Stockist/Retailer: Roberts & Speight

(2026) 100% Sangiovese from Albarese and limestone soils, this spent 18 months in 500-litre French oak barrels, 50% new. So classically Bordeaux-like with maturity, showing cedar over red cherries and more black fruit, graphite and a wisp of wood smoke then fragrant, floral top notes. The palate too is very smooth, svelte, spiced red fruits with a savoury bite of orange to the acidity and very fine tannins.

(2025) A new wine from the Familia Torres, from a vineyard now certified as a Viñedo Singular, the highest grade in a relatively recent classification of Rioja’s vineyards. It sits on limestone terraces and is composed of bush-trained Tempranillo vines with an average age of 25 years. This Crianza spent a year in American and French oak barrels, but less than 10% of those were new. The nose is spicy with supple black fruits to the fore in the plum and blackcurrant spectrum. It is quite an elegant aromatic, subtle pencil-shaving notes mesh with the fruit. On the palate it is fresh and sappy, certainly a contemporary take on Rioja with crisp tannins and pert acidity giving agility rather than anything too sumptuously rich.

(2024) Torrontés was making quite an impression a decade or so back - I recall writing a piece called 'Is Torrontés the new Pinot Grigio' for Decanter magazine. But somehow it never really grabbed mass market appreciation, perhaps its overtly floral nature being too much for some? This comes from vineyards in Cafayate, Salta, arguably the strongest Torrontés terroir in Argentina, planted at 1800 metres. This opens with so much ginger spice on the nose, that joins white flowers and fruit that moves between lemon and peach. It's not as flowery as some, but makes up for it with spice that continues onto the palate. It is an intense wine for sure, with a searing core of acidity and the heat of ginger again. Quite unusual, and I am thinking a banker for spicy Thai or Szechuan cuisine perhaps. Watch the video for more information.

(2024) Pleasing floral and lime fresh aromatics, hints of spring flowers, no waxy/mineral notes to speak of. A fair bit of residual sugar here, pitching this firmly into off-dry to medium-sweet territory, plenty of peachy, ripe fruit against a balancing orange acidity. Aperitif style, and well done.

(2024) Made with the classic ripasso technique of a second fermentation on the lees of grapes used to make Amarone, it's a typical blend of Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella. Another 10% is made up of the less familiar Rossignola, Oseleta, Negrara and Dindarella varieties. Pouring a bright ruby red, the nose has cherry and liquorice, with fine herbal nuances in the background. In the mouth the sweetness and richness of the ripasso is evident, more cherry and those dried herb notes, a bite of plum or blueberry acidity and the finish fresh with its quite elegant tannins and plenty of cherry-fresh acidity. A very nice example. Use the wine-searcher link to find other suppliers as there are quite a few. Watch the video for more information.

(2023) A new wine from the respected house of Cartuxa, this is an unoaked blend of typical Alentejo varieties Aragonez (Tempranillo), Trincadeira and the red-fleshed Alicante Bouschet, along with Syrah. The wine is a medium to dark and quite vivid crimson. The nose is really attractive: vinous, so fresh and grapey but plummy too, more of a red fruit character than black, with a nice floral lift. Super sweet and ripe, creamy and mouth-coating as it hits the palate, the tannins are very fine and soft so this is a real pizza or barbecue glugger, but the pert acidity and touch of peppery spice does enough to also keep it fresh. Watch the video for more information.

(2022) Extra Brut, so less than 6g/l of residual sugar, this bone dry and very elegant Prosecco has delicate jasmine and confit lemon aromas, a certain hint of saline character too. The palate is crisp and light, a little crunchy Redcastle and plenty more citrus, into a very nicely balanced, dry finish.

(2021) Pedro Ximénez, or 'PX' grapes are used to make this style: the darkest, stickiest, sweetest and richest of Sherries. The fully-ripe grapes are dried to increase their concentration, which results in a wine that pours mahogany brown, with raisin, chocolate and dried Chinese plum spiciness on the nose, and an engine-oil thick texture in the mouth. Flooded with sweet, plump dried fruits, a lovely edge of coffee and walnut, and just the right zesty orange and lemon acidity, balances the finish. At £12.95 for a full 75cl bottle this is a bargain, for sipping after dinner or matching to rich chocolate or Christmassy-style puddings. Watch the video for more infortmation and food-matching ideas.

(2020) This is a Manzanilla 'Pasada', so a slightly darker, older style of wine and a little nuttier than a typical Manzanilla. This is also 'en Rama', so bottled unfiltered, basically straight from the cask. It has a light- to medium gold colour and arresting nose of chamomile, shellac, walnut and bruised apple fruit. There's a liniment-like pungency. On the palate it is dry, but richly-textured, with walnut and nutty Cox's pippin fruit, a hint of orange too, and a delicious saline and citrus finish. This would be a terrific festive aperitif with olives or nuts perhaps.

(2020) The Chilean outpost of Spain's Miguel Torres began life over 40 years ago, making a range of affordable, quality wines. This Sauvignon Blanc hits that spot: dry, with only around 1g/l of residual sugar, it is ripe and bursting with herbaceous, elderflower and gooseberry aroma, a pungent style beloved by many. On the palate plenty of texture and tropical fruit, passion fruit and lychee, a bit of Ogen melon character too, and a balanced finish with decent acidity.