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Wine Reviews

Our reviews are a wholly subjective handy reference intended primarily for ourselves, but here it is in case you (or more likely we) want to look at them.  This is our attempt to remember what we like, and what we don't, and why.  As you'll see, it doesn't always work.

We have recently taken an interest in the wines, both new and historic, of the Campania region of Italy - the area around Napoli and Vesuvius.  Here, and on the neighbouring islands, the Romans perfected traditions begun by the area's original Greek settlers, founding the roots of modern Italian wine making.  You can read more about these on our Campania wines page.  Several of the reviews of Campanian wines are also included below.

Please scroll down for the full list, or check our wine classifications page to see how the reviews are organised.
 

Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz,
Hardy’s Nottage Hill, South Eastern Australia, 1998
Red, oaky-earthy rich and full, fruity and spicy mulled-wine-like taste. We drank it with curry (twice) – an odd thing to do, but it was still splendid.
Drunk: London, 23/6/00 and London, 21/10/00
Quality: 5/6
Value for money: 3/6
Drunkenness: June: fun atmosphere but ultimately made us fall asleep in front of Newsnight.  October: a lot of ranting about programme implementation failure in social policy... err, right.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz,
Hardy’s Nottage Hill, South Eastern Australia, 1999
Drunk: London, 31 March 2001  (13%)
Red, smooth and rich, oaky and fruity.  Fabulous, easy drinking.  Perhaps better than the 1998 vintage.
Quality: 5/6
Value for money: 5.5/6 (£5.50)

Merlot "Premier Reserve", Domaine Boyar, Iambul, Bulgaria, 1997
Drunk: London, 31 March 2001  (12.5%)
Red medium-bodied, fruity, on the acidic side but not a bad balance.
Quality: 3.5/6
Value for money: 4.5/6 (£3.50)

Copertino Rosso, 1995
Francesco Colucci, Martina Franca, Puglia, Italy
Drunk: London, 9 July 2000
Red, light, mellow; dry but not too dry.  We liked this though we can't think of much to say about it.
Quality: 4/6
Value for money: 4.5/6  (£6)
Drunkenness:  Slightly more fluid thinking but still sharp.

Shiraz Cabernet, Rosemount Estate, South Eastern Australia, 1999 and 2000
www.rosemountestates.com
Drunk Norwood, 4 November 2000
Fresh fruity red, light but with a strong berry flavour and warm/sharp alcohol aftertaste.
Quality 4.5/6
Value for money 4.5/6 (£6.80, Safeway)

Pinot Blanc d' Alsace, 1996
Léon Bayer, Eguisheim, France
White, sharp and acidic.  Wine with a boozy flavour, good with chickpeas.
Drunk: Cambridge, April 1999
Quality: 2.5/6
Value for money: didn't pay
Drunkenness:  Very bad singing after half a bottle.

Saint-Véran, 1994
Domaine des Deux Roches, Les Chailloux, Bougogne, France
Drunk:  Cambridge, March 1999
White, smooth, not very light.  Good with carrots.
Quality: 4/6
Value for money: 4/6  (£7.20)

Coonawara Cabernet Sauvignon, 1995
Wynn's Coonawara Estate, Australia www.wynns.co.uk
Drunk:  n/k
Superb, full-bodied, oaky and smoky, smooth tasking. 1995 was a great vintage, later years said to be pretty good too.
Quality: 6/6
Value for money: (didn't pay)

Shiraz, Wynn's Coonawara Estate, Australia, 1997
www.wynns.co.uk
Drunk:  London 10 March 2001.  13.5%
Heavy, strong, tart and spicy Shiraz.
Quality: 4.5/6
Value for money: (didn't pay)

Chianti Classico "La Pievaccia"
Ampelos, San Casciano, Val di Pesa, Italy 1998
Drunk:  London 10 March 2001  12.5%
Tart tasting up front, perhaps didn't travel well but fizzy, sharp/bitter tasting by the time we drank it.
Quality:  2.5/6
Value for money: 2/6 (£4)

