Rioja’s Finest Wines: Viñedo Singular  

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Round & About Magazine’s resident wine columnist Giles Luckett looks the best Rioja wines and finds a unique combination of brilliance and value  

Rioja is probably my favourite wine region. Bad bottles are rarer than hen’s dentures and when it comes to affordable fine wines, it’s peerless.  

Key to its modern (post-Franco) success is its regulation. Rioja is one of the most regulated wine regions in the world, with everything from permitted grape varieties (14 if you’re interested, see me after class for more details) and yields to the type and length of barrel and bottle ageing being legally prescribed. 

Curiously unlike many other fine wine regions, relatively little has been done to classify the wines. Unlike somewhere like Bordeaux where classifications litter labels such as Manager’s Choice stickers in Majestic, Rioja’s governing body has traditionally let the bodegas’ reputations speak for themselves.

In 2017, however, a new classification was introduced, the Viñedo Singular. It aimed to recognise the best of the best, to single out vineyards that had exceptional terroir and which met strict criteria such as the wine’s need to come from classified vineyards with vines that are at least 35 years old, are hand-harvested, and have extremely low yields. It’s a classification that has much in common with the Cru system that operates in Burgundy, and only 133 vineyards have been granted this elevated status. Unlike Burgundy, these beauties are remarkably well-priced as I discovered during a recent tasting. 

White Rioja is a secret star of the region. Although white grapes only account for 10% of Rioja’s plantings, when white Rioja is good, it’s a world-class wine. A delicious example is the Bodegas Perica, Finca Valdelascarretas 2020 (Thorne Wines £36.95). Just 375 cases of this pear, apricot, orange peel, honey and dried fruit-scented wine were produced, and on the palate, there’s a wonderful tension between honey-dipped, yellow-skinned fruits and the firm, cleansing lemony acidity. Bone dry but with a luxurious body imparted by the length of oak ageing, this is a great example of this underrated wine. 

Beronia may not be the oldest producer in Rioja having been founded by a group of wine-loving friends in 1973, but in a relatively short period they’ve managed to carve out an outstanding reputation. Made in the traditional style using modern techniques, the Beronia Reserva (Sainsbury’s £16.50) is a staple in our house. Their Viñedo Singular is the Vareia by Beronia (Wines of the World £41). This is a wine that screams old-world charm and speaks volumes about Beronia’s commitment to excellence. Very deeply coloured even for a Rioja, the juicy, rich stewed plum, blackberry and black cherry fruit is supported by a firm set of rounded tannins and bordered by a lively yet gentle red berry acidity. The ample oak isn’t allowed to mask the fruit and has been skilfully integrated to add cigar smoke and cream to the mix. Lovely now, it’s got a great future. 

The Bodegas Tarón, Tarón Cepas Centenarias was new to me, but it’s a wine I shall seek out again. Produced from 100-year-old Tempranillo vines grown at 500m above sea level, this is Rioja at its most intense. Wonderfully deeply coloured, the nose is a heady mix of black berries, mulberries, sage, liquorice and vanilla spice. Mouth-filling and rich, the French oak ageing adds a creamy note with the fresh, loganberry acidity, fine, grainy tannins and chalky finish making it a wonderful partner to red meats or yellow cheeses. This will age magnificently. 

It was love at first sight and sip for me with the Azabache Coscojares Vinedo Singular Rioja 2018 (Findlays £38.99). How could you not love this dumpy little bottle? Made exclusively from Garnacha at an altitude of 520m, this is Rioja refinement par excellence. Deep red with a sumptuous nose of cassis, cherries, plums, toasty vanilla, and a touch of balsamic, the Christmas cake-rich palate is wonderfully fruity and super smooth, and there’s savoury tobacco, sage, mint, and orange zest on the finish. Lovely now, there’s a lot more to come from this, and if you’re lucky enough to find the 2019, expect even more. What a wine!

Next, a wine that warrants its 98/100 score from The Wine Advocate, the Bodega Lanzaga, Tabuerniga Rioja 2020 (VINUM £87). The brainchild of one of Spain’s greatest winemakers, Telmo Rodriguez, with its fragrant blend of wild herbs, dusty earth, olives and spices it’s wonderfully evocative of the land on which it was produced. Cherry red, and with a silky smooth, polished feel, it offers delicious tones of red berries, cherries, aged balsamic, woody spices and blackberries to the finish. Powerful yet refined, decant and enjoy this now with fine foods or stash it away for another decade or more.

As we’re talking Rioja, I’d like to add the following to my list of Rioja’s royalty. These wines don’t meet the criteria for Viñedo Singular principally as they aren’t single vineyard wines, but in all other respects, they are unquestionably amongst Rioja’s titans. 

Contino is widely regarded as one of Rioja’s greatest estates and the Contino Reserva 2020 (Tesco £27) is a brilliant example of this famed producer’s wines. Only made in excellent years with 2020 being rated by the governing body, the Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja, as ‘Very Good’, this is a mighty, magnificent wine, one that drinks well young but has seemingly endless ageing potential. Blue-black, the nose is an exotic mix of blackberries and blueberries furled in a spicy vanilla and herb coating.  Full-bodied and well-textured, on the palate there is everything from plums and cassis to citrus peel and sage by way of charcoal and raspberries.  Buy a case now (trust me, it’s a bargain) enjoy a couple now with roasted red meats or feisty cheese and drink the rest over the coming decade or so.

I can’t mention Rioja’s royalty and not recommend a wine by C.V.N.E. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever had a bad wine from them, and I’ve tasted their wines a lot. The Cune Crianza (Sainsbury’s £10.95) and their Cune Barrel Fermented Rioja Blanco (Majestic £10.99) are brilliant wines that offer exceptional value for money. For this article though I’ll highlight the Vina Real La Virgen 2020 (VINUM £65.90). Produced from 40-year-old vines on a tiny two-hectare plot which lies in the foothills of the Toloño mountains which afford it protection from winds and gives the grapes warm days and cool nights during the growing season.  This preserves the acidity and gives the wine its distinctive elegance. This is an enchanting but serious wine.  Its bouquet boasts blackberries, blueberries, currants and liquorice, while the soft palate is loaded with succulent black fruits enhanced by notes of cherries, chocolate, vanilla and vibrant red berries on the finish. Perfect with roast lamb, this is a joy with game birds, hard cheeses, it’s got time on its side and will become a mellow, smoked berry beauty in another few years. 

Muga is another of my favourite bodegas, with a line-up of red wines that are fit to grace the finest tables. While the Muga Reserva (Majestic £19.99) is delicious, if you’re looking for extraordinary then the Muga Selección Especial Reserva (Waitrose £30) is for you. Texturally this has something in common with the Imperial in that it has a luscious, silky feel that comes from the long ageing in oak, but I always find there’s a little less freshness here and a slightly smokier tone to the abundant black fruits. Powerful and intense, expect wave after wave of plum, blackberry and blueberry fruit, exotic spices, bitter chocolate and a firm, red berry finish. I’ve always found this better with a few years in bottle but if you can’t wait, give it several hours open before serving.

I’ll finish with a confession of obsession. I’m completely obsessed with Contino’s Viña del Olivo Rioja (Waitrose £68) as is it is one of the greatest Riojas I have ever tasted. Taking its name from an 800-year-old olive tree that grows in the vineyard, it’s made from a blend of Tempranillo and Graciano which explains its elegance and refinement. Gorgeously deeply coloured – the 2020’s rim shows almost no gradation to pink – the bouquet makes it unhurried way from the glass wafting scents of cassis, dried herbs, olives, and dusty minerals. In the mouth, it’s at once reserved and generous. The taut, muscular body slowly reveals its ample charms with gentle swirling, presenting a Bordeaux-like mix of black fruits, chocolate and red berries only with herbs, a touch of clay-iron, and woodsmoke. This fascinating, beguiling wine draws you in and holds your attention to the last forlorn sip. 

I do hope you will try some of these fantastic wines. Next time out I’ll be looking at some super Tuscan wines with a producer profile on San Felice.

Cheers, 
Giles 

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Best Valentine’s Day Wines 2025

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Round & About Magazine’s resident wine columnist Giles Luckett offers his picks for the best Valentine’s Day Wines as love (of wine) is in the air…

For The Love Of Wine

It’s February and love is in the ai, well in the glass, so this time out I’m recommending a flight of wines that will quicken the pulse, after all, they do say wine is good for the heart. Whether you’re cooking up a storm for the love of your life, popping that all-important question, or simply celebrating another year together, you’ll find the perfect partner below.

