Cono Sur, Reserve Pinot Noir 2008, Chile
Cono Sur’s Pinot Noir is a well-established favourite amongst Pinot fans as a wine that really delivers for its modest price. Whilst the current 2009 vintage is a decent bottle (and widely available in most UK supermarkets), it is well worth seeking out the Reserve cuvee 2008, at just 1 more. For that extra pound you get an awful lot more wine, with 85% of the fruit from a single vineyard in Casablanca and ageing in all-French oak, 50% of which is new. The nose has lots of gamey, earthy Pinot character, as well as copious berry fruit and a deep, smoky edge. On the palate it floods the mouth with soft, sweet strawberry and raspberry pulp fruit, underpinned by that chocolaty, generous oak. £7.99, Tesco and the Co-operative.