February 2016’s Wines of the Month

(2016) The cheap, cheerful and modern consumer face of Albariño, £5.48 at Asda might just be the cheapest Albariño in the UK? It's fresh with lemons and crisp, crunchy green apples, the palate showing good texture, fruit that flirts with peachiness and a balanced if very slightly short finish. Zero complaints at this price though - a good buy.

(2016) Serious bangs per buck in this excellent, and now six-year-old wine from the newly trendy Bierzo region of northwest Spain. It has a bit of earth and plummy richness and roundness, suffused with wild berries but a hint of smoky minerals too. It has a nice sheen of supporting oak to the fresh but full fruit on the palate, where the juicy and crunchy vitality is perfectly poised.

(2016) A 70/30 blend of the two grapes, this spent 10 months in French oak and was part wild yeast fermented. Bruce Dukes, ex Francis Ford Coppola, makes the wines in Margaret River, and what a beautiful nose this has with almond, fig and honey, distinct creaminess but also the pungent character of the Sauvignon. The palate has wonderful nectarine juiciness but bags of finesse too. It's reminiscent of fragrant and delicate white Graves, with a long finish that is juicy and pin-sharp, but cushioned by the sheen of oak.

(2016) Meaty, coffee tones, the lift of violet coming through. The plum skins and the bite of meaty umami aroma and flavour, with the palate meaty too, a chewy smoky, meats and lovely orange acidity, this has great fireworks, such amazing plum ripeness, edge salty minerality, delicious length.