Many wine lovers will be looking for something pink and fizzy come Valentine’s Day, and if you’re after something classy and affordable, try the Casa Canevel Prosecco Rosé (Strictly Wine £18.50). Seriously good and seriously good fun, this offers masses of bright, pear and melon fruit that are shot through by strawberry and tangy raspberry flavours before cream and citrus come in at the finish. Delightful on its own, it’s got the fruit and intensity to partner with dishes such as seafood, pan-fried fish or baked cheese.

Next up, a wine with a message on the bottle: the quotation, ‘A good wine is a wine you want to taste again’. That’s certainly the case with the Marius Rosé (ND John £10.45) from Rhône legends, Chapoutier. What I love about this, is that everything about it feels natural and unforced. The colour is a gorgeous mid-pink with shades of amber, not the lurid pink of so many rosés these days. The bouquet is pretty and fragrant, balancing summer berries and red cherries with a lift of citrus, while the palate’s easy-going blend of bright red fruits, blackberries, lemon and cherry twists make ideal bedfellows. Serve this with pink fish or pink lamb and I’m sure you’ll be tickled pink.

English sparkling wine has captured the heart of many a critic and consumer over the last few years. The quality has become so impressive that champagne houses such as Taittinger now have wineries on this side of the Channel. As a long-time admirer of them, I was delighted to discover the Candover Brook Rosé (Candover Brook £38). Produced in Hampshire using Champagne grapes and Champagne methods including a minimum of three years of bottle ageing, this Wine GB Gold Medal winner is a stunner. Offering ample cranberry and dried strawberry fruits, citrus, minerals, and a touch of chalky bitterness it has a very classical feel to it, but there’s something in the joyously lively finish that marks it out as new and exciting. Tasted blind I’d have to put this down as a fine rosé champagne.

Speaking of champagne, rosé champagne sales spike in early February in part as it’s the most popular day to propose, followed by the Saturday before Christmas for reasons I cannot fathom, do fiancées get better gifts…? Anyway, if you’re thinking of popping the question or just want to show the love of your life how much you care, then I recommend popping the cork on a bottle of Taittinger Rosé (Tesco £48). This beautiful wine exudes Taittinger’s class and elegance. The bouquet is a complex mix of red and black fruits with yeast, citrus, and red blooms adding further diversion. On the palate it’s silky and refined, the tiny bubbles giving lift and zest but without the coarseness of some champagnes. Raspberries, loganberries, and a hint of blackberries lead the charge, followed by a long, lingering finish with chalky minerals and a touch of salinity. Serve this lightly chilled on its own (it’s better if you let it breathe for an hour or so) or with seafood, rare red meats or poultry.

Chardonnay is a grape that’s always been close to my heart and while the great wines of Burgundy have now become the preserve of tech billionaires – who else is drinking Domaine Leflaive Montrachet at £20,000 a bottle? – head-turning examples are still available to us mortals. Last week I had my second encounter with the Giant Adelaide Hills Chardonnay (£9.99 Waitrose) which reaffirmed my belief that this is a little cracker of a wine. I don’t like to recommend wines I’ve only tasted once. Like first dates, they can leave you giddy as you experience the first flush of romance only to disappoint when you next see them. This was better the second time around. Hailing from the cool of the Adelaide Hills, it has plenty of energy and delivers shedloads of white and green berries supported by lemons and grapefruit. Give it an hour open and peaches, honey and that burnt match reductive note that I so adore comes through too. This is an awful lot of wine for the money and pairs wonderfully well with poultry, meaty fish, and vegetarian dishes.

As the old saying goes, ‘The way to a man’s heart is through his Riesling’, OK, I may have got that wrong, but it’s certainly a way to my heart. Riesling is perhaps the greatest of all grapes, and in the hands of a master like Ernst Loosen, it’s a sure-fire winner. This year my much better half and I will be sharing a bottle of the Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett 2022 (£15.99 Waitrose) with our lobster (please take the hint, Mrs. L). With its combination of intense fruit – apples, peaches, grapes, watermelon – minerals, and zippy lemon and lime acidity, this is one of those wines that is just too easy to drink and before you know where you are you’ll be looking for a second bottle. While there is a little residual sugar, its tangy freshness and crispness give it a dry feel, and when partnered with shellfish or Asian cuisine, it’s sensational.

And so, to the reds and a wine that couldn’t be more appropriate for this time of romance, the Domaine de la Pirolette Saint-Amour 2022 (Vinatis £17.24). I’m a great fan of Beaujolais and this is one of the best I’ve had in a long time. A great Beaujolais should be full-bodied, ripe, and with a distinctive minerality to it and that’s what you get with this lovely Saint-Amour. Wonderfully deeply coloured, the nose is rich and exotic and brims with stewed black fruits, roasted meat, earth, chocolate, and a hit of sour cheery acidity. Mouth-filling and warming, there are shades of the Rhône – black cherries and pepper – and Burgundy – strawberries and raspberries – before savoury minerals hit the finish. I tasted this on its own and it was delicious, but with hearty dishes, it would be even better.

Spain is probably my favourite wine-producing country. My love for its wine is borne out of its singular combination of brilliance, diversity, and value. Early this year I discovered a new wine from an old friend that further fanned my Spanish passion. It’s the Juan Gil Monastrell Blue Label, (Premier Cru Fine Wine £27.39). The Blue Label is the big brother to the must-buy Juan Gill Yellow Label (Songbird Wines £12.75) and this mixture of Monastrell, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah is even more compelling. Inky red-black, the brooding bouquet takes time to open up before revealing blackcurrants and blueberries, green peppers and black peppercorns. Intense and energetic, this serious red is weighty yet precise, offering layer upon layer of black berries and plums backed by tones of mint, leather, charcoal and black olives. Let this breathe for a couple of hours and serve with liver, pecorino cheese pasta, or tomato-rich dishes.

I’ll stay in Spain for my last recommendation, the Azabache Coscojares Vinedo Singular Rioja 2018 (Findlays £38.99). This was love at first sight and first sip – how could you not love this dumpy little bottle? This is one of Rioja’s Viñedo Singular, a relatively recent classification for wines that come entirely from a classified vineyard, with vines that are at least 35 years old, are harvested by hand and which give much lower yields. Made exclusively from Garnacha at an altitude of 520m, this is Rioja refinement par excellence. Mid-red with a sumptuous nose of cherries, plums, toasty vanilla, and a touch of balsamic, the Christmas cake-rich palate is fantastically fruity, super smooth, and has savoury tobacco, sage, mint, and orange zest on the finish. What a wine!

Well, that’s enough love for now, next time I’m out I’ll be taking a deep dive into Tuscany with an interview and profile of the wonderful wines of San Felice.

Cheers!
Giles

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Best Australian Wines for 2025

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Round & About Magazine’s resident wine columnist Giles Luckett celebrates all Australia Day with his must-try Aussie wines for 2025

Cool Wines From A Land Downunder

January brings Australia Day and my annual celebration of Aussie wine. I’ve been doing this so long I now can’t recall whether I started in relation to it or the other way around, but this year I’m looking at the cooler side of things with some cracking cool climate Australian wines. While Australia isn’t exactly known for its chilly climate – the last time I was there it felt Hell with the central heating turned up – more and more producers are cultivating cool climate spots with spectacular results. Where it’s by going up, going south, or heading for the waterside, these cool climate wines present yet another face of Australian wine brilliance.

First up, a Sauvignon, the RedHeads Princess of Thieves Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (£10.49 Laithwaites). A Tasmanian winemaker once told me that Australian Sauvignon was ‘a weed that needs grubbing up’. He obviously hadn’t tried this. Produced in the cool of the Adelaide Hills, this is excellent with great intensity and an arresting purity. It opens with a piercing, zingy bouquet of gooseberries, lemons and flint smoke. In the mouth it’s just as enthusiastic, dropping gooseberry, rhubarb, and lemon fruit bombs across the tongue, which leave minerals, lime peel and spearmint in their wake. A great solo sipper, this has the concentration to partner everything from fish pie to a green Thai curry.

