Reliable, independent buying advice from the wine anorak
May 2002

Wines under £8 | Wines over £8

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

My rating system explained

Bargain picks

Graham Beck Chardonnay 2000, Coastal Region, South Africa
Brilliant commercial winemaking here from one of South Africa's leading modern wineries. Rich nutty nose displays good intensity of fruit and a savoury freshness. Lively palate shows vivid fruit and well-integrated nutty oak. A dense, savoury wine. Delicious, and much better than most new world-style Chardonnay at this price point. Very good/excellent (£5.99 Thresher, Wine Rack, Bottoms Up)

Banfi Pinot Grigio San Angelo Vineyard 2001, Tuscany, Italy
Italian Pinot Grigio often makes characterless dry whites with little resemblance to the full flavoured examples of this grape (Pinot Gris) common in Alsace. But this is a lovely wine from Banfi, with a rich aromatic floral lift to the nose and a slightly savoury spicy character. The palate is fruity, rich and nutty, with lots of flavour. Very good/excellent (£6.99 Majestic; from May 7th it's £5.94 if you buy any six Italian wines) 

Valentin Bianchi Elsa Barbera 2000, Mendoza, Argentina
This vibrant, juicy red is a wonderful find. Really lovely forward liquoricey berry fruit on the nose. The palate has lots of bright savoury-edged berry fruit with good acidity. Completely more-ish, this is brilliant for the price. Very good/excellent (£5.45 Berry Bros & Rudd)

Venegazzu Loredan Gasparini Cabernet Montello 2000 DOC Veneto, Italy
This Cabernet Sauvignon, from an estate just 20 km north of Venice, represents brilliant value at just over a fiver. There's a very appealing mineral edge to the nose with some black fruit character. The palate is delicious, savoury and chalky, with firm tannins in the backgorund. Not too fruit dominated, this works really well. Very Bordeaux-like. Very good/excellent (£5.49 Majestic; from May 7th it's just £4.67 if you buy any six Italian wines) 

Graham Beck Shiraz 2000, Coastal Region, South Africa
The second of a pair of brilliant cheapies from Graham Beck that have made this month's recommended list, this is a deep red/black colour. The nose shows forward berry fruit with a stern, spicy edge. The rich, concentrated palate has an attractive liquoricey edge to the spicy fruit, with some tannin. A modern, delicious wine. Very good/excellent (£6.99 Asda, Waitrose)  

Wines over £8

Albert Mann Riesling Schlossberg Grand Cru 1999 Alsace
From a Grand Cru vineyard with granite soil. Lovely, intense minerally nose with complex lime fruit, a touch of honey and some spice. Rich but bone dry palate with lovely mineral extract and intensity. Quite tight with good acid structure; good potential for development. Excellent (Noel Young have the 1997 for £13.79)

Catena Cabernet Sauvignon 1999, Mendoza, Argentina
From Argentina's leading producer, this is the little brother of the Catena Alta Cabernet recommended last month. Intense berry and blackcurrant fruit on the nose, which leads to a juicy, rich, spicy palate. Great concentration, and the oaking works well with the full-on fruit. Smooth and supple, and kept fresh by high acidity. Very good/excellent (£8.99 Sainsbury, Tesco, Majestic)

Isabel Estate Pinot Noir 2000, Marlborough, New Zealand
New Zealand's reputation as a leading wine producer stems mostly from its vivid Sauvignons, but I suspect in 10 years time it will be New Zealand Pinot Noir that wins the most critical acclaim. This is a cherry red colour, and has a lovely intense nose showing an attractive medicinal edge to the bright berry fruit. The palate displays a good concentration of savoury, herb-tinged fruit, and although this is a young wine it’s already showing a good degree of complexity. A deeply impressive Pinot Noir that gets it just right. Excellent (£14.49 Noel Young)

Château Fortia 1995 Châteauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhône
Very deep red/black colour. Quite closed on the nose with some meaty berry fruit character, but opens out after a while to show rich, meaty, savoury notes. The palate displays dense, spicy, meaty/earthy fruit with good concentration and a lovely herby complexity. This is a serious Châteauneuf, and I’ll be keeping my second bottle for another five years at least. Very good/excellent  (c. £16 Edencroft Fine Wine)

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