Spring drinking

Hamish Anderson on the wines to buy now

2016 Tempranillo, Spain, £6, Spar

A great red to have in reserve if you’re entertaining. There’s blackberry and spice, and while there is an undercurrent of tannin here, it is gentle enough to drink on its own.

STAR BUY

2015 Madiran, Reserve detuguets, France, £6.50,Tesco

So good that you could decant this and pass it off as costing double. Madiran’s traditionally brusque nature is tempered by the warm 2015 vintage: it’s earthy, with blackcurrant notes, and displays far more complexity than most bottles at this price.

2016 Merlot Carmenère, Pico a Pico, Central Valley, Chile, £9.49, Ocado

A lovely example of the more elegant path Chilean winemakers are now taking. This is bright, mid-weight, with strawberries and savoury detail. Very quaffable.

2014 Elodie Balme Rasteau, Rhône Valley, France, £16.50, thesampler.co.uk

I really cannot think of anything better to drink with slow-cooked shoulder of lamb. This floral, raspberry- and herb-scented bottle is best after an hour in the decanter.

2001 Urbina Reserva Especial, Rioja, Spain, £18.60, farnhamwinecellar.co.uk Urbina’s Reserva Especial is released late, giving a beautifully mature bottle at a low price for the quality. It is rich, with sweet fruit and background notes of maturity – hugely appealing. 2016 Talisman Grüner Veltliner, Hungary, £6.99, Waitrose

Cheap grüner can be mean and characterless; this, though, is the real deal with lovely aromatics and apricot cut with a twist of pepper. A lovely spring apéritif.

2017 Root 1 Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley, Chile, £8, Morrisons

My sauvignon consumption goes up considerably at the first signs of sunshine. This has all of the variety’s vivacious charm, with kiwi, citrus and a savoury complexity. 2016 Petit Chablis, Domaine de Oliveira Lecestre, Burgundy, France, £10.99, Lidl With prices for Burgundy escalating with every vintage it is rare to find something this compelling for £11. Apple, pear and chablis’ classic bite of stony refreshment.

2014 Clos Floridene, Graves, Bordeaux, £18.99, Co-op

The classic blend for dry white Bordeaux of sémillon and sauvignon blanc. Intense with candied lemons, sweet spice and flowers. Best alongside food such as poached salmon.

STAR BUY

2016 Savage White Blend, Western Cape, South Africa, £27.95, swig.co.uk Duncan Savage’s superlative white is a blend of sauvignon blanc, sémillon and chenin blanc. It is a stunner, with ripe fruit that hints of the tropics playing against fennel, smoke and spice. Decant to unveil its full brilliance. 2016 Massaya Rosé, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, £14.95, tanners-wines.co.uk

I drank a glass of this recently over lunch and it transported me to a warm, al fresco meal. The most delicate of pinks, it is infused with thyme, mint and crushed strawberries.

2013Tokaji Édes Szamorodni, Gróf Degenfeld, Hungary, £7.99 for 50cl, Lidl A stone-cold bargain from Lidl, this midweight, refreshing sweetie is full of freshly cut pineapple and peach. Its revitalising acidity is ideal for lifting the palate at the end of a long meal.

STAR BUY

2009 Maury La Font del Bosc, Languedoc-roussillon, France, £13.99 for 50cl, laithwaites.co.uk Maury is a sweet fortified red and like its cousin, port, is the best possible partner to chocolate. This has stewed plums, coffee and cloves – serve cool and sip with a chunk of high-cocoa-content Easter egg.

Brut NV Champagne, £22, Booths

In the own-label league of champagne, Booths’ version comes pretty close to the top on account of its pure, classy fruit, cream, citrus and toasty complexity.

Exton Park Rosé NV, Hampshire, England, £29.95, extonparkvineyard.com

Exton’s rosé manages to be instantly alluring with redcurrants and raspberries, while also having a spicy depth of flavour that holds your attention for the whole bottle.

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