Fleurie, Grand Vin du Beaujolais, "Remart des Dames",
Petriarche Père et Fils, Beaune, France 1999
Drunk: London, 25 February 2001
Very good, smooth mildly fruity easy-drinking red.
Quality: 4/6
Value for money: (didn't pay)

Pinot Noir, Sutter Home,
Monteret County, California United States 1997
Drunk: London, 6 March 2001,  13%
Excellent smooth fruity (cherry and black fruits, we thought) medium bodied boozy red.
Quality: 5/6
Value for money:  4.5/6  (£7)

Beaujolais, Domain de Vissoux,
Pierre-Marie Chermette, 69620 Saint-Vérand, France 1997
Drunk: London, 10 March 2001,  12%
The smoothest - delicious fruity medium-bodied red.  wonderful.
Quality: 5.5/6
Value for money (didn't pay).

Chardonnay 'Catarratto', 1998
D'istinto, Calatrasi, San Cipirello, Sicilia, Italy
Drunk:  n/k
Rounded white, not crisp enough to keep us happy.  Strong like most Sicilian wines.  Nothing to shout about.  Would have been better had we been successful in the Win A Vespa competition to which this purchase was linked.
Drunkenness:  Dreamy in a lively sort of way.
Quality:  2/6
Value for money:  3/6

Burgans Albariño, 1999
Rias Baixas, Dominacion de Orixe, Spain
Very odd white. Don't buy again. Failed comprehensively at a social occasion. Very perfumed even though it has a dry texture. Not a good combination.
Drunk: London, 15/7/00
Quality: 2/6
Value for money: 2/6 (£7)
Drunkenness: Too heavy, dulls rather than sharpens. Guests nearly danced to Madonna (not in itself a bad thing).

Würzburger Stein, Rieslaner, 1997
Bürgerspital zum hL. Geist, Franconia, Germany
We wouldn't normally have bought a German white, and more fool us. We bought this at the Bürgerspital in Würzberg, southern Germany, where we had lunch. It's quite a strong, rounded sweet white, refreshing and fruity.
Drunk: London, 25/7/00
Quality: 4.5/6
Value for money: 4.5/6 (£10)
Drunkenness: relaxed and funny; quite sleepy; mixed some words without slurring.

Vermentino di Sardegna, 1999
Sella e Mosca, Alghero, Sardegna, Italy   www.sellaemosca.com
Not at all what we expected. Very light and very dry sharp white. Also very slightly sparkling – not bubbling but just enough to taste. Refreshing, though on the other hand there wasn't much body to it. Good for a hot day. Sella e Mosca isn't the best Vermentino, but probably the best the Sardinians are willing to export.
Drunk: 28/7/00
Quality: 4/6
Value for money: 5/6 (£4.20)

Chardonnay, South Eastern Australia, 1999
Marks and Spencer
Medium dry white, not a bad Chardonnay, strong taste and mellow aftertaste, went well with prawns.
Drunk: 22/7/00
Quality: 3.5/6

Nipozzano, Chianti Rufina, 1996
Marchesi de Frescobaldi,  Via S. Spirito 11,  50125 Firenze, Italy
www.frescobaldi.it
Outstanding Chianti, from an amazing estate at the centre of the region, using apparently selected Sangiovese grapes. Bold and fruity, but fresh and delicate.
Drunk: Loughborough Junction, London, November 2002
Quality: 5/6
Value for money: 4.5/6  (£10.50)

Chianti Classico "Villa Antinori", 1998
Antinori, Chianti, Italy
www.antinori.it
Very good indeed. One of the best Chiantis.
Drunk; London, People’s Palace, July 2000
Quality: 5.5/6
Value for money: didn't pay

Falanghina, 1998
Feudi di San Gregorio, Sorbo Serpico (AV), Italy
www.feudi.it
Drunk: London 1/6/00
A superb lightly dry white wine.  Goes well with seafood and, er, summer.
Quality: 5/6
Value for money:  4/6  (£6.30)

Rully, 1987
Chateau de Rully, Antonin Rodet, Rully, France
Date: London, 29 May 2000
Goddamnit.  This "diffusion exclusive" bottle from Sainsbury's had corked before we had a chance to try it.  The best we got from it was a helpful discussion on the different colours things turn when they oxidise, and why.
Quality: 0/6
Value for money:  0/6

Copertino Rosso, 1995
Francesco Colucci, Martina Franca, Puglia, Italy
Red, light, mellow; we liked this though we can't think of much to say about it. From Puglia, Colucci weren't mentioned by Larousse but it's a good wine.
Drunk: London 9/7/00
Quality: 4/6
Value for money: 4.5/6 (£6)
Drunkenness: Slightly more fluid thinking but still sharp.

