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Pinot Noir is one of the few exceptions to the widely held truism that the best value wines cost between 6 and 9, Victoria Moore feels. This is not because "a 5 bottle of Pinot Noir can't be good", she hastens to add, more that by moving to the 10 mark "you begin to find wines that start to get it". Moore says it is at this point when "suddenly, the fairy dust comes out, the light goes on, some kind of magic sparkle arrives that simply wasn't there before". The Guardian critic says: "Either you're prepared to pay it and get it or you're not." If you fall into the former bracket, she suggests the 2005 Pinot Noir Martinborough Vineyard (22, Harrods) or the 2005 Pinot Noir Cte de Beaune (92 for six bottles, Armit).
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Gordon Brown's upcoming budget will bid a stern farewell to 2.99 a bottle wine, Jane MacQuitty laments. "Getting used to paying more for the bottles you'd crack open mid-week without ceremony will be hard," so she suggests stockpiling such bottles ahead of next month's announcement. Tesco's 2007 Argento Shiraz at 2.99 is good for its "fat, supple, spicy" flavours while the 2006 Muscadet La Rgate (Sainsbury's, 2.99) proves to be "delicious, light and lemony".
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Brits love nothing more than wiling away the hours talking about the weather and Susy Atkins is no different, although her column this week gives the subject an important vinous spin. "It is just plain wrong to drink heavy, blockbuster reds at this time of year," she says. We should curtail drinking big reds to "winter celebrations" and instead opt for "soft, juicy, smooth reds" in the early summer. Pinot Noir is an obvious choice, Atkins continues, citing the 2005 Pinot Noir Martinborough Vineyards (19.95, Harrods) for its "super-smooth texture and ripe, plush red-berry fruit with a subtle hint of chocolate".
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Variety is the spice of life, or so Victoria Moore thinks. "This is why I am suggesting a spring clean of your vinous buying habits," she reasons. We should all abolish wines from our shopping lists if, upon sipping them, "you still feel the dim, comfort-blanket recognition of something you once loved but now fail to respond to". For broadening your drinking horizons, says Moore, try the 2007 Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc Stellenbosch (7.49, Majestic) for its "light-sabre intensity" and the 2005 Valpolicella Ripasso (6.12, Tesco). One word of warning from the Guardian critic this week, however: avoid 2007 Bordeaux Chteau de Sours Ros (8.49, Majestic) at all costs.
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Asparagus can be a "murder" to match with wine, says Jamie Goode, but the trick is to opt for "rich grassy whites" which excel with the "delicious seasonal delicacy'. The 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Sacred Hill Malborough (8.19, Morrisons) merits a mention for its "intense sophistication" while the 2006 Viognier Yalumba (9.99, Waitrose) has "peach and lemon" aromas. Goode also recommends a curve ball in the form of 2006 Syrah Ros Fetzer Valley (6.49, Thresher).
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Last week Anthony Rose organised a themed wine tasting for a select group of Independent hacks at the stipulation of his magazine editor. Using the game of options - where teams of participants have to answer multiple-choice questions on the wines to remain in the tasting - was, he said, "the only way of holding the attention of a bunch of rowdy journalists". Each round Rose quizzed the teams on two bottles of wine, which were linked by factors such as grape type and price. The chief sub at the newspaper spotted the link between the 2005 Trimbach Riesling (8, The Wine Society) and 2001 Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling (11.99, Selfridges). Rose said the former had a "dry and youthful" character while the latter displayed the "kerosene undertone of age". And who were the overall winners? The magazine editor's team, funnily enough.
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Anthony Rose questions whether wine under the 10 mark is really California's strongest suit, following the recent annual California wine tasting in London. While he understands why the region feels the need to show it can compete at the everyday price point with other new world regions, he is unconvinced that this is what California does best. "The under a tenner price point doesn't begin to reflect the innovation, diversity and quality of today's thriving California wine industry," he complains. While there are some good stalwarts in the under 10 bracket, such as Ravenswood's Lodi Zinfandel, and the " tropical, grapefruity" Bonterra organic 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, Rose believes the reality is that you need to pay more for quality. He recommends Cline's "spicy, rich" 2005 Ancient Vines Mourvedre, Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay (24.50, Berry Bros), Joseph Phelps "spicy, rich, blackberryish" Le Mistral (27.50, Waitrose) and Calera's "elegant" Central Coast Pinot Noir, (16.99 Waitrose).