Staying in Tasmania (I have, it’s amazing) we have the Jansz Premium Cuvée NV (£18.49 Waitrose). Tasting sparkling wines of this quality makes me wonder why I pay so much more for champagne. Pale gold with an entrancing nose of pears, tropical fruits, and toasty yeast, this medium-bodied fizz has all sharpness of a blancmange and the complexity of a chess tournament. Each sip seems to bring something new to the fore making for a fascinating and satisfying glassful. Enjoy this on its own or pair it with shellfish or poultry.

Next, the coolest of cool whites from my favourite cool climate Australian wine region, the Moorooduc Estate Chardonnay 2021 (£25.95 NY Wines) from Mornington Peninsula. Mornington Peninsula is a spit of land that lies to the south of Melbourne which by dint of being surrounded on three sides by water enjoys exceptional growing conditions. Here the McIntyre family produce wines of breathtaking quality that combine New World energy with Old World refinement. The Estate Chardonnay is white gold with a nose of blossoms, lemon, nectarine and peach. On the palate, it’s fresh and zesty with a charge of white peach, grapefruit and lemon followed by delicate notes or orange zest, crushed nuts and red pears. Delicious now with fish or roasted fowl, it’s got time on its side.

I couldn’t celebrate Australia Day without mentioning Yalumba. This family-owned winery’s wines are staples in our house and late last year I tasted the Yalumba Organic Sauvignon Blanc (£9.50 Ocado) and the Yalumba Organic Viognier (£10.99 Waitrose). If you’re looking for great white wines that won’t break the bank, then look no further. The Sauvignon is in the richer, peach and pear style that you often get when Sauvignon is planted in warmer climes, but there’s enough citrusy acidity to keep it vital and agile. The Viognier, a Yalumba speciality, is unoaked which allows the beautiful peach, apricot, and yellow plum fruit to flood froth. Finishing with a tight, bright acidity that brings a nutty dimension to it, it’s perfect with poultry, game birds or meaty white fish.

And so, to the reds.

The queen of grapes in the shape of the Robert Oatley Signature Pinot Noir (£14.30 VINUM). Produced from grapes grown in the relative cool of the Yarra Valley, this is a wonderful example of the rarest wine gems, an affordable Pinot Noir. Mid-red with a summery nose of wild strawberries, red cherries and spiced raspberries, its soft, velvety body offers a gentle combination of cooked red fruits, cream, and spices. The finish is fresh and grippy with rounded tannins offering structure. A taste of summer to accompany the wintry nights ahead.

Looking for wine beauty on a budget? Australia remains one of the great sources of affordable fine wines as the Adnams Shiraz (£8.49) shows. Juicy, easy-going and brimming soft black and red berries backed by gentle spices and a zesty, fresh finish; this is an awful lot of fun for very little money. Last year I had this on its own, with a Sunday roast and a sourdough pizza and it was delicious with each. Bonza… as they only ever say in Australian beer ads for the UK market.

Torbeck is one of the great names of the Barossa Valley. Their top wines such as the mighty RunRig (West End Wines £170) rank with Australian wine royalty and more than justify their high prices. Happily, their wines cover all price points, and you can enjoy knockout wines like the Torbreck Old Vine Mourvèdre, Shiraz Grenache for under £20, NY Wines have the 2022 for £18.95. While the blend is Rhône, this is every inch a Barossa wine. Inky red, the bouquet bowls out of the glass bringing notes of fruits of the forest, scorched earth, espresso, Asian spices, herbs, liquorice, and mint. In the mouth, it’s mighty and mouth-filling. The black and red fruits have a lovely, sweet tone to them, but the firm acidity, minerals, and leaf tea tones keep everything balanced. Partner this with hearty winter fare or the barbecue come the summer.

I’ll finish with one of the best Shiraz I’ve had in years. The Mount Langi Ghiran 2021 Cliff Edge (Great Wines Direct £19.60) is a masterclass in cool climate winemaking. Hailing from the Grampians region of New South Wales, it conveys Shiraz’s complexity and concentration without being overwhelmingly powerful. From its beautiful blue-black robe rise notes of zesty cassis and fresh red berries with a touch of menthol, smoky oak, cherry jam and wild herbs. The palate balances freshness and weight with crisp blackcurrants, blackberries, plums and blueberries offset by mint, mineral, and Parma violet hints. A class act, pair this with slow-cooked red meats, tomato-rich pasta dishes, or falafel.

Well, that’s it for now, next month, it’s for the love of wine.
Cheers!
Giles

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Top Christmas Wine Essentials

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Round & About Magazine’s resident wine columnist Giles Luckett recommends this year’s Christmas wine essentials.

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and while they say Christmas is all about the children, this is one big kid who’s looking forward to opening some adult Christmas crackers this year. Christmas offers so many opportunities for enjoying a glass of something special and to give you some inspiration – or vinspriation (I got that one out of a cracker, can you tell?) – here are my top 10 Christmas wine (and spirit) essentials.

First up, champagne – well it is Christmas. I’ve tasted a lot of champagnes this year, some of the finest of which I reviewed in my recent champagne article. One that’s stuck with me is the Laytons Brut Reserve (£33.95). I worked for Laytons in the late 1990s and Laytons was a firm favourite with customers and staff alike and it was great to taste it again after so many years. Chardonnay-based it has a lovely lightness of touch, offering a fresh bouquet of citrus and white blossoms with a creamy, yeasty undertow. The delicacy continues in the mouth, but the long bottle ageing shows towards the finish as notes of toasted brioche, apricots and honey come through. A lovely way to start the day, it has enough oomph to partner hors d’oeuvres or smoked fish starters.

If you’re looking for beauty on a budget, then make a beeline for the Graham Beck Pinot Noir Rosé 2017 (Majestic £19 on a mixed six). This is going to make my top ten wines of the year and I’ll be serving it at home. At under £20, this is a great buy. Salmon pink with tiny red gold bubbles lifting notes of raspberries, strawberries and cream, and limes into the air, this beautiful wine entrances from the off. The medium-bodied palate offers red berries, cherries, and blackberries with rather more exotic notes of limes, coconut and Asian spices. Lovely on its own, it also pairs well with food such as smoked fish or brown turkey meat.

Next up the first of two delicious, but very different, French wines. The first is the Gérard Bertrand Orange Gold 2022 (Majestic £12.99). Orange wines get their name from their distinctive colour, in this case, a mid-apricot orange, colour they get from the juice resting on the skins as you do with red wines. This delightful example is Chardonnay-led but has support from Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Marsanne, Mauzac and Muscat which give it fragrance and complexity. Medium-bodied but with noticeable texture, here you’ll find everything from apples and melon to apricots, to dried pears and lemon rind. It’s a fascinating wine that goes perfectly with all kinds of white meats.

Hugel is one of the greatest names in wine. This Alsace domaine was founded in Riquewhir in 1639 by Hans Ulrich Hugel and has been family-owned ever since. They produce some of the most profound dry Rieslings in the world and this Christmas I’ll be pairing the turkey with a bottle (or two!) of the Hugel Classic Riesling 2022 (London End Wines £19.50). I’m a huge fan of dry Riesling, but the intensity and depth of flavour in Hugel’s wines take the breath away. The nose is zesty, full of mineral-tinted citrus, and green apples while on the palate there are lemons, limes, white peach and grapefruit with touches of apricot and pistachio. Give this a couple of hours open and serve with white meats, seafood, or creamy cheese.

Red wines are always popular at Christmas, and while many wine lovers reach for a bottle of red Bordeaux to partner the turkey, goose or their rich vegetarian centrepiece, there are better, more interesting choice to be made. The key to partnering red wines with foods such as this is intensity and juiciness. Turkey, goose, and other game birds can be dry, and all have a richness of flavour that takes something with a persistence of flavour to cut through. The following wines have all proved great partners in the past.

Burgundy is perfect with all forms of poultry and game birds, but red Burgundy prices have risen so high even in recent years that unless you’re planning to spend Christmas on your yacht you may want to look elsewhere. A joyful exception to this distasteful rule is the Louis Jadot Bourgogne Cote d’Or 2021 (Majestic £29.99, £22.49 when you buy any six). This is an affordable taste of Burgundian luxury. Deeply coloured, the bouquet offers cherries, blackberries, mushrooms and a hint of seasonal cranberries. In the mouth, it’s clean and fresh with a delightfully silky texture and offers and abundance of fruits of the forest, cherries, plums and a mint and mineral finish. Gorgeous.

