Villa Antinori Toscana 2008
(Italy)

Peiro Antinori has revolutionized wine-growing in Tuscany - Producer of a stunning series of Chianti's and virtual inventor of the 'super-Tuscan' this wine is typical of his attitude: He has blended Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah with the native Sangiovese aging them for 12 months in oak barrels. As he has broken all the rules of the area to do this (they stipulate certain grape varieties), this wine can only have IGT status, despite its £16 price tag, which it is well worth.

Château Thivin Côte de Brouilly 2010
(Beaujolais, France)

The great estate of the Cote de Brouilly, Chateau Thivin are a 13th generation family owned producer. The winery is situated high up on the slopes of Brouilly and is gravity fed (i.e. the presses and tanks are arranged such that the liquid doe not need manual pumping which is said to preserve its molecular structure.)

This wine is grown on volcanic rocks, which are curiously blue, and is a blend from seven vineyards sites.

"Racy and lush and, despite what he {the winemaker} says about the ageing potential of Cotes de Brouilly, this seems quite tender to me." Jancis Robinson MW OBE, The Purple Pages 14th December 2010.

Domaine de l'Abbaye Bourgogne Epineuil 2009
(Burgundy, France)

A truly original red Burgundy, made from only one hectare of vines planted on an enormously steep 45% graded slope that faces south-east, directly into the morning sun. The vines are then cropped at a ridiculously low yield and the resulting wine then aged for 15 months in old oak barrels to give a well-rounded flavour and body. Despite being made up near Chablis (hardly classic red wine territory), this is a great example of savoury, gamey and cherry nuanced Pinot Noir from a great red Burgundy vintage.

Chateau Lestage Simon 2006
(Bordeaux, France)

Intense bramble fruit with hints of liquorice. The palate is full and weighty with blackcurrents and a gentle spicy warmth balanced by well structured tannins. What makes this a classy claret is its impeccable balance. This will age beautifully.

Bressia Monteagrelo Cabernet Franc 2010
(Mendoza, Argentina)

Cabernet Franc from the high Uco Valley and the quiet master of Mendoza himself. A stunning wine with pure berry fruit, well integrated oak and just a touch of red pepper. Intense blackcurrant on the palate, lifted by menthol, vanilla, spice, chocolate and coffee. Concentrated with a savoury twist on the finish; fine with great varietal typicity.

Encierra Vineyard Reserve 2008
(Colchagua Valley, Chile)

The Colchagua Valley has a climate very similar to that of the Mediterranean making it ideal for growing quality wines and a very high proportion of Chiles’s top wines are made here as a result. A point perfectly illustrated by the long established wine making family, the Eyzaguirre-Echenique’s (E-E’s) who own Encierra. This family has been making wine since 1765 and have in the past had a long collaboration with the well known French company: “Les Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite)” called Los Vascos. In 2000 the E-E’s sold their part in Los Vascos back to the Rothschilds so that could create Encierra and concentrate on making it one of the best wines in Chile.

Whilst the price may seem high for a Chilean wine if you compare it with other wines that have similar quality ambitions to be ‘Icon’ wines most retail between £ 24.99 to £ 49.99 in which context this wine offers great value.

Just 2,000 cases a year are produced of this fantastic Chilean blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Syrah, 8% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot that has been aged in a mixture of French and American oak for a year. Best decanted for at least 20 minutes before serving.

“Lovely complex nose with ripe fruit and a mix of bramble, cassis and bilberry. Depth of fruit on the palate rounded and complete. Ripe fruit with hints of truffle, spice and black pepper giving excitement to the taste.” Winemaker’s notes.

Our tasting notes read

Deep dark and brooding (almost purple in colour), the nose is dominated by cassis top notes with undertones of damson and black cherry. Very ripe on the palate with classic merlot plumminess made rather more interesting by the other parts of the blend giving it dark chocolate and red cherry flavours. Fine dusty tannins suggest a significant ability to improve in the cellar for 5 – 10 years. Decant if drinking now.