Barelli Creek, Cabernet Sauvignon 1995
Ernest and Julio Gallo, Barelli Creek, Sooma County, California, United States
www.gallo.com
Drunk:  London, 27 October 2000
A full-bodied red.  Oaky, rich and fruity.  One of the tastiest we've tried.  (vastly better than Gallo's regular 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, also reviewed.)
Quality:  5.5/6
Value for money:  4.5/6 (£10)

Turning Leaf Zinfandel, 1996
Ernest and Julio Gallo, Modesto, California, United States
www.gallo.com
Drunk:  London, 27 October 2000
Medium-bodied red, rich mix of berries and spices.   Perhaps a bit over the top, but might be good with strong flavoured dishes.
Quality:  4/6
Value for money:  3.5/6 (£7.50)

Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, 1999
Hardy’s, Stamp of Australia, South Eastern Australia
Rich fruity-boozy smelling red; rich flavour but not the best.  Quite acidic, very alcoholic but oddly without much body.  Lousy with tomatoes, but went curiously well with mango.  Not a great hit overall.
Drunk:  London 27 May 2000
Quality:  2/6
Value for money:  1/6
Drunkenness:  Too appalled to say.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Valdivieso, Central Valley, Chile, 1998
Went down so well we can't remember a thing about this. We think we liked it, and fortunately we have another bottle to try.

Minervois, Abbot's Cumulus Shiraz, 1998
Abbott Sneyd Anderson, France
Very good red, again we can't remember much about it, so we'll have to try again.
Quality:  4/6
Value for money:  Didn't pay

Bardolino, Cielo, Montorso, Italia 1999
Drunk: Torre Annunziata 1/10/00
Pleasant light red
Goes well with: Veal, beef steak
Quality: 4.5
Value for money:  5.5  (£1.40, Italy)
 

Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio, Mastroberadino, Atripalda (AV), Campania, Italy 1999
www.mastro.it
Drunk: Positano, 29/9/00
Nice red, celebrated locally, but we found this one lacked subtlety without the more complex flavours of other local red wines.  (But the white version is wonderful.)
Goes well with: Beef (though we drank this with pasta and seafood, which seemed a wise choice in Positano).
Quality: 4
Value for money: 4  (£10, Italy, restaurant)

Fiano di Avellino 'Radici', Mastroberadino,  Atripalda (AV), Campania, Italy 1999
www.mastro.it
Drunk: Positano, 28/9/00
Delicious dry but rich white, with hints of fruit (pear and hazelnut, according to the label).   One of the region's oldest and best (see also listing for Fiano di Avellino itself). Radici (for cultural 'roots') is the version 'relaunched' by Mastroberadino and is made with specially selected grapes.
Goes well with: Antipasti, fish, shellfish
Quality: 5.5
Value for money:  5 (£13, Italy, restaurant/£5.30, Italy )

Aglianico 'Rubrato', Feudi di San Gregorio, Sorbo Serpico (AV), Italy 1997
www.feudi.it
Drunk:  London, 25/11/00
Powerful rounded solid red, but with a light fruity taste on top, and hints of vanilla.  Good, though not San Gregorio's best.
Went not so well with risotto, but would be great with heavier red meats.
Quality:  4/6
Value for money: 4/6 (£6.49)
 

Greco di Tufo, Mastroberadino,  Atripalda (AV), Campania, Italy 1999
www.mastro.it
Drunk:  Napoli, 15/5/00
Our favourite white - dry, crisp and refreshing, a subtle tangy lingering aftertaste.
Quality: 5.5/6
Value for money:  6/6  (£5, Italy; £11.50 London)