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Many UK consumers make a beeline for supermarket reds when they think South African but it is in the white wine aisles where this country is really accelerating, says Jancis Robinson MW. It is "one of the very few non-European wine producing countries with an outstanding track record for white wine production," she argues. Chenin Blanc is the country's most planted variety and not without good reason, Robinson feels, adding that while "South Africa's best reds are admirable" the "lesser ones can taste strangely earthy". On a recent tasting trip, the MW awarded eight South African wines more than 17 out of 20 points representing a "very good mark" on her sliding scale. Robinson's white recommendations with approximate retail prices include; the 2006 FMC Chenin Blanc, Ken Foster, Stellenbosch (17); the 2006 Chardonnay Reserve, Vergelegen, Stellenbosch (13); the 2006 Chardonnay, Oak Valley, Elgin (15) and the 2006 Vergelegen White, Stellenbosch (22).
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Joanna Simon's Sauce column broaches the topic of Chilean wine. Despite sales of the country's wine products booming, it was not the hot favourites that impressed at last month's Wines of Chile Awards in Santiago. Simon said the event where she judged "left producers reeling - not because the results were poor, but because they were not what was expected". No trophies or gold medals were given to Chardonnay, Simon continued, with the 2007 Alta Tierra winning out as the top Sauvignon regardless of its production in the Elqui Valley - "an area that didn't even grow grapes for wine until 2000". Her top picks include the 2007 Viognier, Anakena (8.49, Thresher) for its "seductive perfumes" and a 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Luis Felipe Edwards (5.99 Tesco).
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Your choice of glassware can enhance your wine selection immeasurably, Victoria Moore explains. And while being pernickety on this point will often mean you attract odd looks it is an important distinction to make, she continues. "Wine tastes better out of glasses that taper slightly at the rim" as "the tapering traps more of the aromas," Moore explains. And what has she being cracking open from the cellar this week? The 2005 Domaine du Colombier Chinon (Sainsbury's, 5.49) is commendable for its "gentle fragrance of red berries" while the 2006 Gavi Cristina Ascheri (Sainsbury's, 9.99) needs "a half-decent glass to reap the full benefit of this streamlined lemon- and grapefruit pith-scented Piedmont white".
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Joanna Simon debates the merits of Beaujolais despite her belief that many leave it to one side at this time of year. Suited to "fish, fowl or meat", she mentions it is "the bottles that don't mention the B-word that are the best the region produces". And while we may be familiar with Fleurie, Brouilly and Morgon, it is instead worth investigating the likes of Chnas, Julinas and Chiroubles. She picks out the 2006 Julinas, Domaine du Clos du Fief, (9.99, Wheeler Cellars) and 2005 Chnas, Bernard Sant, (8.50, Stone, Vine & Sun) as good options.
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TIM ATKIN MW has a 10ft hole in the middle of his dining room: he is having a wine cellar built.
You don't have to spend a fortune to start a modest wine collection,' he says, and recommends four reds at under 10, including: 2004 Marques de Casa Concha Merlot (7.99; Sainsbury's); 2004 Domaine de Fontsque, Corbires (8.99; Marks & Spencer); and 2005 Peter Lehmann Tempranillo, Barossa Valley (7.99; Waitrose).
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To mark The Independent's retro issue, Anthony Rose is in nostalgia mode. He has managed to overcome his initial thoughts about Sherry, that it was "fit only for vicars, aunts and schoolmasters", and now realises that when it's chilled, and accompanied by salted almonds or olives, a good fino or manzanilla is "hard to beat".
Rose tries hard, but can't muster much enthusiasm for the Seventies, "an era of such cheerless sugar water as Blue Nun Liebfraumilch, not forgetting the awful Hirondelle, rustic Bulls Blood, confected pink Anjou ros, bland Piat d'Or and the pretensions of Mouton Cadet.
Turning his attention to the New World, his selections include 2005 Ravenswood Lodi Zinfandel (8.99; Majestic, Oddbins, Waitrose); Jacob's Creek Chardonnay (5.95; widely available); and 2007 Montana Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (5.99, down from 7.49; Morrisons, Sainsbury's).
