Whites over £10
Villa Maria
Single Vineyard, Peter Jackson
Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2004
£10.99, farehamwinecellar.co.uk, 01329 822 733
Fresh, zingy and balanced. New Zealand gold medal winner. Limited availability.
Ernest & Julio Gallo
Estate Chardonnay
Sonoma County, California 2000
£29.95, Harrods, 020 7730 1234
Brand needn't mean bland. This wine is defined, fresh and intense. North American silver medal winner.
Louis Jadot
Meursault 2002
£18.99, Sainsbury's
Tight nose, hints of herb butter, quite balanced and creamy. It evolves from the first taste. Burgundy silver medal winner.
Vincent Girardin
Emotion des Terroirs blanc 2002
£11.99, Oddbins
Great zappy fruit - a good effort. Burgundy bronze medal winner.
Chablis Grand Cru 'Bougros'
Domaine Brocard 2003
£28.99, available soon from Oddbins
Dry, with a steely crispness. Silver medal winner.
Ken Forrester Wines
Forrester Meinert, Chenin, Stellenbosch 2003
£14.99, Waitrose
This is serious and characterful Chenin. Smashing, weighty and fruity. South African silver medal winner.
Michel Picard
Le Charmois, Domaine du Pimont, St-Aubin 1er Cru 2003
£13.99, Marks & Spencer
Oaky nose with peachy, rich, clean acidity and lovely fruits. Powerful, long and balanced. Burgundy silver medal winner.
Domaines Schlumberger
Riesling Saering, Grand Cru 2002
£13.95, Harrods
Delicious and easy to drink with a delicate fruit finish. Alsace regional trophy winner.
Louis Latour
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2002
£50, Majestic Wine Warehouses, 0192 3298 200
Pale greeny yellow with an subtle oaky, minerally nose. A rich, ripe and ample wine. White Burgundy regional trophy winner. Limited availability.
Taittinger
Comtes de Champagne, Blanc de Blancs, Brut 1995
£89.99, available from Oddbins
Bright, light and youthful with a lovely finish. Vintage champagne regional trophy winner.
Rupertsberger
Riesling Eiswein, Pfalz 2001
£14.99, available from Sainsbury's
Sweet, but entrancingly so. Ripe figs and clean and creamy. German bronze medal winner.
Whites (under £10)
Bellingham
The Maverick Chenin Blanc, Coastal region 2004
£7.99, Majestic Wine Warehouses, 0192 3298 200
Delicious aromatics, intense and floral. Dry, but rich and with a lovely purity of fruit. International trophy winner, white single varietal.
Bodega Catena Zapata
Alamos Chardonnay, Mendoza 2004
£5.99, Majestic
Fresh, acid and juicy with good fruit and texture. Argentinian silver medal winner.
Vina Carmen
Winemaker's Chardonnay Reserve, Casablanca Valley 2004
£8.99, Waitrose
Fresh and crisp with citrus fruit and vanilla toast notes. Chilean regional trophy winner.
Cono Sur
Vision Riesling, Single Vineyard, Bio Bio Valley 2003
£9.99, Thresher, 01707 387 200
Elegant, fresh and balanced with limey, herby and appley notes. Chilean silver medal winner.
Montana
Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Vineyard Selection, Marlborough 2004
£8.29, Oddbins
Fresh and long with sherbet nose. Very grassy. Excellent balance and intensity on palate. New Zealand silver medal winner.
Cono Sur
Vision Gewurtstraminer, Casablanca 2004
£5.49, Majestic
Fresh and light with full flavour. Floral and pungent. Chilean silver medal winner.
Domaine Sainte Celine
Sainsbury's Classic Selection, Cuvée Sainte Celine, Chablis 2004
£7.99, Sainsbury's
Fresh, ripe and balanced Chablis with a good depth of fl avour and a decent length. Burgundy Silver Medal Winner.
Vina Carmen
Nativa Chardonnay, Maipo Valley 2004
£7.99, Oddbins
Lemony. Stylish and fresh. Chilean silver medal.
d'Arenberg
The Money Spider Roussanne, McLaren Vale, South Australia 2004
£8.99, Oddbins
Interesting savouriness with a lovely balance and real character bursting through from the grape. Australian silver medal winner.
Tesco Finest
Denman Vineyard Semillon, Hunter Valley, New South Wales 2003
£7.99, Tesco
Vibrant citrus character on the palate. Very enjoyable. Australian silver medal winner.
Penfolds
Thomas Hyland chardonnay, South Eastern Australia 2003
£8.16 as part of a case, everywine.co.uk
Lots of bright fruit, complex and elegant. Serious. Australian silver medal.
Southbank Estate
Sauvignon Blanc, The Terraces, Marlborough 2004
£5.94, Majestic
Lemon and grapefruit, balanced acidity, pungent but fresh. New Zealand silver medal winner.
Reds (under £10)
Monastier
Cabernet Franc, Sélection Grignon, Vin de Pays d'Oc 2004
£4.99, Majestic
This has fragrant, aromatic blueberry, lively deep fruit with a long, rustic finish. Regional France silver medal winner.
Bodegas Berberana
Carta de Oro, Rioja Reserva 2001
£7.99, Sainsbury's
Nose of vanilla, tobacco, leather and spice. Complex and harmonious. Good fruit. Spanish varietal international trophy winner.
Bonterra Vineyards
Merlot, Mendicino County, California 2002
£9.99, Waitrose
Cedar, plum. Sweet black cherry with a firm structure and great balance. North American silver medal winner.
