December 2006
Badgers Creek 2005 - Spar £4.39
I was most impressed by this vibrant and immensely enjoyable wine from South East Australia.
Brimming with sweet and juicy shiraz and strawberry/ blackcurranty cabernet with some oak influence.
Rating: Good 
Cape Spring 2006 - Spar £4.49
Simple, yet juicy pinotage from South Africa that displays reasonable fruit and spiciness.
Rating: Average 
Graham Beck 2005 - Tesco £6.98 (current offer £4.98)
Currently on offer at 4.98, this rich, smooth and full bodied pinotage exhibits classic gamey, smoky sweet cherry and bluebery fruit. On the nose I detected almost danish blue cheese like aromas that was most exciting.
A quality wine and a corker!
Rating: Outstanding 
Cote Du Rhone Villages 2005 - Tesco £4.99
This wine was recommended to me by Caroline of Caerphilly
and is from the Tesco 'finest' range.
A full bodied yet rather straightforward and chunky everyday drinking wine that has limited fruit characteristics.
Rating: Average
November 2006
Blossom Hill Merlot 2004 - widely available £5.85
A simple juicy glugger from California for everyday drinking.
Medium bodied displaying nice blackcurrant flavours with some smoothness and a bit of spicy oak.
Rating: Average
Penfolds Koonunga Hill 2004 - widely available £6.49
A great introduction to the world of Australian wine can be found with this full bodied red from the Penfolds conglomerate. A shiraz/cabernet blend showing classic peppery shiraz, counterbalanced by juicy blackcurrant nuances from the cabernet.
Rating: Good
Eagle Crest 2004 - Tesco £5.99
A decent red from the Swartland winery in South Africa.
Made from a blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot, this medium bodied wine exhibits smooth red berry fruits but with a nice touch of the smokiness which is one typical characteristic of red wines from South Africa.
Rating: Average
First Cape 2005 - Sainsburys £7.99
Another offering from South Africa but this time a blend of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. Medium bodied, juicy sweet fruit with once more, the typical smoky characteristic flavour.
Rating: Average
October 2006
Pearly Bay Cape Red - Spar £3.39
A simple yet medium bodied South African red for immediate drinking.
The wine displays some classic smoky flavour and juicy berry fruit which I suspect comes from a good proportion of pinotage and cinsault.
Rating: Average
Tesco ‘finest’ Australian Shiraz 2005 - Tesco £4.99
A reserve wine that is clean, well made that offers simple juicy glugging enjoyment with just a twist of spice and blackcurrant. Has enough acidity and tannin to put away for 2 years if you have the will power.
Rating: Good
Durius Tempranillo 2004 - Tesco £6.99
This was bought on offer at £3.99. A full bodied wine from Spain that is impressively dark and displays ripe cherry flavours balanced nicely with vibrant tannins with some spice. Great value at its offer price but average value at its full retail price.
Rating: Average
Rawnsley Estate 2004 - Tesco £9.99
Made from a blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot this South Australian red failed to impress. Although there is some limited fruit character I found the wine rather diluted and lacking in concentrated flavours which I would not normally expect from a £10 wine from Australia.
I must admit that I fell for Tesco’s shrewd marketing ploy where the wine was reduced to £4.99. Clearly this company mark up some wines artificially high for a short period and then slash prices by 50% in order to shift the stock.
On closer inspection it appears that the producer is a company called McGuigan wines. I have tasted a number of wines produced by this company over the years (outside of the website) which have all scored mediocre in my tastings.
Rating: Poor 
September 2006
Le Froglet - Marks & Spencer £5.49
Made from a blend of shiraz and Grenache this rustic vin de pays hails from the Languedoc region of southern France.
Although displaying a vibrant ruby colour, upon tasting I was disappointed by the limited fruit flavour and rather coarse tannin. I bought this on offer at £3.99 which would normally merit 2 stars, however at its full price it only warrants one star. This is one of the few wines that I have not enjoyed.