And so, to Rioja but with an even greater weight of mellow fruitiness, we have the Baron de Ley Gran Reserva 2017 (Vinissimus £20). Gran Reserva Riojas are only made in great years and by law must spend at least two years in oak and three years in bottle before release. This long ageing mellows the fruit, adds a spicy vanilla tone and creates some of the finest wines Rioja can offer. The Baron de Ley Gran Reserve is a mighty mellow mouthful. The nose contains aromas of fresh toast, ripe black fruits, red berries, spices and tobacco. The generously full-bodied palate is juicy and complex. Baked black berries and sun-warmed black cherries are coated with creamy vanilla before the firm, fresh finish adds life and intensity.

If you’re feeling adventurous this Christmas, try the Chateau Musar ‘Hochar’ 2019 (Vimum £12.85). Chateau Musar is Lebanon’s greatest wine estate, and this is their second wine, the younger brother if you will, to Chateau Musar (Waitrose £41.99) and shares much of it characteristics. Produced from an unusual blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault grapes (think Bordeaux meets Rhone meets Languedoc) it’s rich and full-bodied with flavours of plums, cherries, sloes, and blackberries. Ageing in oak gives it a spicy tone and having been grown at high altitude it has a delightful red berry freshness.

And speaking of adventurous wines, how about a red dessert wine? While they are relatively rare, I’ve had plenty of sweet red wines over the years. Many are fortified such as the brilliantly bonkers Zuccardi Malamado Fortified Malbec (N.D. John Wines £17.45) but the Masi Angleorum Recioto Classico (Hic! £28) takes a rather different route to sweetness. Healthy grapes (Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara) from Veneto hillsides are dried on bamboo racks over the winter months. This has the effect of concentrating the sugars while elevating the aromatics. These are pressed and the resulting wine is lusciously sweet and full-bodied but with sufficient natural acidity to keep the wine fresh and vibrant. Offering a beguiling combination of preserved cherries, prunes, and bitter chocolate, with a touch of mocha and raspberry liqueur, this is a stylish partner to gorgonzola cheese, sweet pastries and tarts or as an after-dinner sipper.

I’ll leave the wines on a high with a Port. I’m a subscriber to the adage that Port is for life, not just for Christmas, and after tasting a wine as good as the Warre 1985 (MWH Wines £87) I’m sure you’ll be one too. 1985 was a truly outstanding year for vintage Port and the best wines are now drinking superbly. The Warre 1985 has retained much of its youthful Victoria plum colour with just a hint of ruby visible at the rim. The bouquet is a showstopping mix of dried black fruits, Morello cherries, chocolate, dried herbs, almonds, and smoke. Massive and rich in the mouth, the sweetly toned black fruits are complimented by flavours of coffee, black treacle, crushed nuts, pomegranate, mint and cocoa. Wonderful on its own, open and decant this beauty and enjoy with cheeses or fruity puddings.

I’ll finish my Christmas essentials with a couple of winter-warming spirits. The first is the Adnams Sloe Gin (Adnams £29.95). I’ll be honest I find most sloe gins are just a waste of good gin, being either teeth-rottingly sweet or bone dry but with red berry tones simply acting as a distraction to the gin’s botanicals. This though is excellent. Cherry red, there’s a touch of perfume to the nose which helps lift the sweet cranberry fruit and dry herby notes of the base spirit. The palate is voluptuous and warming – the 26% alcohol makes its presence felt – but clean and tangy. Maybe it’s me, but this tastes like a great gin cocktail rather than a Sloe Gin. Whatever the case, neat or with a dash of tonic, it’s delicious.

Last but by no means least we have Adnams Rye Malt Whisky (Adnams £42.99). In my early trade days, I got quite into whisky but as I’ve got older, I drink it less and less. That said I do like an after-dinner snifter at Christmas, and this is the perfect choice. Produced in Suffolk using locally grown rye, it’s aged in new French oak for at least five years. This oak ageing is at the core of my love of this. It adds a creaminess and an apricot and honey sweetness, imparting a creamy mouthfeel, a ginger spiciness, and a raisin fudge tone. Add a drop of tepid water and you have a joyous sundowner.

Well, that’s it for me this year. I’ll be back next month to celebrate Australia Day with some cool climate Australian wine stunners.

Cheers, and Happy Christmas,
Giles

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Beronia: A celebration of Rioja

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Round and About’s resident wine columnist Giles Luckett celebrates the Beronia Rioja and suggests some festive wine gifts

Hello. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been inundated with press releases telling me why X wine is this year’s Christmas essential.

Suggestions have ranged from the good – Louis Jadot ‘Les Roches Blanches’ Mâcon-Villages (Majestic £11.99 as part of a mixed six) – by way of the unusual – the Teleda Qvevri Saperavi 2022 (The Wine Society £17) – to the eye-watering – the Armand de Brignac Blanc de Noirs – Assemblage No. 4 (Champagne Direct £1,150).  Elon Musk has this last wine coming out of his taps, apparently. 

One recommendation that did strike a festive chord with me was the suggestion that people share their love of wine this Christmas with the gift of wine in the comely shape of the Beronia 3 Bottle Gift Pack (Ocado £65). People rarely give me wine as gifts, their reasoning being based either on them not knowing what to buy me or that I have enough wine already, a concept I simply don’t understand. If they did (Santa, please take note) then a Beronia three-bottle gift pack would be a cracking Christmas present. A bottle of the Beronia Crianza, Reserva, and the majestic Gran Reserva would spell a very happy holidays for me as I’ve been a fan of their wines for years. Equally, if I find my stocking contains a cheeky quarter bottle of the Beronia Crianza (Ocado £3.89) my Christmas morning lay-in will prove very jolly. 

Beronia Rioja: Innovative. Sustainable. Genuine.

While it is one of the younger Rioja bodegas having been founded by a group of fine food-loving friends in 1973, Beronia is also one of the most dynamic and innovative. I tasted my way through their range earlier this year and was struck by the wines’ combination of value and excellence. Rioja remains the world’s most affordable fine wine region, and while some examples are getting seriously expensive – the Sierra Cantabria ‘Magico’ will set you back £375 a bottle – wineries like Beronia offer beauty on a budget.

What’s less well-known about Rioja is the diversity of styles that it offers. This is another reason why I’m such a fan of Beronia. Their motto is, “Wines that are honest through and through” and it’s a philosophy that’s manifested itself in them being led by the land, planting grapes that are best suited to their sites and using sustainable methods to ensure future generations can enjoy their wines. While it may have been tempting to produce nothing but red wines, the easiest to sell, instead they’ve crafted a range of white, rosé and red Riojas that are true to their roots.

So, with the long dark nights now with us, and with Slade already banking their PRS 2024 royalties, allow me to celebrate the wines of Beronia with you and recommend some real crackers.

First up, a white, the Beronia Virua (Songbird Wines £11.75). This wine encapsulates Beronia’s approach to winemaking to me. Traditionally white Riojas were heavy, oak-laden affairs that were as zesty as a bottle of sunflower oil and about as appetizing. This though is a modern take on it. Complex and intense on the nose, it offers citrus, apple and white peach with a hint of pineapple, pear and savoury herbs. Medium-bodied, its intensity makes it feel more powerful than it is and means it’s the perfect partner for seafood white or brown meats, or as a satisfying solo sipper.

Next up is a pair of Rioja rosés. If white Rioja was historically the region’s poor relation, then rosé Rioja was the barely tolerated black sheep. The main reason for this was that rosé Rioja was made either as an afterthought or by using over-cropped Garnacha grapes to use them up. Beronia has given rosé (rosado) Rioja the respect it deserves, and they offer two exceptional examples. The first is the bouquet packed with strawberries, red cherries, blossoms and citrus. On the palate, it’s lively, fresh and full of life, with strawberries, raspberries and loganberries being offset by almonds, gentle spices and rhubarb. This is just the thing for savoury hors d’oeuvres or smoked fish.

Their other rosé Rioja is the Alegra de Beronia which takes rosé Rioja to a whole new level. Designed to be a fine wine, it’s just that. Rose gold in colour, the nose offers a subtle blend of plums, black cherries and strawberries with just a touch of pomegranate. In the mouth, it’s full, mellow, rich and refined. Layers or red and black fruits are held in a low acidity, luxurious body that gives it weight, depth and complexity. I’ve had this with risotto, spring lamb, and on its own and it’s always impressed me. I’ve even tasted it against the Whispering Angel range – including the £90 a bottle Garrus – and the Alegra was my favourite.