Fiano di Avellino , Mastroberadino,  Atripalda (AV), Campania, Italy 1999
www.mastro.it
White.  One of the oldest wines in constant production, it take its name from Pliny's description 'apiano' after the Roman bees who made these  grapes their favourite.
Value for money:  (£5.30, Italy)

Falerno del Massico, Villa Matilde, Cellole (Monte Massico), Caserta, Italy 1998
www.fattoriavillamatilde.com
Drunk:  London 17/11/00
Red.  Pleasant oaky-fruity flavours, medium acidity, delicate and light for a stronger fuller bodied wine.
Went well with pasta and peas, but would also be good with heavy red meats and sauces.
Quality:  5/6
Value for money:  5/6  (£3.85, Italy)

Cabernet Sauvignon, Wolf Blass, 1999
Drunk: London 11/10/00
Red, quite fruity and fuller bodied.  Not at all bad, and a real relief after Wolf Blass' widely praised yet dreadful white.
Quality:  4/6
Value for money:  (didn't pay).

Cabernet Sauvignon, Ernest and Julio Gallo, Modesto, California, United States 1999
www.gallo.com
Drunk:  London, 10/10/00
Red.  Rose-tasting and light, but acidic and bitter.  We didn't like this at all.   Bad with (and without) chicken.  (See also Gallo's much better Barrelli Creek Cabernet Sauvignon)
Quality:  3/6
Value for money:  2.5/6  (£5)

Beaujolais Gamay, Louis Jadot, Chateau de Jacques, Moulin a Vent, Beaujolais, Burgandy, France 1998
Drunk:  London, 27 October 2000
Fruity red, but so subtle it was simply weak tasting and bland - not the full and robust taste it claims.
Quality:  1.5/6
Value for money:  1/6  (c.£7.50)

Fleurie, Cru du Beaujolais, Les Roches du Vivier - Domaine Berrod, Fleurie (Rhône), France 1997
Drunk: London, 15/10/00
Sublime red.  Subtle smooth, light, fruit flavours balanced with barely perceptible acidity.  Wonderful.
Quality: 6/6
Value for money:  Didn't pay (but let us know if you know how to get more)

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, 'Selva Torta', Umani Ronchi, Osimo, Italy 1999
www.umanironchi.it
Drunk:  London, 17/10/00
Dry as a bone, smooth and refreshing.
Quality: 4.5/6
Value for money: 4/5  (£5.50)

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Umani Ronchi, Osimo, Italy 1999
www.umanironchi.it
Drunk:  Bertorelli's, London, 19/10/00
Rich red with body, fruity, warm and smooth.
Went unexpectedly well with sardines and salad in this case - but would be wonderful with red meats.
Quality: 4.5/6
Value for money 5/6  (£14, restaurant)

Chablis Prèmier Cru, Domaine Laroche “Les Fourchaumes”, 89800 Chablis, France 1998.  12.5%
www.domainelaroche.com
Drunk:  London June 2001
From the Fourcharme vineyard, a solid, tasty dry white, both sharp and delicately fruity at the back of the mouth.  A but like a more delicate Greco di Tufo, and without the slightly tangy/acid aftertaste.  Excellent stuff.
Quality:  4/5
VFM (£5):  5/5

Chablis Prèmier Cru, Chateau de Maligny “Fourchaume”, Jean Durup père et fils, Domaine de l’ Églantière, Maligny, 89800 Chablis, France 1997
Drunk:  London June 2001.
Delicate dry white, crisp , subtly fruity aroma and aftertaste.  From the smaller vineyard at Fourchaumes of one of Chablis’ largest but most traditional producers.
Quality: 4.5
VFM:  (Didn’t pay).