Rating: Poor
Montes Alpha 2003 - Tesco £9.99
An exciting offering from Chile. A full bodied and elegant wine brimming with the classic juicy blackcurrant fruit of the cabernet sauvignon grape.
Incorporating well balanced tannins that integrate nicely with the oak influence offering spice and vanilla. Great for drinking now or can be put away for 2-3 years. I will be stocking up on this wine for Christmas.
Rating: Good
Boschendal 2002 - Tesco £6.99
This cabernet sauvignon/merlot blend from South Africa offers silky, smoky and spicy soft blackcurrant fruit. A rather refined medium bodied wine with subtle tannins.
Drinking now or cellar for 12 months.
Rating: Good
Robert Mondavi Woodbridge Shiraz 2003 - Tesco £6.99
This Californian wine made from 100% shiraz displays a lovely garnet colour and offers smoky and rather delicate shiraz characteristics, such as toffee, spice, pepper and soft red fruits.
Drinking now or cellar for 18 months.
Rating: Good
August 2006
Vina Maipo 2005 - Sainsburys £6.49
This reserve merlot hails from the Central Valley which is one of the major wine growing regions of Chile. Displaying ample cherry and spice with a nice balance of oak, this medium to full bodied red is clean and well made and hits the spot.
Has been on offer for quite some time at £3.24 which is great value but is also good value at its full price.
Rating: Good
Albali Caliza 2006 - Sainsburys £6.00
A cabernet sauvignon and tempranillo blend from the Vina Albali company of Spain. A medium bodied wine displaying reasonable strawberry and cherry flavours which has been aged in oak for 4 months to round the wine off.
A basic wine from the Vina Albali stable but I much prefer their reserve wine (details in the review archive) which although is about the same price offers so much more flavour and character.
Rating: Average
Chateau Lebosq 2002 - Sainsburys £12.00
From the Medoc region of Bordeaux, this is a classic blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot. A robust wine displaying the typical earthy/minerally flavours combined with red fruits and vanilla that you would expect from this region of France.
Has been on offer at £6 for some time which is tremendous value for a wine that is at the Cru Bourgeois quality level (a step higher than the standard Appellation Controlle); yet still represents good value at its full price.
Can be put away for 2 years to mellow further.
Rating: Good
Frontera - widely available £5.00
Another offering from Chile but this time from the Spanish producer Concha Y Toro. This is a medium bodied wine made from a blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot.
Reasonable blackcurrant and red fruit flavours and is quite smooth.
Rating: Good
July 2006
Puglia Rosso 2005 - Marks & Spencer £4.99
Made from Primitivo and Negroamaro grapes this vibrant and punchy red from Southern Puglia in Italy hits the mark. Displaying plenty of ripe cherry, vanilla and spice flavours winemaker Alessandro Michelon has produced a decent red with some character.
Rating: Good
Excelsior Merlot 2004 - Sainsburys £4.99
I really liked this wine from South Africa which epitomises the character of the merlot grape variety. This medium bodied wine offers oodles of juicy smooth cherry and blackcurrant balanced with lovely smoky oak.
An ideal wine for barbecues and picnics.
Rating: Good
Wolvenbosh Shiraz 2005 - Marks & Spencer £6.99
Another offering from South Africa with this full bodied wine displaying all the hallmarks of a decent shiraz with its sweet, juicy and pepper flavours.
Full bodied and smooth yet has the potential to put away for 18 months if you have the willpower.
Rating: Good
June 2006
Ernest and Julio Gallo 2004 - widely available £7.99
A cabernet sauvignon from the ‘sycamore canyon’ range.
The wine is full bodied yet soft and supple displaying reasonably sophisticated layers of smooth blackcurrant, vanilla, chocolate with just a hint of spice.
The quality is pretty good considering that this winery produces well in excess of over 650 million cases per year.
Drinking now or keep for up to one year.
Rating: Good
Ancien Comte Reserve 2005 - Tesco £7.00
A simple, smooth, spicy and full bodied wine from the Languedoc region of Southern France. Made from a blend of mainly carignan, Grenache and shiraz grapes that have produced a fun wine for immediate drinking.