And so, to the reds. When it comes to red Rioja, Beronia really does spoil you for choice, and having had all their wine on multiple occasions, I would recommend them all. But to highlight Beronia’s innovation and diversity I’ve picked three of my favourites.

The first is the Beronia Reserva 2019 in magnum (Amazon £30). Magnums (two bottles in one) are my favourite bottle format. Not only do they allow wines to develop more slowly and ultimately achieve greater complexity, but they are also great for large gatherings and look so impressive on the table. The Beronia Reserva is only made in exceptional years (and 2019 was one of the best ever) and is given a minimum of a year in oak and two years in bottle before it is released. The result is a powerful, rich, dark, spicy wine that’s packed with juicy black berries, tangy red fruits, herbs and has a touch of chocolate and cherry liqueur to the finish. Pair this with roasted red meats, hard Spanish cheeses, or a selection of cured meats, olives, and tomato-based dishes.

Mazuelo may not be a grape you’re that familiar with, especially coming from Rioja where it accounts for less than 2% of black grape plantings. When yields are kept low and when it’s planted on the right soils, however, it can be spectacular. Beronia’s Mazuelo Reserva (Amazon £20.60) is a fantastic example of what it can do. Inky blue-black, the grape’s natural red berry freshness shines through on the nose, with the long oak ageing adding vanilla spice and a twist of green herbs. With its flavours of bright red berries, creamy vanilla, and a touch of sweetness, this is a fascinating wine that shows a completely different style of Rioja. Enjoy this with brown meats – its juiciness means it’s perfect with cold turkey – blue cheeses or nuts. 

I’ll finish with a flourish and the Beronia III a. C (Cellar Door Wines £65). This is a taste of wine history. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Rioja’s vineyards were devastated by the phylloxera beetle and most vines had to be ripped out. The Beronia III a. C is made from vines that survived phylloxera’s onslaught and offers old-world charm with modern-day freshness and vibrancy. Aged for 15 months in a mixture of old and new oak, its signatures are blackberries, cherries, and red fruits with hints of liquorice, cocoa, vanilla and aged balsamic. Wonderfully complex and nuanced, give this several hours open and serve with goose or game as you would a fine red Burgundy. 

All this talk of Beronia has given me a thirst, so I’m off to read my daughter’s letter to Father Christmas, after which I’ll need a stiff drink. Next time, festive fizz. 
Cheers! 
Giles 

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The Best Champagnes of The Year

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Round and About’s resident wine columnist, Giles Luckett, gives his recommendations on the best luxury champagnes of 2024

Hello. As regular readers of this column know, I’ve a bit of a thing for champagne. A ‘thing’ in the same way that flowers have a bit of a ‘thing’ for sunlight. While I am passionate about most wines, there’s nothing to match the delicacy, complexity or pure pleasure of a great glass of champagne. So, you can imagine my excitement when I was asked to a tasting of the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH) champagne portfolio. This was my Golden Ticket event and while there weren’t any sweets on offer, I did feel like a very big kid in the world’s greatest sweet shop.

All the wines on show were hugely impressive. The Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial (Majestic £48) was in great form and the Ruinart Rosé (Majestic £80) will be on my dining table again this Christmas. For this piece though, I’m going to focus on the rare prestige cuvee wines such as Dom Perignon and Krug. I’ve tasted, reviewed, bought and sold hundreds of these luxurious wines over the years and the question I’ve often been asked is, ‘Are they worth the money?’ My answer’s always the same, a resounding yes. These are unique, wonderful, awe-inspiring wines that are the perfect centrepiece for a celebration. They are not cheap, but then the finest things in life never are. Anyway, here is a selection of my notes from a very special tasting.

Dom Perignon is arguably the most famous champagne in the world, and its exceptional reputation is well-deserved. The tasting gifted me the opportunity to try not just one Dom Perignon but three. The first one was the Dom Perignon 2012 in magnum (The Champagne Company £475). Magnums, double-sized bottles, are the perfect format for champagne. It allows the wine to develop more slowly and gain greater complexity over time and saves me from getting up and getting a second bottle. 2012 was top-flight vintage and having tried Dom Perignon 2012 in bottle, it was fascinating to taste it from magnum as it felt like I’d gone back in time. The bouquet was joyous, fresh and youthful. Apple blossom, pears, melon, spices and acacia seamlessly came together. In the mouth, it was lively, vigorous, and yet had that seductive silkiness that is one of Dom Perignon’s signatures. The fruit ranged from melon and pear to raspberry and white currant with a chalky, slightly saline seam. Gorgeous now, it has a wonderful future.

Next was the Dom Perignon Rosé 2009 (Findlays £299) and it was entrancing. Very deep pink, the nose was a seductive blend of red cherries, blackberries, oriental spices and citrus. In the mouth, it has more weight and glycerine than the 2012 and offered layer upon layer of summer pudding, chalky minerals, citrus, and red cherries all of which were shot through with a fruity spiciness. What a time!

Completing this amazing trio was the Dom Perignon 2006 Plenitude 2 (Millesima £370). Now this is a wine that needs a little explanation, but basically plenitude refers to the wine’s state of evolution. Moët and Chandon leave a small proportion of wines from exceptional vintages in their cellars and release them in their second and third plenitude years after the initial release. Like the 2012 in magnum, this was another taste of history. Bright and bracing on the nose, the yeast and mineral elements were much more apparent. On the palate, the surge of fresh green and red fruits – kiwi, greengage, strawberry, raspberry – were underpinned by ripe, fleshy pears, apricots, plus vanilla, spices, minerals and a touch of lemon curd. A remarkable wine which is all about elegance at this stage, over the coming years it will take on a delicious autumnal fruit and smoke tone that will be quite something.

Next is a wine that always delights, the Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2013 (The Champagne Company £230). Dom Ruinart is the world’s oldest Champagne House, and its wines are impeccable. This is one of their flagship wines and is made exclusively from Chardonnay, a fact that never fails to astonish me given how much weight, depth and complexity this beautiful wine manages to convey. Ghostly pale with minuscule pearlescent bubbles, the bouquet offers fresh pears and red apples alongside lemons and vanilla foam. In the mouth there was a sublime mix of green and yellow fruits, white berries, custard apple, hazelnut, and a tang of sea salt. A hauntingly beautiful wine, its intensity and firm acidity suggest a long life ahead.

It’s not often that I get to enjoy Krug Grande Cuvee. It’s rare that I get to taste Krug Vintage, and the last time I got to try them against each other TikTok was being touted as the next big thing. Krug is unique. Its combination of power, intensity, elegance and nuance make it unlike any other wine and it’s a champagne that should be on every wine lover’s bucket list. I tasted the Grande Cuvee 172eme Edition (The Finest Bubble £204), the number signifying which iteration it is. These Editions differ as they are made from different vintage wines, in this case from 11 different years. The 172 boasted an expansive bouquet with aromas of lemons, grapefruit, honey, red blooms, apricots and roasted nuts. On the palate, it showed extraordinary complexity and class. Powerful flavours of yellow plums, apples, melon, liquorice, dried pears, red currants and spices. Tremendous now, it will develop and put on even greater richness over the next decade or so.

The Krug 2011 (Champagne Direct £350) is destined to be another legendary champagne. Only made in the finest vintages, and then in tiny quantities, Krug vintage always puts in a barnstorming performance. Mid-gold, the surprising freshness on the nose helped keep the masses of tropical fruit, nuts, honey and blackberry notes in check. Mouth-filling, it was all I could do to keep track of what my palate was experiencing. Grapefruit, lemons, raspberries, vanilla, peaches, apricots, strawberries in cream, green herbs, savoury minerals, the list went on and on. Remarkably for all its complexity and breath-taking size, everything was balanced, in perfect proportion, and poised. A showstopper now, it reminded me of a young Grand Cru Burgundy in that for all its immediacy, you know there is so much more to come.

My last recommendation isn’t an LVMH wine, but all that tasting left me with a raging third and when I got home, I opened a bottle of champagne. The last time I had Taittinger 2015 (Slurp £69.95) was at Taittinger a couple of years back. I remembered it being excellent, but I thought it needed more time before it would show its hand, and so it proved to be. The colour is now a rich gold punctuated by pretty amber bubbles that bring forth notes of red apples, peaches, and toasted brioche. In the mouth it’s ripe and rounded, the slight lemony tone of youth having mellowed to peach while the firm raspberry acidity has relaxed to add a lovely strawberry note. Medium-bodied but with wonderful richness and intensity, this was the perfect way to end a perfect day.

