Stockist/Retailer: All About Wine

(2026) Made from the indigenous Merwah variety, in this case organically grown vines that are 60 years old and planted at an altitude of 1,600 metres in the Bekaa Valley. I've always liked this wine, but I have to say the 2023 seems to be a notch up in flavour intensity. There's a little almond note to citrus and crunchy, bright apple fruit, unadorned by oak. In the mouth that ripe and sweet fruit fills the palate, lots of plush nectarine juiciness and a very nicely balanced finish with the acidity giving a lightly salty edge.

(2026) A Merlot dominated blend, with Cabernet Sauvignon. It's fermentated in stainless steel then half of the blend aged in steel tanks and half in French oak barriques for one year, one-third new barrels. There's a light incense and wood ash character over taut, small red berries. There's a herbal leafiness too, adding to the fresh appeal. Dry, but nicely fruited on the palate, juicy with some tight tannins and a tingle of spice giving grip, and very good, gastronomic acidity. The oak just smooths and rounds the finish, adding a little creaminess to the cranberry and redcurrant fruit picture.

(2026) From volcanic and tufa hills this is 100% Moscato from healthy late-harvest grapes with no Botrytis. The fruit is dried for one month, and the wine does not see any time in oak. It is bottled with 110 g/l of residual sugar. Fresh herb and lots of floral aromatics, lots of Spring blossom freshness. Fully sweet on the palate but quite light, with honeyed and chilled grape flavours, flowing with very nice acidity. Eminently drinkable. Price is for a half bottle, and the previous vintage at time of review.

(2026) Fratta is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon plus Merlot from Maculan's best, low-yielding vineyards. Fermentation is in small, open top stainless steel tanks before one year in new French oak barriques. Minty and ripe, this has an opulence and juicy black fruit intensity, the oak very sophisticated, adding just a shimmer of polish and coffee. The fruit on the plate is sweet, supple and rich, a bold and arguably 'new world' style with that opulence and density. Chocolaty tannins are silky and dense, and the acid and oak spice firms the long finish. Price and stockist for the previous vintage at time of review.

(2025) From Jumilla where Monastrell (aka the Rhône Valley and Bandol's Mourvèdre) is a speciality. Grapes grow at 700 metres altitude, and have an average age of 25 years in this unoaked, supple but powerful red. Typical notes of jammy red fruit are joined by chestnut and sweet earthiness, and a definite sappy briar note. In the mouth the wine is medium-bodied and supple, with plenty of sweet, dark fruit touching on prune and liquorice. If you are thinking of beef or venison this Christmas, this could work at a shade under £10 from several suppliers.

(2025) This organic red wine is made from Monastrell, the speciality of Juan Gil from their historic home turf of Jumilla. Interesting it is also labelled as 'low histamine' at < 1ppm, histamine being a factor in some wines that some blame for 'not agreeing with them'. Rapid fermentation in stainless steel with very precise control of conditions that are said to promote microorganisms that inhibit the formation of histamines. From limestone soils at 2,300 feet, this vivid crimson wine has an undercurrent of stony minerals to cherry and lightly smoky fruit. The palate bursts with juicy red fruit flavour, vivacious and bright, before a very welcome core of cleansing acidity and modest but quite chocolaty and rich tannins add depth. Price and stockist quoted for a previous vintage at time of review.

(2025) This is a Californian cab in a pretty much 'fruit bomb' style, overflowing with cassis, plum and chocolate aromas and flavours. The fruit comes from Lodi, inland from the much more expensive Napa Valley area, and the wine is aged in American oak. I note that it does have a moderate 13.5% alcohol, though the richness might suggest higher, and while it might not suit the Claret-loving classicist, it offers great bangs per buck and put a smile on my face. Note that Allaboutwine has a very keen price just under £10, but only by the six-bottle case. Many independent merchants sell it by the bottle for around £11. Watch the video for more information.

(2024) í From the sub-zone O Rosal, this has a skin-contact suggestion of lime peel and peach skins,  again a nice suggestion of saltiness in a leaner picture than the Torre la Moreira for example. A little bit leesy, the palate is driven by lemony, zesty fruit, the spark of sherbetty, salty acid nicely balancing the finish.

(2024) From chalky-clay soils and low-yielding old vines, 'Les Six' in question are Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, with smaller components of Cinsault, Counoise and Carignan. It was fermented in large 6,000 litre, conical oak vats with natural yeasts and matured in vat for 10 months. It's an alluring and powerful wine, combining deep spice, blueberry and plum aromas with floral highlights and a glimpse of smoky bacon rind. Sweet and mouth-filling with 14.5% alcohol, there's a chewy robustness, firm and liquoricy tannins and good balancing acidity. Lovely, large-scaled stuff.

(2024) The blend here is Grenache Blanc, with Roussanne and Clairette, the wine fermented in 300 and 400 litre oak barrels, new and older wood, where it ages for six months before bottling. Nutty, creamy and chalky on the nose, it's a delicate but quite intense aroma, followed by a similarly yin and yang palate: there's no shortage of lightly toasty vanilla notes, and the fruit is ripe and mouth-filling, and yet this 13% alcohol wine has a lightness and finesse about it too.