2005 Merlot Les Celliers du Prieure: This screw-capped Southern French beauty brims with sweet, jammy red berry and plum fruit. Best of all, this tastes much more expensive than it actually is.
2003 Inurrieta Norte: There's a real roasted character to the bouquet of this full-bodied Spanish red from Navarra, not to mention some vibrant blueberry, cassis and mulberry fruit with more than a hint of tobacco and spice. Definitely a real winter warmer for cold, dark nights.
2004 Barbera d'Alba, Marco Porello: Having just tasted this superbly balanced Italian red, I just had to include it. This is juicy and fresh with loads of dark damson and black cherry fruit, with a hint of savoury bitterness and plenty of oomph on the finish. A class act.
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To read John Stimpfig's feature, click here.
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