Bourgogne Ponot Noir, "Beaucharme", Louis Max, Nuits Saint Georges, France, 1999. (12.5%)
Drunk:  London, June 2001
Very good red.  Warm and oaky, mildly fruity but not too spicy.
Quality:  4.5/6
Value for money:  4/6 (£7)

Rèmole, Marchesi de Frescobaldi, Sieci, Firenze,Toscana, Italia 2000.   (12.5%)
Smooth oaky tasty but light red.
Drunk London 22 October 2001, London 11 January 2002
Quality: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5 (£5.59)

Pinot Noir "Inniskillin", Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Canada, 1999.  (11.5%)
Light, soft, dry red wine, with a cherry taste.  Quite nice, well done Canada, for a change.
Went well with: MC Solaar.
Drunk London 20 September 2000
Quality: 3/5
Value for money:  didn't pay

Shiraz Cabernet, Rosemount Estate, Australia 2000. (13%)
Drunk London, October 2001
Smells like kirsch, and first taste is like kirsch, with a mellow spicy aftertaste. Spice and berry-flavoured medium bodied red.
Quality: 3.5/5
Value for money: (£6.50) 3.5/5

Cabernet Merlot, Rosemount Estate, South Eastern Australa, 2001  (n/k)
www.rosemountestates.com
Drunk: London, November 2002
Smooth full bodied red with quite a light flavour of red cherries and berries.
Quality: 4/6
Value for money: 4/6 (£6)

Chateau Coufran, France 1996, 1997
Drunk London, September 2001
Solid but subtle oak-flavoured high-quality red.  Both vintages superb.
Quality: 4.5/5
Value for money: 4/5  (£11)

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi classico superiore "Villa Bianchi", Umani Ronchi, Osimo, Italy 2000  (13%)
Drunk London, October 2001
So why did we think this was good last year? Acidic, unsubtle, almost fizzy white,  quite bizzare.
Quality: 2/6
Value for money:  1/6 (£5.99)

Barbera d'Asti Superore 'Albera', Araldica Vini Pemontesi,Cantne di Castelboglione, Italy; 2000 (13.5%)
Drunk: London June 2002
Robust smokey-dark fruit wine with full body and boozyness but rounded off with substantial chunks of oak. Pretty good, esp with red meats.
Quality: 4/6
Value for money: (didn't pay)

Pinot Noir, Valdvieso,  Central Valley, Chile, 1998  (13%)
Warm but sharp acidic red, not bad but not much subtlety of flavour or texture.
Drunk  London November 2001
Quality: 2.5/6
Value for money: 3.5/6 (£4.95)

Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon, El Baraka Private Reserve, Beni M'Tir, Cépages de Meknés, Meknés, Morocco 1999 (13%)
www.castel-freres.fr
Drunk  London November 2001
Nice mellow berry-tasting red. Balanced sharp taste but smooth texture too.
Quality: 3.5/6
Value for money: 4/6 (£4.99)

Merlot, vin de pays d'Oc, Baron Philippe de Rothschild, 33250 Gironde, France, 2000  (13%)
Drunk  London November 2001
Tasty but acidy red, not too smooth but easy-drinking stuff.
Quality: 3.5/6
Value for money: 4/6 (£3.99)

Look out also for Chablis Prèmier Cru from…
- Laroche’s Chablis St-Martain;
- Long-Depaquit (try Fourchaume and L’homme mort),
- the classic “La Chablisienne”, from Chablis’ local producers’ co-operative.
 

Shiraz, Kalimna Bin 28, Australia 1998  (14.5%)
Penfolds Wines, Penfold Road, magill, South Australia, Australia 5072
www.penfolds.co.uk
Drunk:  London, December 2001
Full flavoured but subtle spicy red, this is an outstanding, good value Shiraz from Penfolds.
Quality 4/6
Value for money: 5/6 (£7)

Cahors, Château Saint Didier-Parnac, France 2000  (12.5%)
F et J Rigal, Chateau Saint Didier-Parnac, Parnac, Lot, France
Drunk:  London, December 2001
Smooth, oaky quality red.
Quality 4/6
Value for money: Didn't pay

Corbières, Curvee Château Ollieux Romanis, France 1999  (12.5%)
Good quality, slightly spicy/acid but balanced to give a smooth feel.
Drunk:  London, December 2001
Quality 3.5/6
Value for money: Didn't pay

Haut-Medoc, Chateau Barreyres, cru Bourgeois, Arcins, Gironde, France, 1999  (12.5%)
Drunk: London, February 2002
Outstanding, rich fruity red with a rounded chocolate-like texture.
Quaity: 5/6
Value for money: (£10.49): 4.5/6