Next time out, I’ll be looking at the fantastic Riojas from Beronia.   

Cheers! 
Giles 

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Six great Lugana wines

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Round & About Magazine’s resident wine columnist Giles Luckett rediscovers with white wines of Lugana, and finds beauty and value

When it comes to naming your favourite Italian white wine, you’d be forgiven for not saying Lugana. Other Northern Italian wines such as Soave are far better known even though the quality of Lugana is often superior and significantly better value for money. I must confess, that until my recent attendance at a Lugana tasting, I’d pretty much forgotten about the region’s wines. The first wine shop I ran had a couple of Lugana’s, and whenever someone came in looking for a good value, easy drinking white, they were my default recommendations. They were fruity, uncomplicated and fun. They weren’t fine wines in the serious sense of the word, but they were, well, fine.

At the tasting it quickly became clear that the wines of Lugana have come a long way in the past 30 years. There are now Riserva level wines and wines that have been aged in oak. Across the board they seem to have become more serious and complex yet have retained the joyous citrus, pear and peach fruitiness that so impressed me all those years ago.

To celebrate my reacquaintance with this pearl of a wine, here are six Lugana wines that any lover of great value, elegant white wines should seek out.

About the Lugana wine region

OK, notebooks open, please, I may be asking question later. To give you a little context, the Lugana region lies in Northern Italy and straddles the provinces of Brescia in Lombardy and Verona in Veneto. It’s unusual to see a wine region across over into another province, but Lugana is an unusual wine. It’s made from the Turbiana grape, which was formerly known Trebbiano di Lugana even though genetically it has much to do with the Trebbiano family as I do the Royal Family. The name was changed to distinguish it from Trebbiano wines which tend to be about as engaging as a health and safety video. 

Turbiana gives fresh whites with fruit notes of pears and peaches, a lemon acidity and a distinctive mineral edge that comes from the glacial soils on which they are grown. This profile lends itself well to the production of sparkling wines, many of which, such as the excellent Ca Maiol (Svinando £19.90) are serious and stylish. Recently, however, there’s been a push for higher quality, age worthy wines. Many critics and producers have long suspected that this wonderfully sited region could produce world class whites, and as the following shows, their suspicions were well-founded.

Six great Lugana wines

First up, a surprise wine. I was surprised to see a Lugana in ASDA and was surprised that they were selling a wine of this quality for just £11. The imaginatively named Lugana Italian Wine is classic example of Lugana. White gold with a hint of emerald green, the nose is a lovely mix of pears and peaches with a shot of lemon freshness. Medium bodied and nimble, mouthwatering flavours of citrus

Next up is the Nunzio Ghiraldi (Majestic £14.99). Crafted using organic methods on vines that are a stone’s throw from Lake Garda, this balances freshness and depth to give a more serious style of Lugana. Produced from ancient vines, the nose is somewhat more complex, conveying notes of white blossoms and wet clay alongside the green and white fruits. The palate is generous and fruity, with peaches and pears joined by apricot, minerals and a clean lemon acidity. Try this with game birds or a creamy risotto.

Showing Lugana’s stylistic diversity we have the Lugana Bertagna 2023 (£9.67 Vivino). This is a fresher, more intense wine which is evident from the bouquet which has lemon and grapefruit mingling with zesty apricots, honeydew melon, and just-ripe kiwi fruit. These notes are mirrored on the palate where they are joined by limes, white pepper, yellow plums and a peach stone bitterness to the end. Try this with fresh pasta with mushrooms, seafood, and vegetarian dishes such as couscous with roasted artichokes.

My favourite wine of the tasting was probably the Alberto e Mauro Zenegaglia Luna del Lago Lugana Riserva (Vivino £14.72). Riserva level wines are relatively rare and must be aged for at least two years before being released. This spent 18 months in large old oak barrels and this has had a dramatic effect on it. More golden in colour, the effects of oxidation are present on the nose which is rounder and fuller, with scents of honey and lemon, apricots and jasmine coming the fore. In the mouth it has a creaminess to it, and the fruit profile is more autumnal – plums, green figs, and pears – but it is still fresh and tangy. A lot of wine for the money, this was delicious on its own, but I could see it going wonderfully well with gammon, roast chicken, or smoked fish.

If you’re looking for a white wine that combines richness, weight and delicacy, then the El Citera Lugana L’Artigianale (Vivino £23.64) is for you. I tasted the 2018 which was fantastic and goes to show how Lugana can improve with age. Having been macerated for 24 hours on its skins, this wine had notably more texture to it. It’s also given two years to mature in vats before release. All this adds up a richer, yeastier wine, one that has plenty of lemon and lime freshness, but has notes of baked apple, toasted almonds, green herbs and chalky minerals too. I loved this on its own, but I plan to try this with roast pork or meaty fish such as sea bass in a cream and herb sauce – not that I’m menu planning or anything.

I’ll finish with a step up in quality (and price) with the Ca’ Lojera Lugana Riserva del Lupo 2018 (Vinissimus £33.50). Once-upon-a-time a Lugana at over £30 a bottle would have been virtually unheard of, but the quality of this wine more than justifies the price. Straw gold in colour, the bouquet offers notes of herbs and honey alongside the usual citrus and green skinned fruits. On the palate there’s an extra degree of richness too. Honey, almonds, plums, and red apples sit alongside baked lemon and spicy vanilla. The finish is long and firm making this the ideal wine for river fish, salt cod, pheasant or turkey.

Well, I hope this has whetted your appetite for the wines of Lugana. There are many brilliant wines to be had and they’re still (for now) cracking value.

Next time out, I’ll be looking at some rather fine Champagne – yes, it is a tough life!

Giles

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Giles Luckett’s hurrah for Pinot Noir!

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Our resident wine columnist shares his picks in time for International Pinot Noir Day on 18th August.

Hello. I shall be celebrating International Pinot Noir Day in my usual way by opening a magnum of Romanee Conti 1985. I keep a couple on my yacht in Monaco in case I fancy an early morning pick me up with my dodo eggs on toast. Putting my #livingmybestlife Instagram fantasy to one side, this is a grape anniversary I will be observing as any excuse to drink Pinot Noir is fine by me.

Pinot Noir is the queen of grapes. Ask any producer who’s ever tried to make wine with it and they may refer to it as the drama queen of grapes. Few if any varieties are as fickle, prone to mutation, picky about their site selection or as downright infuriating as Pinot. Its thin skins have earned it the nickname of the ‘heartbreak grape’ as they break so easily, though when done well its beauty will steal your heart away.

Burgundy in eastern France is the home of Pinot Noir. This long, thin strip of land produces wines of truly astonishing splendour, complexity and ethereal charm that are like no other. Alas to afford wines like Romanee Conti or some of other rare Grand Cru you’ll need pockets deeper than the Mariana Trench. A bottle of Leroy’s Musigny 2015, for example, is currently on offer on WineSearcher for £175,000.

Happily, great Pinot Noir is available to us mere mortals, and to celebrate Pinot’s day in the sun, here are my top recommendations for affordable Pinot Noir.

Must-taste Pinot Noir wines

The Spacenine A23 Pinot Noir (Perfect Cellar £14.95) isn’t produced by the side of the Brighton Road as the name might suggest but in France’s Languedoc. Some will tell you that great value French Pinot Noir doesn’t exist. Twenty years ago I’d have agreed, but better site and clone selection combined with infinitely better winemaking have given us crackers like this. Mid-red, the bouquet offers red berries, cherries and a touch a raw beetroot. The medium-bodied palate is lively with lots of raspberries, strawberries, red cherries and a hit of minty spice to the finish. Try this with barbecued red meats or hot smoked salmon.

Next up, are three wines from New Zealand’s Marlborough region. Following Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc’s explosive entry on to the UK market in the late 1980s, winemakers started looking at other vines and, inevitably, decided to try their hand at Pinot Noir. The results can be exceptional. A cool climate, poor, free-draining soils and a long growing season, New Zealand has all that Pinot could want.

The King’s Wrath (Majestic £9.99) shows New Zealand’s Pinot delicate side. Mid-red, the nose is gentle, combining summer pudding with mint and cream. While no blockbuster, there’s a gentle intensity to the red and black berry fruit that makes it feel bigger than it is. The use of oak is well-judged and adds a creamy, smoky tone without overwhelming the fruit’s mellow beauty.

