2012 Calle Real Reserva Valdepenas DOP
17.5/20, 4 stars
This is a tasty Tempranillo from Valdepenas in Castilla la Mancha, a large region south east of Madrid and home to over 50 per cent of Spain’s grapes. Tempranillo is the most popular grape in the country and is the key ingredient in this smooth, spicy, seven year old red with its ripe red fruity flavours.
2017 Laurent Dublanc Cotes du Rhone
16.5/20, 3.5 stars
Tasty Med’ red from France’s southern Rhone Valley, where the warm Mediterranean climate has little rainfall, which results in deliciously ripe, flavoursome big reds with deep ruby colour, full body and spicy flavours. Great value for money for satisfying reds with a smooth soft style. View here.
2018 Paul Pinot Pére & Fils Pinot Noir-Syrah
16.5/20, 3.5 stars
This is a fabulous smooth French red made from an unusual combo of grapes, namely Pinot Noir whose lightness marries well with Syrah’s spicy rich dark fruit flavours. This is dry, medium bodied and smooth. An appealing red with approachable flavours that seem to say ‘drink me now’. This is a great summer red. View here.
2018 Casa Safra Verdejo Spain
17/20, 4 stars
This dry Spanish white is youthful in colour, aroma and taste, with lavours of lemon zest, a medium body, with a long finish, thanks to its high balanced but acidity. Every sip shows why Verdejo is the great white grape of Spain. Very good quality. View here.
2018 Casa Safra Garnacha Rosé Spain
17/20, 4 stars
Rosé rocks right now and this wine shows why.
It comes from Navarra in the north of Spain and is medium pink in colour, medium dry in taste and has fresh red berry flavours, which make it a great wine to drink, lightly chilled, in summer. View here.
2017 Reque Vin Bobal Tempranillo
16.5/20, 3.5 stars
This is a big, juicy, ripe tasting, full bodied Spanish red blend of two grapes; Bobal and Tempranillo. Its spicy flavours and fleshy plum appeal make it an appealing wine to drink all year round. Lovely balance, great value for money. View here.
Joelle Thomson is a wine writer, journalist and author. She’s an avid lover of wine and currently writes for Capital magazine, Good magazine, NZ Winegrower, Drinksbiz, and her own site, www.joellethomson.com.
She also teaches, works in radio, and more, so we've enlisted her help to sniff out our amazing value wines!
