| Name: | Negroamaro Salento |
| Type: | Red |
| Country: | Italy |
| Region: | Puglia |
| Grapes: | Negroamaro |
| Year: | 2016 |
| Producer: | Mocavero |
| ABV%: | 13 |
Excellent full bodied but easy drinking Negroamaro Salento IGP. Drank a whole bottle without food. Would probably pair with anything from lamb to pasta.
| Name: | Sexto Elemento Bobal |
| Type: | Red |
| Country: | Spain |
| Region: | Valencia |
| Grapes: | Bobal |
| Year: | 2015 |
| Producer: | Sexto Elemento |
| ABV%: | 15.5 |
Unbelievably good natural unfiltered single varietal brought back from Valencia by Thea and Jonny. Deep crimson, very alcoholic, but with smooth tannins. Will probably age well. Paprika chicken casserole.
| Name: | Domaine Du Petit Métris Savennières |
| Type: | White |
| Country: | France |
| Region: | Loire |
| Grapes: | Chenin Blanc |
| Year: | 2013 |
| Producer: | Clos de la Marche |
| ABV%: | 13 |
Delightful example of what can be done with Chenin Blanc. Golden in colour, honey scented, rich and citrusy (?grapefuit). A world away from cheap Anjou. Paired with Spanish hígado encebollado for Christmas lunch.
| Name: | Malvirà Roero Arneis |
| Type: | White |
| Country: | Italy |
| Region: | Piedmont |
| Grapes: | Arneis |
| Year: | 2016 |
| Producer: | Malvirà |
| ABV%: | 12.5 |
Excellent complex Arneis. Was best with fish.
| Name: | Pieropan Soave Classico |
| Type: | White |
| Country: | Italy |
| Region: | Veneto |
| Grapes: | Garganega, Trebbiano di Soave |
| Year: | 2016 |
| Producer: | Pieropan |
| ABV%: | 12 |
Beautifully balanced fruity Classico. A far cry from cheap acidic Soave.
| Name: | Barolo Riserva |
| Type: | Red |
| Country: | Italy |
| Region: | Piedmont |
| Grapes: | Nebbiolo |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Producer: | Terre da Vino |
| ABV%: | 14 |
Birthday present from my sweetheart. Thirteen years old and seemingly at its best. Glorious softened tannins and perfectly balanced fruit. Drank with sirloin, but would suit any red meat and delightful on its own.
| Name: | Heumann Lagona |
| Type: | Red |
| Country: | Hungary |
| Region: | Villány |
| Grapes: | Merlot 50%, Cabernet Franc 25%, Cabernet Sauvignon 15%, Kékfrankos 10% |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Producer: | Heumann |
| ABV%: | 14.5 |
Whatever it is that makes a wine taste Hungarian, this has it is spades. Aroma minimal, but huge colour and depth of flavour. Blackcurrant with a hint of raspberry. Absolutely delicious.
| Name: | Primitivo di Manduria |
| Type: | Red |
| Country: | Italy |
| Region: | Primitivo di Manduria DOC, Puglia |
| Grapes: | Primitivo |
| Year: | 2015 |
| Producer: | Paolo Leo |
| ABV%: | 14 |
Best Primitivo I’ve tasted. Smooth and full of winter fruit flavours.
| Name: | Contrade Bellusa Nerello Mascalese |
| Type: | Red |
| Country: | Italy |
| Region: | Sicily IGT |
| Grapes: | Nerello mascalese |
| Year: | 2015 |
| Producer: | Contrade Bellusa |
| ABV%: | 13.5 |
Reasonable balanced tannins. Claret-like. A bit rough around the edges but interesting to try pure nerello mascalese. Deep red. Raspberry and blackcurrant.
| Name: | Russian Jack |
| Type: | White |
| Country: | New Zealand |
| Region: | Wairau Valley, Marlborough |
| Grapes: | Sauvignon Blanc |
| Year: | 2014 |
| Producer: | Martinborough Vineyards |
| ABV%: | 13 |
Discounting Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre, which are very different in style, this is the best Sauvignon Blanc I have every tasted. Admittedly I know nothing about NZ wine, but you’d have to be a convert after tasting this. Dry to very slightly sweet, with aromas of passion fruit and gooseberry, yet with a clean finish. Drank it with spicy pork steaks braised with sweet onion and apple. From Majestic.