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Ignore 2006 Burgundy and lavish all your attention on Australian Pinot Noir, says Jane Macquitty. However this was not always her view, as she admitted "how typically presumptuous of the Aussies, I thought, to pick Pinot Noir as one of their six regional heroes". But on tasting 20 of the featured wines in this category at the Australia Day tasting, MacQuitty begrudgingly says she was "wrong, wrong, wrong". Her recommendations include the "classic" 2006 Ninth Island Pinot Noir (,9.99, Waitrose) and the 2006 Pirie South Pinot Noir (9.99, Majestic) for its spice. Jeffrey Grosset's 2006 Adelaide Hills (26.95, Liberty) is also "deliciously smoky".
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Nouveau Beaujolais reaches Tim Atkin's attention this week. The "quintessential young wine's" fall from grace has seen it go from "front page news" in the mid-Eighties to a current "non-event" in the UK. The problem with Nouveau stemmed from the fact that it undermined the Beaujolais reputation as a whole, he argues. And while Atkin concedes "there's nothing wrong with Nouveau" it is the "hilly area north of Lyon" that in fact produces the best wines. There are ten crus but it is usually easier to split these into three groups, he says. These comprise of: "The light, fragrant ones (Chiroubles and St Amour), the middle-weight ones (Cte de Brouilly, Chnas, Brouilly, Fleurie, Rgni) and the more serious ones (Julinas, Morgon and Moulin Vent)." His recommendations include a 2006 Fleurie, Domaine de la Madone (11.99, Thorman Hunt) for its "crunchy, summer-pudding-like" nature and a "complex and structured" 2006 Morgon, Marcel Lapierre (14.73, Bibendum).
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Jancis Robinson's musings focus on Davos and a tasting she recently organised there. Her brief was "to choose some notable wines from countries or regions with a tradition of mining". In between visits from the president of Israel and Forbes magazine's seventh most powerful woman in the world, she even found time to identify the best of the bunch. 2001 Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon (12.99, buywineonline.co.uk) fared well - particularly notable as the only South African red at the tasting and also the least expensive. The tasting group's favourite and Jancis' third choice wine was the 2001 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River (43, winesearcher.com).
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Like his contemporary at The Observer, Anthony Rose has also picked up on Anpaa's recent legal case - describing France's alcohol policy as a result of the draconian 1991 Evin Law. He continues: "It does seem odd that myopia and sanctimony should coexist in a nation synonymous with the production and consumption of many of the great wines of the world." Not to be discouraged though he selects the 2006 Porta Chardonnay (5.99, Threshers), the 2006 Gavi Cristina Ascheri (9.99, Sainsbury's) and the 2004 Domaine des Bosquets, Gigondas (14.95, Jeroboams).
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MATTHEW JUKES picks out seven affordable wines from California this week. Among them are 2004 Ravenswood Lodi Zinfandel (8.99; Thresher) and 2005 Cycles Gladiator Pinot Noir, Hahn Estates (6.99; Sainsbury's).
His Wine of the Week is 2005 Robert Mondavi Woodbridge Chardonnay (6.49-6.99; Sainsbury's, Tesco), which he says sits shoulder to shoulder with any other great Chardonnay at a similar price'.
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The results of the Wines of Argentina awards are this week's topic of conversation for JANCIS ROBINSON MW. She says the most exciting aspect is that only one of the trophy-winning wines costs more than 10 a bottle, although she expresses disappointment about the lack of white wines entered.
Wines worthy of mention include the 2006 Alamos Pinot Noir, Mendoza (6.99; Majestic) and the 2006 JF Lurton Chardonnay Reserva.
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As part of the launch of the Cloudy Bay locator', JONATHAN RAY has lunch with Tony Jordan, CEO of Cape Mentelle, Cloudy Bay and Green Point.
Ray gives a blow-by-blow account of his meal, from eel fillet to kangaroo loin, as well as a glowing report of the various Jordan wines served with each course. It reads like a LVMH advertorial.
However, Jordan makes an interesting point: The New World is expected to be constantly on the move but nobody asks when Chteau Margaux will produce a Syrah or Chardonnay ... our parent company in France demands innovation from us then when I ask what's new with Dom Prignon, they go all Gallic, shrug and mutter, "That's different."'
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