92-93 CWM rating. Extracted cherry fruit, very ripe aromas and flavours, good length, low acid but some subtlety. Very appealing. Persistent. Sylviane Garcin-Cathiard owns properties in Pomerol, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru and Pessac-Léognan, and we love them all for their exuberant pleasure-giving wines. In Pessac she operates Château Haut-Bergey, around 40 ha acquired in 1991, Her son Paul is now in charge.

Pungent aromas of plum, wild strawberries, cherry and toasted spice. An elegant palate, with soft, velvety tannins, and a refreshingly fruity finish. Subtle touches of spice come from 10% of wine being aged for three months in oak.

Old Blocks Pinotage forms part of Darling Cellars' Reserve range of straight varietals with a focus on fruit driven, varietal true, value for money wines. Expressive and complex on the nose with flavours of red berries, black cherries, vanilla, butterscotch, red plums, coffee and nuances of strawberries. On the palate the flavours follow through with good structure and silky tannins. A really balanced wine with elegance and a lengthy aftertaste.

A nose full of black and red fruit combined with spicy aromas. Very fresh but rounded as well with elegant fruit and acidity. An excellent example of Malbec from the Uco Valley.

The John X Merriman is a powerful wine that rewards aging. In its youth the wine is worth decanting and expresses cassis, black currant and dark fruits complemented with cigar tobacco and sour cherrynotes. As the wine ages and its fine grained tannins soften a softer more savoury palate develops revealing wonderful drinkability and tertiary complexity.

Jean Christophe Meyrot, ex La Violette (one of the top properties in Pomerol) . Full on but good structure. Juicy palate. Certainly ripe. Warm, good acid, persistent. More powerful than elegant. Forthright. Dark ruby color with black fruit notes like blackberries and black cherries, violet and dry herbs, leather and black pepper, nice minerality and French oak, some vanilla and tobacco. Nice balance and structure with a long finish

Leaner, more austere on the nose. Very lively on the palate, almost sweet caramelised edge, high acid, good brightness. Very ripe, round, and unctuous. Vanillin finish. Tarte tatin. A bit much at the moment. Puppy fat. Lovely length though. Still plenty of opportunity.

A deep cherry colour with violet tints. Nose is intense with aromas of ripe red seasonal fruit, subtle hints of violets, rosemary and a touch of black pepper. This Bobal shows distinctive power, vibrant fruit, freshness with soft and ripe tannin. Bobal, ancient and native to the parched plains inland from Valencia grows in gnarled bush-vines like the Shiraz of Barossa. Yields are small and concentration epic. This slinky number is dark and dense but wonderfully juicy, with a coconut spice from oak barrels. A forgotten corner of the wine world, but gosh what a bargain. Certified Organic. Bobal is Spain's second most widely planted red grape but is far less familiar to most wine lovers than the most widely planted, Tempranillo. This good-value, unoaked example is grown at high altitude on north- and south-facing slopes by the Altolandon estate, 90 minutes north of Valencia. Deeply coloured, it has some of the rusticity that is associated with the grape, with attractive, slightly spicy blue- and blackberry fruit. Fairly simple, with lightly grippy tannins and good acidity - try it with lamb chops.

White grapefruit, intense tropical fruit, ripe gooseberry and fleshy kiwi fruit over-lay Iona's distinctive herbal and floral undertones. The palate is keenly balanced showing cut green apples and lime marmalade followed by great minerality and length. Vegan.

Ripe plums, mulberry, cherry blossom, and violet aroma while infused with subtle hints of cinnamon and sweet spices. The palate is gentle and the tannins fresh but rounded.

Famously delicate and sexy pink At the March 2022 Taste Champagne (300 wines) I have to say this stood out as one of the most delicious "drinking Champagnes" on show - and there were some very Showy wines on show that day. A huge success for us, easy to forget just how gorgeous it is - firstly it is so very savoury, forget the cherry fruits, it's more like Xmas cake, rhubarb, forest floor, nettle and nutmeg. When the glass is empty the aromas persist. This is Grand stuff, the stuff of deluxe cuvee, truly epic. And a dinner wine too. A cunning counsel for you - don't serve it too cold, err on the cellar-temperature side. March 2022. Of course the whole Billecart range is exceptional and impressive but the 'basic NV is a STEAL! Seriously, super-tight with Silex and citrus, grippy and bracing. On best-ever form.

Adi Badenhorst has created three canned versions of his good-value, entry-level Curator wines, of which this is the pick. Aromas of juicy apricots, pineapples, bananas, nectarines and wild strawberry hints too. The palate is rich, intense and flavoursome with ripe stone and some tropical fruit, bound in a creamy mouthfeel, like a mouthful of peach yoghurt. A little jasmine freshness tickles the finish. "Canned wine has gone seriously next-level". Victoria Moore, The Telegraph

The Rosé 2020 is a silky-smooth wine crafted from Swartland Cinsault by the legendary Adi Badenhorst. A crisp combo of wild strawberry, plum sorbet, tangy redcurrants, mint leaf and sea spray will have you wanting to stock up for summer. We love cans. There’s no corkscrew needed, no pressure to finish a whole bottle, no chance of finding it corked, and being lighter and easier to recycle, it’s much better for the environment. They’re also perfect for a weekday treat, a picnic in the park, or adding a splash to dinner while leaving enough for a glass for yourself. "Canned wine has gone seriously next-level". Victoria Moore, The Telegraph

Fairly simple cherry and redcurrant aromas lead to blackcurrants and plums in the mouth, with refreshing acidity and a line of bitterness on the back palate. The grapes were whole-bunch pressed, which perhaps adds that greeness underneath the ripe fruit. A more structured, tannic wine than initially expected, but with lovely fruit - delicious wine.

This cucumber flavoured organic vodka is a deliciously aromatic spirit that imparts the delicate and fresh taste of cucumber.

Essentially a Gin without the Juniper! Distilled using 14 aromatic botanicals, including caraway, cardamom, nutmeg and citrus. Lightly sweetened with raisins, vanilla and a small amount of sugar.

The world’s first Scotch whisky-based amaro. The base is a blend of 3 casks: 3-year-old North British virgin oak, Invergordon 12-year-old sherry refill and Ardmore 7-year-old bourbon 1st fill. 9 botanicals – allspice, hibiscus, coriander, lovage, kola, quassia, rhubarb, fresh lemon peel and lingonberry. No sugar – sweetened purely with a blend of blossom honey from Sussex and local urban honey from rooftop hives in Edinburgh

This unique, very limited expression, which draws influence from the vibrancy of South Australian Shiraz and other uniquely Australian red wines, is red ochre in colour and a great balance of sweet and savoury on the palate.

Made from wild violet blossoms that grow in the Alps which are then added to the finest neutral spirit. It captures the delicate and elegant flavors of this fragile flower in a very impressive way.

A lovely little set of wines for a Syrah/Shiraz tasting at home