2007 Soleus by Montgras, Organically Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Valley, Chile
Asda, £6.28; Swig, £9
Don’t confuse this tasty cabernet sauvignon made from organically grown grapes with other offerings from Montgras. You pay a bit more for the privilege, but Montgras’ Los Guindos vineyard, in the western area of the Maipo valley near Santiago, has turned up trumps with this tasty, coffee bean, creosote and mulberry-charged, big food-suitable red. Los G’s organic vineyards were planted only a decade ago: the best is yet to come.
2008 Château La Borie, Côtes du Rhône, France
Oddbins, £8.99, but from Monday down £2 to £6.99 a bottle until January 3
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Eric and J?rôme Margnat now run this 1750 château and have been making easydrinking red rhônes here since l962. This one is made from almost equal portions of syrah and grenache, with a dash of cinsault and its voluptuous, ripe, plummy palate and long spicy finish reflects its varietal mix. More of a heavyweight than it seems, at 14 per cent alcohol, and best suited to roasted red meats and strong cheeses.
2008 Costero Syrah, Leyda Valley, Viña Leyda, Chile
Majestic, £8.69 or buy two for £6.95 each until February 1
From the moment I first tasted a Leyda valley chardonnay and pinot noir, from the San Antonio region south of Casablanca, it was clear that this corner of Chile was going to be the home of great things. Viña Leyda were the pioneers here and, at just 14 km from the Pacific Ocean, this sea breeze-cooled region wrings more fruit flavour from its grapes than most. Tuck into this wonderful fat, earthy, oaky, clove and violets-scented, l4 per cent alcohol-fueled syrah and see for yourself.
2009 Balbi Shiraz- Viognier, Tulum Valley, San Juan, Argentina
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Marks & Spencer, £6.99
Uncharacteristically, the Argentinians ape the French by taking a leaf out of the northern rhône producers’ book — who lighten and perfume their black-as-night shiraz with the seductively scented white viognier grape. The result is a fancy house red for the festive season, all seductive, ripe, floral, curranty, mulberry and blackberry fruit. A red that can cope with everything from meaty starters to medium-strength game dishes.
2007 Crozes-Hermitage, Cave de Tain l’Hermitage, France
Marks & Spencer, £8.99 down to £6.99 from November 30 to January 1
Not the finest 2007 left bank northern red rhône I’ve ever tasted, but nonetheless a very respectable £7 worth of syrah, so remember not to buy this bottle until Monday fortnight when its price drops. The Cave de Tain is the stand-out rhône co-op, with oodles of great wines and vintages to its credit. Try this fine, ripe, zesty, pepper-and-creosote-scented red with roasted red meats and stews — but contrary to its label advice, it will not manage goose or turkey.
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2008 Mâcon, Les Roches Rouges, Louis Jadot, Burgundy, France
Majestic, £8.99 or buy two for £6.99 each until February 1
The Mâconnais is best known for its white wines, comprising around two thirds of the vineyards here, but the reds can and do have as much right to a place on the festive table. Pinot noir usually yields to the more popular gamay grape in the Mâconnais, but this juicy red is made from the former and as such delivers delicious light, leafy, gamey, style and makes an easy-going lunchtime red with baked spiced ham, or a good mixed buffet bottle. Great value for money.
2007 The Reach by Vavasour, Hawkes Bay Merlot, New Zealand
Tesco, £7.09
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The tiny “by Vavasour” letters on the back label is the clue to this impressive north island wine from the prime red wine spot of Hawke’s Bay. Vavasour is one of the leading Kiwi wineries and The Reach is a second label, which helps to explain why this vibrant, soft, ripe, plummy, curranty classic New World merlot is so good. Made partly from distinguished Gimblett Gravels fruit, this distinctive merlot would make a good partner to roasted red meat and spicy chicken dishes.
2008 Altas de Ruesca, Garnacha, Calatayud, Jean-Marc Lafage, Spain
No?l Young, £7.39; Bibendum, £7.75
Wine wizard Jean-Marc Lafage and his Els Pyreneus operation makes great wines on both sides of the Pyrenees. I cannot think of any of his French or Spanish wines that I dislike and this impressive, high-altitude, stainless steel-fermented and aged garnacha grown at more than 1,000m is a triumph. Heaving with ripe, inky, herb, pepper and chocolate spice, this winter warmer will make many friends.
2004 Château Haut Brega, Haut-M?doc, Bordeaux, France
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Wine Society, £7.95; Cambridge Wine Merchants, £9.50
2004 was not as good in the Haut-M?doc and other left-bank sites as 2006 was on the right bank. Who cares when this tasty, traditional claret with that characteristic dry, bricky, austerity so beloved by red bordeaux bibbers is so good. A 50-50 cabernet sauvignon and merlot blend, it comes from the tiny 8ha Haut Brega estate overlooking the Garonne, and judicious ageing in oak and stainless steel has given this claret a vibrant, juicy finish.
2008 Château de la Terrière, Moulin à Vent, Cuv?e de la Lure, Beaujolais, France
Majestic, £9.99 or buy two for £7.99 each until February 1
Beaujolais may be more suited to summer swigging but the superior cru, or single village, wines work well with lighter winter dishes including chicken casseroles and sausage bakes. Moulin à Vent is the boldest of all the crus and as such it can also cope with milder game. This vibrant, ripe, silky, plummy, gamey red has lots of vibrant crunchy red fruit made from 40-year-old vines at the historic Château de la Terrière.
2007 Domaine de Cassan, Beaumes de Venise, Cru de la Vall?e du Rhône, France
Waitrose, £7.99; Cambridge Wine Merchants, £10.99
Red beaumes de venise, as opposed to the usually boring dessert sticky, can be a big, ugly bruiser, even though it has been elevated to one of 18 top southern côtes du rhône villages worthy of bearing the superior cru status. So it was a relief to find that this ripe, spicy, peppery grenache- dominant red with lots of luscious, velvety, blackberry and plum flavours was more beauty than beast.
2002 Château Prieur?-Les-Tours, Graves, Bordeaux, France
Majestic, £9.99 or buy two for £7.99 each until February 1
Prieur?-Les-T was one of those rundown Graves properties with only 15 ha of vines that had to wait until its new Spanish owners expanded the vineyards to 80ha in 1990. At the same time, the winery was completely revamped and the merlot-dominated clarets — here topped up with one third cabernet sauvignon and a dash of cabernet franc — are now rich, fat, powerful, mature, reds just like this one.
STAR BUY
2006 Château du Gazin, Canon-Fronsac, Bordeaux, France
Waitrose, £9.99 down to £6.99 from December 2 to January 5
I know, I know, to catch this claret sub-£8 you have to twiddle your thumbs for just over a fortnight. Never mind — this really is a starry Christmas claret from a good right-bank vintage and easily worth the wait. The reputation of Fronsac and the smaller, superior Canon-Fronsac to the south and next door to Libourne, the right bank of Bordeaux’s centre, has been slowly and deservedly growing in stature over the past two decades. Now recognised as a prime claret source, this merlot-dominated red bordeaux, with a dollop each of cabernets sauvignon, franc and even malbec in the mix, is made from mature, low-yielding 40-year-old vines by the Robert family. Expect lots of fine, full, beefy, bloody, cedary character here that could easily be mistaken for a more aristocratic claret.