Not up to its price tag hence the average rating.
Rating: Average
Isla Negra Reserve 2005 - Tesco £7.00
An offering from the Cono Sur company from cabernet sauvignon grapes growth in the Central Valley of Chile. The wine is full bodied yet smooth and displays all the hallmarks of a reasonable Chilean with its blackcurrant, vanilla and spice flavours.
Rating: Good
Podere L’aja - Chianti Classico DOCG 2003 - online 8.00€
The firm Podere L'aja is run by Ugo and Angelo Contrino who produce a range of red wines within the commune of Radda in Chianti, Italy
This full bodied wine made from the sangiovese grape is ruby red in colour, displaying cherries, vanilla and violet flavours on the palate but does possess quite a firm tannic structure with a reasonable amount of acidity. In my opinion this is very much a food wine and would be best paired off with mature cheeses, sausage and mash or steak.
Drinking now but the wine would benefit from cellaring for at least 2 years.
Rating: Average
May 2006
Tupungato 2005 - Marks & Spencer £6.49
A rich and full bodied blend of cabernet sauvignon and malbec sourced from the Tupungato Valley of Mendoza, Argentina.
A reasonably refined wine exhibiting classic blackcurrant flavours with a firm structure provided by the cabernet, which is counterbalanced rather well with the smooth and juicy softness of the malbec.
Great for drinking now but can be put away for up to 3 years. I will definitely be stocking on this over the spring period.
Rating: Excellent
Kumala Zenith 2005 - widely available £6.99
Made from a blend of merlot, pinotage and shiraz, this so called ‘premium’ South African wine displays some red berry fruit and spice characteristics but is rather ordinary and not worth its price tag.
Rating: Average
Casa Leona 2004 - Marks & Spencer £6.99
This wine is made from 100% cabernet from grapes grown in the La Palmeria vineyard in the Rapel Valley, Chile.
Smooth and juicy blackcurrant intermingled with cherries and spice has shown that this is another quality offering from South America. The wine has undergone 6 months maturation in French oak to add a certain depth of flavour and complexity.
Drinking now or keep up to 1 year.
Rating: Good
Castillo De Calatrava 1998 Reserva - Sainsburys £5.99
This wine is made from the tempranillo grape from the La Mancha region of Spain. A rustic red exhibiting a simple sweet oaky flavour with cherries and a hint of spice.
Drinking now.
Rating: Average
April 2006
Vina Ulmo 2005 - Marks & Spencer £3.59
Well done M&S! Another smooth, juicy and lively Chilean cabernet sauvignon from the Central Valley in Chile.
Winemaker Jorge Martinez has produced a clean and well made cabernet displaying ample blackberry fruit balanced nicely with some oak influence.
Drink within 6 months.
Rating: Good
Casa Leona 2005 - Marks & Spencer £3.99
Another vibrant and juicy offering from M&S but this time from the Rapel region of Chile. Winemaker Jose Ignacio has extracted maximum flavour from the cabernet sauvignon grape to produce a medium bodied red that is unoaked.
Drink now or keep up to one year.
Rating: Good
Podere L'aja 2000 - around £5.00
The firm Podere L'aja is run by Ugo and Angelo Contrino who produce a range of red wines within the commune of Radda in Chianti, Italy.
The wine I have reviewed is their table wine which is full bodied and rustic from the Toscana region of Italy. Bright ruby colour and with good length. The wine exhibits ripe cherry and plum flavours but would benefit from decanting for at least 30-40 minutes before drinking.
Drink now or keep up to 2 years.
Rating: Average
Vega Riaza 2004 - Marks & Spencer £6.99
Marks & Spencer seem to excel with their £3.50 to £5 wines, so I was rather excited about tasting this more expensive wine but in particular as it hails from Ribera del Duero which is one of the premium wine producing regions of Spain.
The wine is full bodied, displaying reasonable blackcurrant flavour with some vanilla from the oak ageing but found that the wine was spoilt by rather coarse tannins. Despite coming back to evaluate the wine on a number of occasions it still remained closed and did not yield its harsh character.