Fiano di Avellino "Pietracalda", Feudi di San Gregorio, Sorbo Serpico, Italy, 2000. (13.5%)
www.feudi.it
Drunk:  London, 25 February 2002
Outstanding bold gold-coloured dry white wine.  Strong fruit and vanilla favour, with a rounded rich aftertaste.  This was like drinking gold.  Highly-rated by Gambero Rosso, who claim it tastes of cakes.  We didn't spot that. Gorgeous in any case..
Quality: 5.5/6
Value for money: (£11), 5/6

Shiraz/Merlot, Arniston Bay, Western Cape A371, South Africa, 2000  (13.5%)
Drunk: February 2002
Full-bodied, smoth,  red wine.  Strong taste of berries, hint of chocolate  and mildly peppery taste.
Quality: 4.5/6
Value for money: 5/6  (£5.20)

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo "Selva Torta", Umani Ronci, SS 16, km 310+400 74, 60027 Osimo, Italy 1998  (13%)
www.umanironchi.it
Drunk: London 1 March 2002
Bld full-bodied red.  Oaky but also fruity and acidic, refreshing but without much texture or bounce.
Quality:  4/6
Value for money 3.5/5 (£8)

Haut-Medoc, Chateau Barreyres, cru Bourgeois, Arcins, Gironde, France, 1999  (12.5%)
Drunk: London, February 2002
Outstanding, rich  frity red with a rounded chocolate-like texture..
Quaity: 5/6
Value for money: (£10.49): 4.5/6

Fiano di Avellino "Pietracalda", Feudi di San Gregorio, Sorbo Serpico, Italy, 2000. (13.5%)
www.feudi.it
Drunk:  London, 25 February 2002
Outstanding bold gold-coloured dry white whine.  Strong fruit an vanilla favour, with a rounded rich aftertaste.  This was like drinking gold.  Highly-rated by Gambero Rosso, who claimed it tasted of cakes.  We didn't spot that. Gorgeous in any case.
Quality: 5.5/6
Value for money: (£11), 5/6

Shiraz/Merlot, Arniston Bay, Western Cape A371, South Africa, 2000  (13.5%)
Drunk: February 2002
Full-bodied, smooth, red wine. Strong taste of berries, hint of chocolate  and mildly peppery taste.
Quality: 4.5/6
Value for money: 5/6  (£5.20)

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo "Selva Torta", Umani Ronci, SS 16, km 310+400 74, 60027 Osimo, Italy 1998  (13%)
Drunk: London 1 March 2002
Bold full-bodied red.  Oaky but also fruity and acidic, refreshing but without much texture or bounce.
Quality:  4/6
Value for money 3.5/5 (£8)

Albariño 'Burgàns', Bodegas Martín Códax, Val do Salués, Rias Baixs, Spain, 2001
Drunk: London, 4 May 2002
Good quality, full bouquet, and  too fruity for our taste.  Dryish, but at the Chardonnay end with a sweet edge. OK with fish, but dryer would have been better .
Quality: 4/6
Value for money(£7.80): 2.5/6

Hardy’s Grenache Shiraz, 2000  (11%)
Drunk:  London, January 2002
Extremely light red.  Tasted fine, mildly cherryish, but unsettling lack of body – in fact none at all.  A bit like water with a drop of wine added.  In fact why not just do that?  Probably refreshing on a hot day, which this wasn’t.
Quality:  2/6
Value for money: 3/6  (£3.59)

Haut-Médoc, Château Barreyres Cru Bourgeois, Société Civile du Château Barreyres Propriétaire, Arcins, Gironde, France 1998 (12½%)
Drunk: London, January 2002
Splendid full bodied red.  Very dry, smooth mildly oaky, blended Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.  Excellent value for money, very good with red meats.
Quality:  4½/6
Value for money: 5½/6  (£6)

Chenin Blanc "Vinum Africa", Stelllenbosch, South Africa 2002. (13.5%)
Drunk: London November 2002
Crisp and opal-fruit-like, but a bit too sweet for us and cloying aftertaste.
Quality: 2.5/6
Value for money:  2.5/6 (£6, Oddbins exclusive)