Sogrape Vinhos
Reserva, Dão 2000
£7.99, Majestic
A good, earthy wine with a smokey, concentrated nose. Lots of gamey depth and soft tannins. Portuguese silver medal winner.
Zonte's Footstep
Shiraz-Viognier, Langhorne Creek, South Australia 2004
£7.99, Sainsbury's
Great density of fruit, nice spice, sweet and generous, inky and oaky. Rhône varietal international trophy winner.
Pagos del Rey
Altos de Tamarón, Ribera Del Duero 2003
£6.49, Thresher
Plummy, meaty nose with a touch of liquorice. Medium to full bodied. Spanish silver medal winner.
Vina Tabali
Reserva Shiraz, Limari Valley 2003
£8.99, Sainsbury's
Fresh, acidity and spicy oak. Needs to settle a bit, but good and expressive. Chilean Rhône varietal regional trophy winner.
Knappstein Shiraz
Clare Valley, South Australia 2002
£8.09, Oddbins
Spice and body, restrained power, damsons and black pepper. Ideal for a cold winter night. Australian silver medal winner.
Domini Veneti
Vigneti de la Casetta, Ripasso, Valpolicella, Classico Superiore, Veneto 2002,
£9.99, Majestic
Very young and modern. Slightly smokey with vanilla undertones. Italian Veneto regional trophy winner.
Vidal Estate
Syrah, Hawke's Bay 2003,
£7.99 each when you buy three, Thresher
Spicy intense peppery notes with good tannins and clean fruit. New Zealand silver medal winner.
Torraccia di Presura
Il Taraco, Chianti Classico, Tuscany 2003
£9.49, Oddbins
A modern style Chianti. New oak, aggressive, big and chunky. Italian silver medal winner.
Bertie Selection
Syrah, Minervois 2002
£6.99, Oddbins
Opulent nose, quite ripe fruit with a touch of cream and herb. Has a lush velvety feel. Regional France silver medal winner.
Domini Veneti
Vigneti de la Casetta, Ripasso, Valpolicella, Classico Superiore, Veneto 2002,
£9.99, Majestic
Very young and modern. Slightly smokey with vanilla undertones. Italian Veneto regional trophy winner.
Vidal Estate
Syrah, Hawke's Bay 2003,
£7.99 each when you buy three, Thresher
Spicy intense peppery notes with good tannins and clean fruit. New Zealand silver medal winner.
Torraccia di Presura
Il Taraco, Chianti Classico, Tuscany 2003
£9.49, Oddbins
A modern style Chianti. New oak, aggressive, big and chunky. Italian silver medal winner.
Bertie Selection
Syrah, Minervois 2002
£6.99, Oddbins
Opulent nose, quite ripe fruit with a touch of cream and herb. Has a lush velvety feel. Regional France silver medal winner.
Reds (over £10)
Yalumba
Hand Picked Shiraz & Viognier, Barossa Valley, South Australia 2002
£18.99, Selfridges,020 7318 2375
Deep red, complex, big, rich and powerful. Australian Rhône varietal regional trophy winner.
Michel Rolland
Clos de los Siete, Mendoza 2003
£10.99, Oddbins, 0208 944 4720
Opulent roasted coffee beans, plummy fruit nose. This has figgy and black cherry notes with a long finish. Argentinian silver medal winner.
Wolf Blass
Gold Label, Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, South Australia 2001
£14.99, Majestic
Lovely fruit and oak with a complex structure. Australian gold medal winner.
Bleasdale
Frank Potts, Langhorne Creek, South Australia 2003
£11.99, Oddbins
A tad fuller than your average claret. Ripe, full and fl eshy. Australian silver medal winner.
Domaine Costa Lazaridi
Amethystos, Regional wine of Drama, Macedonia 2003,
£10.49, Oddbins
Lovely, complex, spicy nose, and a good, long palate. Very well made, a really elegant and ample wine. Greek silver medal winner.
Craggy Range Vineyards
Lone Range, Syrah, Hawke's Bay 2002
£14.99, M&S
Kiwi elegance with a silky texture and succulent, spicy plum notes. Dense, rich and balanced. New Zealand silver medal winner.
Peter Lehmann
Stonewell Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia 1999,
£32.99, Oddbins
Bright and vibrant with a very good nose. Australian gold medal winner.
Chateau Berliquet St-Emilion Grand Cru Classe 2002
£230 for 12, the Cellaret, 0845 226 0197
Classic right-bank Bordeaux. Fresh strawberry with a hint of chocolate. Smooth oak and firm
tannins.
Casa Lapostolle
Cuvee Alexandre, Syrah, Requinoa Vineyard, Rapel Valley 2003
£17.50, Selfridges
Very rich and smokey, classic northern-Rhône style with a taste of black fruit, herbs and olives. Chilean Rhône varietal regional trophy winner.
Henschke
Henry's Seven, Shiraz Grenache Viognier, Viaques, Barossa Valley, South Australia 2003
£13.99, Waitrose
Polished, prune, black fruits and oak. Serious concentration and balance. Australian silver medal
winner.
Gerard Bertrand
Cigalus, Vin de Pays d'Oc 2002
£14.99, Thierry's Wine
Services, 0179 4507 100
Appetising blackberry, cedar and spicey nose. Smooth, polished black fruit, gentle and elegant. Regional France silver medal winner.
St Hallett
Old Block Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia 2002
£13.99, Tesco
Herbaceous fruit, fine grain, good balance and texture. Australian silver medal winner.