Rating: Poor
March 2006
Lagunilla Reserva 2001 - Sainsburys £8.99
I don’t know what is happening to Sainsbury’s these days with their Spanish wines around £9 but this is another example of a wine that is clearly not up to its price tag. I commented on a similar Rioja in the September 2005 review- Altivo Rioja Reserva 1998 (see archive), which again did not represent value for money.
The Lagunila displays the typical soft, sweet oak and cherry flavours of a wine made in the traditional manner from the Rioja region of Spain, yet it fails to impress. Rather simple without any memorable discerning flavour.
Drinking now.
Rating: Average
Shiraz Vin de Pays d’oc - Marks & Spencer £4.99
A reasonable Shiraz from the south of France to warm up the winter evenings.
Winemaker Olivier Mandeville has produced a medium to full-bodied red displaying blackberry fruit with spice and pepper.
Drink now or keep for up to 9 months.
Rating: Average
Vina Albali Reserva 2000 - widely available £4.99
A company called Felix Solis who are one of the largest producers in Spain have produced a wine made from 100% tempranillo. Aged for one year in oak barrels and then a further two years in bottle, this full-bodied wine exhibits sweet oaky and juicy cherry flavours.
Drinking now.
Rating: Good
Casa Calletta 2005 - Sainsburys £3.99
A simple light to medium bodied red from Argentina made from Bonarda and Malbec for immediate drinking. Subtle strawberry flavours with some jammy spiciness.
Drinking now.
Rating: Average
February 2006
Cape Quarter 2005 - Marks & Spencer £3.99
Winemakers Walter Finlayson and Tinus Els have produced a soft and reasonably fruity wine from shiraz, pinotage and cinsault.
Medium bodied and exhibiting limited mulberry and blackcurrant flavours with a gentle touch of oak. This simple South African red represents reasonable value for money.
Drinking now.
Rating: Good
Corbieres 2004 - Marks & Spencer £5.49
A smooth and spicy red from one of the main winemaking regions of the Languedoc in the South of France. Made from a blend of Carignan, Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre the wine offers ample plum and blackberry flavours balanced by lovely spice and pepper.
Drinking now but can be kept for up to one year.
Rating: Good
Chilean Merlot 2005 - Asda £2.98
A fun wine from the Central Valley in Chile. This must be one of the cheapest reds I have ever purchased; yet it offers reasonable sweet and soft flavours from the merlot grape variety. It does possess a certain amount of obvious rusticity but who cares, as it's a bargain basement price.
Drink now.
Rating: Good
Andrew Peace Mighty Murray Shiraz 2004 - Asda £4.98
Made from grapes grown on the banks of the Murray River in South East Australia. This wine is full-bodied yet smooth displaying the classic juicy black and red berry fruit of the Shiraz grape variety with a subtle hint of spice, pepper and vanilla to round the wine off.
Drinking now but can be kept for up to one year.
Rating: Good
January 2006
35 Degrees South 2004 - Sainsburys £3.49
A value for money cabernet sauvignon from the Central Valley in Chile. Quite a dark cherry colour offering flavours of blackcurrants and oak but with a green stalky flavour which gives the wine its rustic character.
Reasonably full-bodied and recommend that the wine be drunk within one year of purchase.
Rating: Good
Banrock Station Reserve 2004 - Widely Available £7.99
Made from cabernet sauvignon and shiraz this medium bodied wine offers soft plum and cherry flavours with some spicy oak. However, it does not warrant its price tag, as I would expect something a bit more for my hard earned money.
Rating: Average
Penfolds Rawsons Retreat 2004 - Widely Available £5.99
A good introduction to the world Australian wine from the Southcorp Wines group. Penfolds has shown that quality can be balanced with quantity by being one of the dominant forces in the Australian wine industry.
Exhibiting ripe plum and cranberry flavours with creamy vanilla. A good value red ideal for everyday drinking or for the dining table. Drinking now.
Rating: Good