Vina Sol, Miguel Torres, Vilafranca del Penedes, Barcelona, Spain, 2001 (11.5%)
Drunk: London, December 2001
A real treat, excellent value high quality dry white, with refreshing and crisp fruit (apple) tastes.  Apparently a classic Catalonian white, this was a real treat.
Went well with: fish, turkey, mince pies
Quality: 4.5/6
VFM: 5/6 (£4.99)

Grenache Shiraz, Jacob's Creek, Orlando Wines, Barossa Valley Way, Rowland Flat, South Eastern Australia, 2002.  (14%)
Drunk: London, January 2003
Disappointingly bland and tart in-your-face red.
Quality: 3/6
VFM: 3/6 (£3.99)

Cannonau di Sardegna, Riserva, Sella e Mosca, Alghero, Sardegna, Italy, 1998 (13.5%)
www.sellaemosca.com
Drunk: london, February 2003
Splendid, robust, flowery and fruity red.  Excellent with red meat.
Quality: 4.5/6
VFM: 4/6 (£8.99)

Cannonau di Sardegna, Azienda Vinicola Cardedu, Jerzu, Sardegna, Italy, 1999 (14%)
Drunk: London, May 2003
Disappointingly lifeless but full bodied Cannonau with a sharpish taste.
Quality: 2.5/6
VFM: 2.5/6

Valpolicella Classico Superiore "Capital dei Nicalò"; Agricola Fratelli Tedeschi, Pedemonte, Verona, Italy, 1999 (12.5%)
Drunk: London, May 2003
Subtly fruity, slightly acidic but rather dull red.
Quality: 3/6
Value for money: 3/6 (£5.50)

Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Casa Vinicola Luigi Cecchi e Figli, Castellina in Chianti, RI2-S1, Toscana, Italy, 2000 (12%)
Drunk: London, May 2003
Fresh, crisp dry white; slightly smoky taste.  Went well with fish and pasts.
Quality: 3.5/6
Value for money: 3.5/6 (£5.70)

Sidi Salem, Famìlia Zarrouk (Accademia del Sole), Carignon, Tunisia, 2000 (14%)
Drunk: London, May 2003
Strong, dryish red, aroma similar to port, strong bodied, and would stand up in a fight with strong-flavoured foods.  We on the other hand fell down after just a few glasses of 14% alcohol. However, rather a dull taste, not remotely lively and leaves no lingering taste in the mouth.
Quality: 3/6
Value for money: 3/6 (£5)

Lettere della Penisola Sorentina, Cantine Grotta del Sole, via Spinelli, 2, 80010 Quarto (NA), Italy, 2002 (11%)
www.grottadelsole.it
Drunk: Torre Annunziata, June 2003
A traditional wine from the Sorento Peninsular. This is one of several local varieties dating from Roman times, largely forgotten until recently, which Grotta del Sole have been researching and reviving in collaboration with the University of Naples.  It's a great surprise to find it that fizzes!  Usually served cold, this is a refreshing, light tasting wine.  Bubbles in red wine are extremely strange, but a clear fresh taste when you get used to it.  Just what you need in the great heat of a Neapolitan summer on the coast.
Quality: 3½/6
Value for money: 4/6 (£3.00, bought in Napoli)

Falerno del Massico Primitivo, Michael Moio, vialle Regina Margherita, 8134 Mondragone (CE) Italy, 2000  (14½%)
Drunk: London July 2003
Full bodied, strong, fresh, fruity red; nicely combining a fresh citrus acidic taste with a dry flavour and aftertaste.
Went well with: Fantastic with beef.
palate.
Quality: 5/6
Value for money: 5½/6 (£5.00, bought in Napoli)

Gragnano della Penisola Sorentina, Cantine Grotta del Sole, via Spinelli, 2, 80010 Quarto (NA), Italy, 2002 (11%)
www.grottadelsole.it
Drunk: London July 2003
Robust-tasting light and fizzy texture, with strong grape-juice flavour; slightly tangy even leathery (from newly fermented grape skins?). Unlike anything else we've tried, a more distinctive, stronger taste than its sibling, Lettere.  Fresh, served at 10-12oC.
Quality:  4/6
Value for money: 4½/6 (£3, bought in Napoli)

