The Holy Trinity 2007 A big, complex, award-winning Barossa- Valley-by-way-of-southern France blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre, that will warm those chilly autumn nights. Rich, silky, redolent of black fruits, cedar and cinnamon, with a long finish, this is a great dinner-party bottle to serve with seasonal foods such as a rare grouse or a haunch of venison. Will improve with age.
£18.95, hailshamcellars.com; £20.95, winedirect.co.uk; £20.50, slurp.co.uk (minimum order six bottles)
Skouras Saint George 2008 Yes, a Greek wine. One of a new range from The Wine Society – voted Wine Merchant of the Year in two recent competitions – which proves one of the birthplaces of grape culture can finally produce modern, serious, exciting wines. Made from Agiorgitiko grapes high in the Peloponnese, this has full-frontal fruit and freshness on the palate, with deep and spicy finish that should appeal to lovers of barrel-aged Rioja.
£11.95, thewinesociety.com
Vina Mara Gran Reserva Rioja 2002 Snap up this bargain from the Tesco Finest range before the offer ends in a week's time and store some away for the festive season when it will not disgrace the dinner table. Rare to find a nine-year-old wine at this price on the high street, it has still got lots of forward red fruits, but plenty of structure and a nice long finish from decent ageing in the bottle.
£9.99, Tesco (from £13.99 to 2 October)
Casa Silva Los Lingues Gran Reserva Carmenère 2009 Proof, if it were needed, that Chile's Carmenère can produce serious wines, rather that just mid-price gluggers. This is a wonderful expression of the grape, with lots of chocolate and spice aromas, a nice balance between bright fruits, sweetness and a little oak that delivers a powerful, succulent mouthful. Good with steak or pasta with a meat ragu.
£11.40, michaeljoblingwines.com (minimum order 12 bottles); £11.60, stainton-wines.co.uk (minimum order 12 bottles)
Les Douze Mont Tauch Fitou 2008 Reliable producer Mont Tauch is behind this typical blend of Carignan, Grenache and Syrah from the Languedoc-Roussillon region, drawn from the grapes of 12 ("Les Douze") of the regions best winemakers. Its full-bodied, spicy character is just the thing after a bracing autumnal walk, particularly if there is a nice cassoulet in the oven.
£7.90, qwines.co.uk; £7.99 (or two for £6.99 each as part of a minimum six-bottle purchase), Majestic
White
Tyrrell's Vat 1 Hunter Semillon 2002 Autumn requires full-bodied whites such as this Hunter Semillon, which demonstrates that some aged wines can still be mouthwateringly fresh and packed with fruit flavours and that a low-alcohol level of 10 per cent does not stop it being stunningly layered and complex. Will develop for another year or two. Sip and savour with some serious seafood or light chicken dishes.
£25, Majestic Fine Wine (minimum order six mixed bottles); £27.50, winedirect.co.uk
Pecorino 2010 Nothing to do with the famed cheese, but the relatively rare Italian grape of the same name, which delivers succulent initial lemon flavours, giving way to something much more honeyed, creamy and complex – largely due to a little oak ageing – in this lovely, elegant wine from the Abruzzo area. Be careful not to over-chill and drink with antipasti, crustacea and salmon.
£9.99, Marks & Spencer
Riesling Cave de Turckheim 2009 An approachable, modern, almost New World-style of Riesling from this reliable Alsace producer – appealingly dry, crisp and clean, rather than floral and fruity, but otherwise typical aromas of green apples and petrol and plenty of fresh, citrus flavours on the palate. A good choice for a grilled lemon sole or even some lightly spiced oriental foods.
£7.99 (or £6.99 each for two bottles as part of mixed case of six), Majestic
Château Tour Léognan Pessac-Léognan 2009 Second wines of the great Bordeaux estates can be a very good thing and that is certainly the case here with this perfect Graves from Château Carbonnnieux, where grapes were first grown some time in the 14th century and which is now owned by the esteemed Perrin family. Made from hand-picked Sauvignon and Semillon grapes and briefly aged in oak. Classically crisp, steely and mineral.
£13.49, Waitrose
Valley Escondido Torrontes 2010
An enticingly fresh, floral nature and a crisp, dry finish excite the palate in this excellent example of Argentina's native grape made by the highly reputable Gouguenheim Winery, which also produces terrific Malbec, near Mendoza in the foothills of the Andes. This is a fabulous wine to accompany autumn puddings involving pears, plums or blackberries.
£6.99, cellarandkitchen.adnams.co.uk
Sparkling
Château Rives-Blanques, Blanquette de Limoux 2008 Drink as follows: hope for a golden, autumnal day, find an orchard full of ripe fruits and the whiff of distant hay-making, lay a sumptuous picnic, pop the cork and let the crisp, elegant, apple-and-pear flavours of the wine, made from 90 per cent Mauzac, an obscure south-western France variety, mingle with the scented air around you. Or you could just open at home in front of the fire and imagine...
£13.50, greatwesternwine.co.uk
Vilarnau Cava Rosado An elegant bottle, a fine set of bubbles, a deep red colour and rich tastes of cherries and other assorted berry fruits combine brilliantly in this decently priced Cava, made from a mixture of Pinot Noir and Trepat, a native Spanish grape. Just the kind of thing for a small party or as an aperitif and probably perfect with any kind of rich, fruit-based dessert. 1 £9.95, bijoubottles.co.uk;
£10.49, ocado.com
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