If you prefer your Pinot big, bold, and boisterous, then the Villa Maria Cellar Selection Pinot Noir (Waitrose £16.99) is for you. This mighty wine has an old-school feel to it. The nose is crammed with sweetly toned red and black berries, vanilla, loganberries and jam. The palate is equally well-endowed, offering masses of rounded berry fruits, damson conserve, sour cherries and spearmint-tinted minerals on the finish. Decant/leave open for a couple of hours and savour this joyful Pinot with bruschetta, mushroom dishes or lamb.

“Classy” is a word I associate with The Ned Pinot Noir (Ocado £16). It’s quite European in its refinement, but it retains New Zealand’s upfront fruit. The bouquet is fresh, clean, zesty and red berry-driven with an undertow of something darker, something herbal and smoky. On the palate, it continues to walk a fine line between reserved and ebullient. Strawberries and raspberries are offset by black cherries and stewed plums, tangy acidity by creamy oak and mushrooms. Lovely with all sorts of red meats and creamy white cheeses, it’s equally at home on its own with a light chill.

If the Ned can be summed up as classy, then the Moorooduc Estate Pinot Noir 2020 (Caviste £27) is revelatory. I visited this peerless Mornington Peninsula estate when the first wave of cool-climate Australian wines hit our shores. It’s an astonishingly beautiful area just south of Melbourne. Surrounded by cooling water on three sides the wines can be stunning; combining grace with power, precision with intricacy. The Moorooduc Estate Pinot Noir 2020 is the best Australian Pinot I’ve had this year by some margin. Ruby-garnet in colour, the nose blends red berries and cherries with a lift of flowers and darker notes of earth and undergrowth. Cherries dominate the fruit profile, though there are berries and fruits of the forest in the background. Toward the finish, a bright, cleansing acidity comes through alongside smoke, and a savoury, gamey. Still young, this will be age well over the coming 5-10 years.

Chile is noted for the excellence of its Pinots. If you want a truly memorable experience splash out on the Las Pizarras Pinot Noir (Berry Brothers, £60.50). From the same winery but for everyday drinking, I have two very different recommendations, the Errazuriz Wild Ferment Pinot Noir 2022 (Wholefoods £16.45) and the Errazuriz Aconcagua Costa Pinot Noir 2022 (Taurus Wines £19.50). I wouldn’t normally recommend close siblings in the same column, but the difference between these two was so striking I feel it’s worth doing.

The Wild Ferment – so called as it’s made using natural “wild” yeasts – has a deep tawny red hue from which emerge scents of overripe raspberries, black cherries, and roses with an undercurrent of undergrowth and wood smoke. The palate is bright, crisp and full of energy with lots of summer berries and brambles set off by spicy oak and coffee bean bitterness to the lingering finish. Pair this with creamy cheese flans, baked fish or roasted poultry.

The Aconcagua Costa is from the Pacific coast and the cooling effect has imparted a freshness and delicacy, but behind the red fruit sits green herbs and black cherries. This was love at first sip for me as a flood of raspberries, tangy cranberries, alpine strawberries and cream rushed forth. In their wake came red cherries, a hint of citrus, vanilla, and a dash of balsamic. Precise and clean, it’s also satisfying and brilliantly complex. Give this a couple of hours open and serve just below room temperature – too warm and it loses some of its edge – with rich dishes such as liver, filet steak, coq au vin, or game birds. This will age wonderfully too.

I can’t talk Pinot Noir and not mention a Burgundy. While it’s not easy to find affordable brilliance in Burgundy if you follow the golden rule – producer, producer, producer – it can be done. Take the Louis Latour Cotes de Beaune 2021 (Tesco £21). I was quite surprised to see this in Tesco as this “challenging vintage” (wine speak for the nightmare that keeps on giving) was tiny. The little wine that was produced was often lovely though. Freshness and fragrance are 2021’s signatures and these are evident here. Mid-red, there’s a distinct floral note attending the raspberry, cherry and blackberry bouquet. These appear on the supple, yet bright palate, which gives generous quantities of red fruits, cherries, spices, and a crisp, firm finish. Time is on its side, but if you’re drinking it now, pair it with tomato-based dishes, full-flavoured cheeses, duck or spring lamb.

Well, that’s it from me for now. Next time out I’ll be looking at some Argentinean wines and exploring it’s offerings beyond Malbec.

Cheers!
Giles

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Giles Luckett’s European wine tour

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Our resident wine columnist Giles Luckett recommends his selection of European fine wines on his European wine tour

Hello! Summer’s here and the sun is shining… all over mainland Europe. This summer will see the highest number of British holidaymakers head for European destinations since before the pandemic. Frankly, I find this hard to understand. I mean why go all the way to Tuscany to bask in 29C of sunshine while enjoying marvellous food and wine when I know for a fact that there are still vacancies in B&Bs in Skegness where there’s only a 60% chance of drizzle. Hmm, I think I can see the logic now. Anyway, if you’re jetting off to European climes this summer, allow me to recommend some wines to look out for while you’re on your travels.

I’ll start in northern Italy with a Prosecco from Veneto, the Casa Canevel Extra Dry (Oakham Wines £18.49). This is the finest Prosecco I’ve ever tasted. It’s medium-bodied with a lovely nose of melons, peach stones and yeast, but the intensity and complexity of the palate is quite something. Alongside the usual melon and sweet pear fruit, there’s yellow plum, white berries, creamy yeast and a touch of white pepper to the finish.

If you find yourself in Portugal and are looking for something refreshing but characterful, then track down a bottle of the Quinta do Ameal Loureiro Vinho Verde (Eton Vintners £13.95). I remember my first encounter with a vinho verde. Manny, a Portuguese cellar hand at Harrods, gave me a glass as he enthusiastically introduced me to this ‘green wine’. It made such an impression on me that I avoided it years. Modern vinho verde can be fantastic, though. Improved winemaking and site selection give us wines like this one which offers wonderful quality for an affordable price. Pale green-gold, the bouquet is bright, fresh and citrusy with an undertow of flowers. On the palate it’s crisp, packed with green and yellow citrus fruit with nectarine, peach stones, and green herbs adding depth and balance. Enjoy this with seafood or bola de carne (meaty bread).

France has its holiday charms, and if you know where to look (i.e. outside) you may see a vine or two too. If you’re in the Loire Valley you’ll be spoilt for choice. From the crisp, saline-tanged Muscadet – France’s best value white – to the smoky, ‘flint’ wines of Pouilly Fume, great wines are produced along the length of this mighty river. My choice is the Sancerre La Graveliere from Joseph Mellot (Vinatis £19.63). For me, Mellot is Sancerre’s finest producer. Their wines capture the elegance and style for which Sancerre is famed, but offer power, complexity and longevity. I re-tasted the 2022 a couple of days ago and it was excellent. The nose combined leafy blackcurrants, gooseberries, rhubarb and grass with dusty mineral notes. These are continued onto the palate where they are joined by grapefruit, greengage and green pepper flavours to give an intense, complex, beautifully refreshing glassful that has a distinct savoury edge. Sip this with freshwater mussels.

Slip southwest and you’ll find yourself in Bordeaux. If you haven’t considered Bordeaux as a holiday destination, do. Aside from swimming in fine wine, it’s a stunningly beautiful city with amazing restaurants – La Tupina is a must – and you can visit one of the largest subterranean churches in France is Saint Emilion, so there’s something for the kids too! My recommendation is a white wine, the Mouton Cadet Blanc 2020 (Slurp £10.50). Mouton Cadet Blanc was my introduction to white Bordeaux, and my passion for it burns to this day. What I like about this is that a little bottle age has given it a peach, apricot and honey tone alongside the usual citrus, gooseberry and green peppers. This gives it a rich mouthfeel and extra weight. Try this with fois gras (when in Bordeaux…) or with a fish cassoulet.