Côtes du Rhône, Châse du Pape Réserve, Grands Vins de Girondas, Girondas, France 2002
Drunk: London, September 2003
A slightly vinigary, dry flavourless wine, without body or shape.  Slightly flowery aftertaste. Almost but not quite utterly fowl.
Quality: 2/6
Value for money: 2/6 (£5)

Rosso Veronese 'Regolo', Casa Vinicola Sartori, via Casette 2, 37024 Negrar, Verona, Italia 1999 (13%)
www.sartorinet.com
Rounded red with tangy warm fruity flavour and plenty of body, sweetly acidic aftertaste.  Ripasso used to fortify it using lees from Sartori's illustrious single-bichere Amarone.
Quality: 4½/6
Value for money: 4/6   (£7)

Cabernet Sauvignon 'The Tower', Charles Back, Coastal Region, South Africa 1998 (13½%)
Rich, strong red.  Warm with body and soft aftertaste.
Quality: 4½/6
Value for money: Didn't pay

Côtes du Rhone, Brézème, Curvée Eugéne de Monicault, Jean-Marie Lombard, Livron, Drôme, France; 1997.
Drunk: Islington, January 2003
Dull, characterless shiraz tasting of leather and tobacco, which generally we don't drink.
Quality: 2/6
Value for money: 1/6

Lettere Gragniano, Cantine Grotta del Sole, via Spinelli 2, 80010 Quarto (NA), Italia 2002  (11%)
www.grottadelsole.it
Drunk Torre Annunziata, December 2003
Less sparking than the traditional Lettere, this version is still slightly fizzy red. Quite robust, slightly leathery, but refreshing without the shock of the full fizz.
Quality 3/6
Value for money 3½/6 (€4.50, Torre Annunziata)

Ramada, Vinho Regional Estremadura, José Neiv para DFJ Vinhos Lda, 2070-512, Portugal, 2002 (11½%)
Drunk: London, February 2004
This was apparently the IWC Red Wine of the Year in 1999, and though not scoring quite as well in awards, it is still an impressive smooth, fruity and fresh red, very easy drinking because it's not course and has a clean, non-acidic aftertaste.
Quality: 4½/6
Value for money: 5½/6 (£6)

Lettere del Penisola Sorrentina, Cantine Grotta del Sole, via Spinelli 2, 80010 Quarto (NA), Italia 2002  (11%)
www.grottadelsole.it
Drunk: Torre Annunziata, June 2003
Well bless my soul, a fizzy red.  Lettere ia a traditional red from Campagnia, one of several varieties revived recently by Grotta del Sole following years of oenologial researc and experimantation.  It is best drunk cold, though we didn't. It was nevertheless refreshing on an unreasonably hot day.  Unusually full flavoured for a light red, tasting of cherries and blackcurrants, yet clean and fresh.  Just what we needed.
Quality: 4/6
Value for money: (€5.50): 4/6:

Falanghina dei Campi Flegri, Cantine Grotta del Sole, via Spinelli 2, 80010 Quarto (NA), Italia 2002  (12½%)
www.grottadelsole.it
Drunk Mergellina, Napoli, January 2004
Light, crisp version of this subtley fruity white. Clean and fresh aftertaste. We rate this among the best.
Quality 5/6
Value for money 5½/6 (usually c. €5.50 in Napoli)

Pomino Rosso, Castello di Pomino, Marchese di Frescobaldi, Italy 1999 (12½%)
Drunk: London, February 2004
Oaky, strong and smooth.  Good with lamb.
Quality: 4½/6
Value for money: 4½/6  (£7)

Quartodisole, Cantine Grotta del Sole, via Spinelli 2, 80010 Quarto (NA), Italia 2002  (11%)
www.grottadelsole.it
Rich, warm oaky-fruity smell with hint of vanilla.  Dry citrus fruit taste; dry rough aftertaste.
Quality: 3/6
Value for money: 4/6  (€5, Napoli)

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