even that isn’t offputting. (Tesco £5.49, but it’s available just about everywhere)

Domaine de Gravillas ‘Vous en Voulez En Voilà’ 2003 Vin de Pays des Côtes de Brian, Languedoc, France
This elegantly packaged wine is a blend including a third Carignan from Nicole and John Bojanowski in the Languedoc’s Minervois region. It’s a fairly serious, brooding red that needs some time to show it’s best. The tight, deep nose shows hints of ripe raspberry and blackberry fruit, with a liquoricey, mineral edge. The palate is savoury and dense with lots of ripe red fruits cloaked in a rather minerally, taut structure. It’s got lots of appeal but not in a forward, showy style: it’s more guarded and beguiling. Very good/excellent 90/100 (£7.50 Les Caves de Pyrene, www.lescaves.co.uk)

Podere Ai della Macina ‘Pogio Roncone’ 2000 Morellino di Scansino, Tuscany, Italy
I don’t know a lot about this wine other than I think it’s great. Deep coloured. Wonderful expressive nose of perfumed black fruits with a tarry, herby edge. Very nicely defined. The palate is savoury and quite spicy, with elegant dark fruits, a herbal edge (although this is well interated and avoids being overtly green) and some structure from the good acidity and tannins. Very fresh and expressive. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£9.99 Jeroboams) 

Huet Le Haut Lieu Vouvray Sec 2002 Loire, France
Dry Chenin Blanc at its very best, from biodynamic producer Huet. Deep yellow gold. Lovely savoury, intense nose of straw, melon and honey with a slightly lifted acid edge. Brilliant. The palate is dense and savoury with great concentration and good acidity, together with challenging herbal flavours with a nutty, almost cheesy edge. A brilliant, extreme wine. Very good/excellent 93/100 (£10.99 Waitrose) 

Carrick Sauvignon Blanc 2003 Central Otago, New Zealand
This is pretty serious. Aromatic yet taut grassy, slightly herbal nose. Assertive, savoury and quite intense. The palate is concentrated and full. It’s not showy but intense and grassy. Subtly herbaceous with good acidity. Almost lean and even minerally; a very useful food wine. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£12.50 Hellion Wines, www.hellionwines.com - a small retailer specializing in boutique NZ wines)

Quinta do Noval LBV 1998 Douro, Portugal
Christmas is coming so it's time to stock up on some Port. I'm including three recommendations at varying price points. First, an LBV that tastes like a single Quinta Port.
Dark colour. Firm, dark spicy nose with blackfruits and an earthy edge. The palate is concentrated and full with lovely spicy, smooth tannins. Sweet, but nicely balanced: a fairly serious LBV. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£9.99 Oddbins)

Dow’s Quinta do Bomfin 1995 Douro, Portugal
This single Quinta port shows a very sweet, open, pure blackcurrant fruit nose. The palate is sweet, ripe, soft and seamless: drinking brilliantly now. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£21.09 Tesco)

Quinta do Vesúvio 2001 Douro, Portugal
Vivid purple colour. Very expressive spicy, taut fruit on the nose. The palate is concentrated and rich with lots of structured fruit. Not overly sweet but very powerful with brilliant fruit quality. Fantastic stuff. Very good/excellent 93/100 (£34.99 Sainsbury’s Wine)

Barbadillo Sticky Toffee Pudding Wine NV, Jerez, Spain
This is a sweet Pedro Ximenez sherry, cleverly packaged to appeal to a broad audience. It is a bit of a beast of a wine – liquid Christmas pudding, if you like. Sweet, open grapey nose with herb and caramel depth leads to a toffee and raisin palate that’s viscous and hugely sweet. A lovely wine. Very good/excellent 90/100 (£6.49 50 cl, Sainsbury)

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