Reliable, independent buying advice from the wine anorak
August 2000

Wines under £8 | Wines over £8

Previous months' recommendations: January 2000 | February 2000|March 2000|April/May 2000|June 2000|July 2000

Bargain picks: wines under £8

Warwick Estate Chardonnay 1999, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Rich, intense, nutty and toasty Chardonnay with a dense, mineral-laced palate and good supporting acidity. This is a huge savoury wine that represents excellent value for money. Really interesting, perhaps a little rough round the edges for some. Very good + (£6.99, Waitrose)

Château des Peyregrandes 1998, Faugères
35% Syrah, 30% Carignan, 25% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre. Yields of 35 hl/ha.
Deep purple/black colour. Muted stony nose. Firm palate with intense, earthy fruit and strong tannins. A structured, brooding wine; serious, but restrained. May develop nicely. Opens out nicely after a while in the glass to reveal smoky, herby elements. Very good (£6.20 Languedoc Select [winesoc.co.uk])

Etchart 'Rio de Plata' Torrontes 1998, Salta, Argentina
A hugely enjoyable wine that represents great value for money, from Argentina's 'own' white grape variety, Torrontes. Beautiful open nose of sweet floral notes is followed up on the palate by grapefruit and spice. Bone dry: a bit like a cross between a Gewürztraminer and a Sauvignon blanc. Very good + (£3.99, Asda)

Ironstone Shiraz Grenache 1998, Western Australia
Lovely sweet nose of ripe blackcurrant fruit. This is a wine of immediate appeal, with attractive primary fruit on the palate with a pleasant pastille-like edge. The fruit masks the tannins, and overall this is an attractive concentrated wine in a modern style. Very good/excellent. (Majestic, Unwins £6.99)

Wines over £8

Palliser Estate Sauvignon blanc 1999, Martinborough, New Zealand
A cracking wine. Intense varietal nose of gooseberries, elderflower and green pepper, with a bit of cut grass thrown in for good measure. Huge wine of dramatic proportions. On the palate it is quite fat with herbal notes and good acidity. Top notch New Zealand Sauvignon, but this extreme style may be off-putting to traditionalists. Very good/excellent. Yes, it is as good as Cloudy Bay, if you must make that comparison. (£9.99, Thresher)

Cape Mentelle Chardonnay 1998, Margaret River, Western Australia
Traditional vinification with partial malolactic and French oak. Beautiful rich, toasty nose with exotic fruit characters and some spiciness. On the palate it is long, rich and toasty, with great complexity and concentration. A lovely wine in a full flavoured style. Excellent. (Majestic, Bacchus £12)

Cloudy Bay Pelorus Vintage 1995, Marlborough, New Zealand
The high-end fizz from Cloudy Bay, this is a stunning alternative to Champagne at a very attractive price. Aged three years on yeast lees. Deep, complex nose; toasty and rich. Ripe, full and complex on the palate. A lovely fizz in a full flavoured style. Excellent. (Unwins, Majestic, Wine Rack £15.99)

Les Hauts de Montmirail 1998 Gigondas, Domaine Brusset
An example of the groundbreaking new wave wines that are being made in the South of France, this is a real head turner. 60% Grenache/ 25% Mourvèdre/ 15% Syrah; 60% new oak, 40% 1-2 year old barrels. A sweet, oaky and exotic wine, with smoky, mineralic, spicy and herby notes, and firm tannins, all wrapped up in fleshy, dark fruit. Good balance between the components. A blockbuster style; very good/excellent if this is what you are looking for. (Around £20, if you can find it.)

E-mail me with your recommendations or suggestions at wineanorak@i.am