Keep going southwest and you’ll end up in Spain. Like most wine lovers I tend to associate Spanish wines with reds such as Rioja. Speaking of which, do your cellar a favour and get some Beronia Reserva Rioja 2020 from Waitrose while it’s on offer (£12.99 from £15.99) – it’s tremendous. In the heat of the 28C sun of Rioja, you’ll probably want something white though. So ask the waiter for a bottle of the Valenciso 2022 Blanco (Highbury Vintners £25) and relax in the company of this exceptional white Rioja. To me, this has the precision of a fine white Burgundy with the passion of a Rioja. Made from a traditional blend of Viura and Garnacha Blanca aged in American and Russian oak, it’s full-bodied, fresh, spicy and hugely enjoyable. Layer-upon-layer of white and green-skinned fruits are interspersed with vanilla, honey, and earthy spices. With a little air it becomes weightier, and the steeliness of the Viura is balanced by the richness of the Garnacha to give a wine that’s harmonious and satisfying. Lunch in Haro’s old town square with this and a plate of melon and Jamon Serrano and you’ll be very close to heaven.

No European wine tour would be complete without a couple of stops in Italy. Italy is by some margin the world’s largest wine producer and also is home to some of the greatest regions and producers on the planet. Wind up in Veneto and you can sample the excellent 2020 Campofiorin Rosso del Veronese (Waitrose £14.99) from the renowned house of Masi. This rich, full-bodied red is produced using a double fermentation method, the second utilising semi-dried grapes to add even more weight and texture. Deeply coloured with a nose of cherries, prunes and spices, the palate is decadently rich with masses of sweetly toned black and red cherries, plums, black and red berries and a soft, spicy finish. Savour this mighty wine with roasted red meats, mushroom risotto or hard Italian cheeses over dinner in the shadow of Marmolada.

Tuscany has more than its fair share of incredible wines. Ancient superstars such Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino have been joined by a raft of newer wines, the so-called ‘Super Tuscans’. These have often blended native varieties like Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot or just use these international vines to startling effect. While the most famous of these wines – Tignanello or Sassiciaia – can cost several hundred pounds a bottle, others are producing wines that remain affordable. Take the Bulichella Rubino (Terravigna £17.49). This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese shows how exciting this new meets old approach can be. Invitingly deeply coloured, the bouquet combines blackcurrants, plums and cherries with green peppers and violets. In the mouth it’s generous and full, but with a firm structure and a lean edge that keeps it food-friendly. Crushed blackcurrants, damson conserve, bitter chocolate, sweet and sour cherries, and a twist of herbs make for a wine that’s as much about the mind as the mouth. Sit and watch the cypress trees turn black as the evening descends while you enjoy this with bruschetta and tomato and basil pasta.

Like all good things, holidays have to end, but if you’re in eastern France then make a pit stop in Burgundy and enjoy a bottle of two of the Domaine Decelle Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Aux Bousselots 2017 (Perfect Cellar £51.56 down from £73.65). Domaine Decelle is a young domaine – re-established in 2008 – with roots dating back 1880. The wines are made in a modern way to exacting standards. This is a silky, seductive style of red Burgundy that offers that unique combination of red berries, cherries, flowers and beetroot that makes the region’s wines so special. Pretty incredible now, you get the sense that over the next 5-10 years even more will come from this show-stopper.

Well wherever you may roam this summer, I hope you’ll find some wines to raise a smile. I’m off to plan my summer wine tour. It goes something like this: cellar, hammock, repeat.

Salut!
Giles

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The best rose wines for summer

Round & About

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wine

Discover the best rose wines for summer sipping with Round & About Magazine’s guide to the best rose wines

The outlook is Rosé…

Summer’s here, according to the calendar if not the weather, so it’s time to slap on some sun cream (pull a jumper on) and crack open a bottle of rosé.  

Rosé wines have come a long way in the last ten years. When I joined the wine trade they were about as easy to shift as a tin bath full of rubble. Wine lovers’ opinions of rosé wine were either informed by the likes of Mateus Rosé or white Zinfandels, a bottle of which could be enough to prompt a diabetic coma, or half-hearted efforts that were pretty, but pretty tasteless.

Today, everything in the world of rosé wines is, well, rosy. Great wines can be found all over the world, and even the finest wines remain affordable. So, to celebrate the arrival of summer and in the hope that we’ll see the sun, here are my top rosé wine recommendations.

First up is a South African, the Wild Child Grenache Rosé from Journey’s End (£13.50 Noble Green). This is a juicy style of rosé that’s easy to love. Made from old vine Grenache, the juice gets a relatively short (3 hours) contact with the skins, giving it its lovely delicate pink colour. That’s about the only thing that is delicate about this wine. Big, opulent and mouth-filling, it’s packed with strawberries, red cherries and raspberries with all the sharpness of a blancmange – just the thing for sipping in the garden.

Spain is an excellent source of great value rosé (rosado). Wines like Viña Sol Rosé  (Waitrose £8.99) never fails to please. Recently, however, there’s been a move to creating rosé fine wines of which the Muga Flor De Muga Rosé (Majestic £21.99) is a fantastic example. I’ve shied away from this wine in the past as you can get the excellent Muga Rosado for £11.99. Having tasted it though, I have to say it is worth the extra money. Produced from ancient high-altitude vines, the concentration of red fruits, melon, and peach balanced by loganberries and citrus is impressive. This should be partnered with fine foods such as shellfish or lightly cooked lamb.

Provence has always been famed for its rosé wines. In 1955 a system of Cru Classé (great growths) was established, which recognised 23 exceptional estates. While the prices for some have become as eye-watering as the exclusive perfumes their bottles resemble, others remain affordable. If you want to try a wine that tastes as good as it looks – and let’s face it, it’s stunningly pretty – try the Château Sainte Roseline Prestige Provence Rosé (Ocado £19). From its rose diamond hue to its firm, mineral and raspberry finish, this is a class act. Gentle but with a lovely depth of flavour, this is one of those wines that draws you further in with each sip. It starts out offering watermelons and strawberries, but these morph into firmer tones of raspberries, peaches, and nectarines with an undertow of brambles, cream, and cherries. Lovely on its own, it’s made for seafood or fine white meats.

My next recommendation is a first for me. I honestly can’t ever remember recommending a fine Italian rosé wine. In my experience, Italian rosé (rosato) has been pleasant but hasn’t warranted purple (pink?) prose. The Albia 2023 (Vinum £15.05) from Ricasoli is a big exception to this rule. This Tuscan beauty is full, rich, and satisfying. Deep copper pink, it takes a little air to open it up, but once it’s had some times it’s full of red cherries, dried strawberries, and apricots with intriguing, slightly ‘spiky’ red berry acidity that I associate with Sangiovese. Good on its own, great with food, this is a brilliant rosé for alfresco dining.

The Loire Valley is best known for its white wines such as Saumur and Sancerre. While these are classics, both also produce impressive rosé wines.  Take the Domaine Lauverjat Moulin des Vrilleres Sancerre Rosé (Perfect Cellar £23.70). Made exclusively from Pinot Noir grown on limestone and clay soils, it offers precision with power. The nose balances citrus and black berries, roses and dusty minerals, while the palate manages to harmoniously combine raspberries, leafy blackcurrants and grapefruit and savoury, chalky notes. Try this with full-flavoured white fish such as monkfish or cod or with pork or lamb.

Next up a fizz, the Terra Organica Rosé Prosecco (Ocado £13). Rosé Prosecco was only officially sanctioned in May 2020 but on the evidence of this, it was worth the wait. While I find white Prosecco pleasant enough it all too often becomes cloying after a couple of glasses. This wasn’t the case with the Terra Organica. The addition of Pinot Nero to the Glera has added a savoury, black cherry note to the melon, pear, and white peach flavours. Add to this a fresh acidity and a hint of yeast and you have one of the best value fizzes you can buy.

I’ll finish with an Australian wine – well, I did say great rosé can be found all over the world – the Rogers & Rufus Rosé (Latitude Wines £16.50). Made from that classic rosé grape, Grenache, this is an interesting take on New World rosé. Coral pink, the nose is full of red berries, brambles, green apples and honey. The latter took me aback a little and raised fears that this was going to be off-dry, a style of rosé I’ve never found to work. Happily, it turned out to be a false alarm, and while a heather honey note pervaded the palate – probably from the American oak – it was dry, clean, and refreshing. Without wishing to sound stereotypical, I can see this going brilliantly with barbecued seafood and white or red meats. It’s powerful yet rounded and soft-hearted. Oh, and in case you were wondering it’s made 105km from the sea and surf. More labels should carry useful information like this if you ask me!

Well, I hope you’ll try out some of these amazing rosé wines. Next time out I’ll be dishing up some ideas for barbecue wines. Weather permitting.

Cheers,
Giles

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