Wines of the week

Dense, dark red

Tapa Roja, Old Vines Monastrell, Yecla, Spain 2019. £7, Marks & Spencer, alc 13.5%

Yecla’s hot, arid climate is perfect for ripening Monastrell (or Mourvèdre and Mataro) to give dense, dark, meaty reds—and this one gives lots of bang for your buck. Bold, but not too extracted, it has chewy tannins, a herbal lift and refreshing acidity. One for a hearty casserole.

Classic steak wine

Sainsbury’s, Taste the Difference High Altitude Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina 2019. £13, Sainsbury’s, alc 14% Grapes grown at high altitude add freshness to this juicy Malbec, with spicy black fruit and subtle oak: 50% of the wine is aged in French oak for 12 months. A classic match for steak and good value for money.

Pithy and balsamic

Feudi di San Gregorio, Cutizzi Greco di Tufo, Campania, Italy 2020. £17.95–£19.79, Shelved Wine, Strictly Wine, Vinvm, Wine Poole, alc 13% This age-worthy white from leading Irpinian producer Feudi di San Gregorio is intense, but not overly concentrated, maintaining its sense of freshness throughout. Lively apple, subtle stone fruits, tangerine, lemon and a lick of stone wash over the palate. Pithy and balsamic, it lingers with a ripe mango and mineral finish.

Sea-spray tang

Dalrymple, Cave Block Chardonnay, Tasmania, Australia 2017. £24.70–£28, Christopher Keiller, Connolly’s, Flagship Wines, Love Wine, Vinvm, alc 13%

Enticing nose of stone fruit, lemon-grass and candied peel. The textured, midweight palate shows ripe melon, nectarine flesh and a sea-spray tang. Delicious now, but will cellar well for five years or so.