Craggy Range Te Kahu Cabernet/Merlot 2010
(New Zealand)

Deep dark and brooding, with complex aromas of fruit, blackberry, blueberry, dried herbs & plum. Equally complex and interesting on the palate – especially when decanted. Drinking now but will cellar until 2020.

"Craggy Range's Rod Easthope has crafted this fine Cabernet/Merlot Bordeaux style blend from New Zealand to produce a beguiling red in which the flavours of black fruit mingle with cedary oak" - Anthony Rose

Winery Profile
Craggy Range is one of those producers where it’s hard to find fault with any of their wines. They own vineyards throughout New Zealand and while they’re a pretty big outfit, there are no compromises made on quality and the wines reflect the place where they are grown. – this sense of place is known as terroir. In the the renowned Gimblett Gravels in Hawke’s Bay, warm climate varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah are grown. It sits on the the same latitude as Madrid so the grapes are able to ripen properly. Heading south, Craggy Range also grows grapes in Martinborough, Marlborough, Nelson, the undiscovered Waitaki Valley and cool Central Otago.

Elephant Hill Syrah 2009
(Hawke's Bay, New Zealand)

* Exclusive to Taurus Wines *

Winner of more gold medals than Usain Bolt, this wine was named best Syrah at the Sydney International Wine Competition, won the regional trophy at The Decanter Wine Awards and was awarded best New Zealand Rhone Red as well!

New Zealand’s answer to Crozes-Hermitage, this is full of black cherries, dried fruit and herbs. Sensitive oak-maturation gives a lovely smokiness on the finish. A lively Syrah with grainy tannins and a fresh finish.

Passage Rock Syrah 2008
(Waiheke Island, New Zealand)

* Exclusive to Taurus Wines *

A dense mouthful packed with blackberries, red cherries, Parma violets, white pepper and chocolate. Chunky ripe tannins and plump pure fruit in the mouth. It’s a stunner and keeps winning accolade after accolade.

5 stars, Michael Cooper’s buyer’s guide to New Zealand Wines.

Winery Profile
If you like wood-fired pizza and Syrah (who doesn’t?), then Passage Rock is for you. The winery sits on idyllic Waiheke Island, a 30-minute boat ride from Auckland’s CBD. The laid-back owner and winemaker, David Evans, and his Swiss wife returned to New Zealand in the early 1990s and initially thought they were going to focus on Merlot - perhaps that was something to do with drinking trends at the time or the fact they’d just visited Chateau Pétrus.

David is focused on Syrah today but does make a dense Merlot as well as several Bordeaux blends. After tasting the wines, the Syrahs are the star of the Passage Rock show with attractive violets, blackberries and cherries on the ’08, a fleshy palate and chunky ripe tannins. It represents good value for money compared to some of the other producers on the island. The world’s wine judges think it’s pretty smart too. The 2008 Passage Rock Syrah has been awarded 5 stars by both Wine State Magazine (Australia’s biggest wine magazine) and by Michael Cooper (the NZ wine guru).

Hautes Cotes de Nuits Rouge 2008/10, Naudin Ferrand
(Burgundy, France)

One of those hidden gems from Burgundy, made in a typically Burgundian way – in other words, minute quantities made from a minute parcel of land by a very dedicated wine grower. Despite the more humble wine title, this is no ordinary Bourgogne rouge, coming from less than two and a half hectares of vines. These produced only 564 cases of wine in 2008. Yields produced from these vines (45 hectolitres per hectare) are the same as what’s normally allowed for premier cru wines, yet this is officially classified as several rungs under that lofty status – in Burgundy terms, therefore, this is a genuine bargain. Claire Naudin (one of the Côte d’Or’s few female winemakers) finishes the wine off in 20% new oak barrels to add an extra layer of flavour and complexity to an already intriguing wine. Fully organic too.