Wine words

WHEN buying wines, it’s always good to have some sort of recommendation. A column such as this can help when it comes to getting ‘bang for your buck’ – but, let’s face it, truly great wines are out of reach for most of us.

Having been a wine writer for over 30 years, my reviews are laced with the experience of having visited many wine regions. I have judged for many outlets and competitions – often with wine colleagues of note.

It is essential wines are tasted ‘blind’ for competition purposes. When the top wines are selected they are always re-tasted by other wine judges to ascertain their medal-worthiness. And this is when many wine merchants become interested in the awards, price range, availability etc. The top wines will be re-tasted and hopefully find a home on lists.

My recent forays have uncovered a few gems, starting with Lyme Bay Winery’s Pinot Noir 2020 – £29.99, recently awarded Gold at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) and 95 points (Gold) from International Wine and Spirit Challenge (IWSC). These are prestigious awards for this fledgling Devon winery, and show the potential for red wines in the UK with climate change assisting the ripening of the grapes.

Next, a real favourite, the Dart Valley Reserve 2020 from Sharpham Wines. A consistent performer at an affordable price winning a Bronze at the Decanter Awards – £13.99.

Lastly a Malbec from Argentina. Given that there are a lot of Malbec driven wines on the market, to find one that is a top award-winner is something to behold. Observe Altosur Malbec 2021 – Tupungato (high altitude) from the fabled Uco Valley at £14.00, winning the Decanter International Trophy for Best World Red. Drinking beautifully as a young Malbec, it will also age for more complexity.