La Monacesca Verdicchio di Matelica 2014

From - Marche, Italy
Grape - Verdicchio
Alcohol - 13.5% abv
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £10.99

Appearance - clean, lemon-gold, medium+ intensity

Nose - Clean, medium intensity, youthful, apple - pear - stone fruit - citrus (lemon) - minerality.

Palate -  Dry, high acid, medium+ length, medium+ body, medium+ alcohol.  Profile as per the nose, with the green and citrus fruit dominant.

This is a subtle and classy wine with impressive complexity that makes it really good value at this price.  The fruit and acid would make it a match for all sorts of dishes.  One to try.

Oyster Bay Merlot 2013

From - Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Grape - Merlot
Alcohol 13.5%
Available from - Waitrose, Asda, Tesco
Price - around a tenner

Appearance - Clear, deep, purple.  Legs observed.

Nose - Clean, medium+ intensity, youthful.  Black cherry, raspberry, plums.  A touch of sweet spice (vanilla).

Palate - Dry, medium+ acid; medium+ body and alcohol; medium length;medium tannin.  Black and red cherries, plums.  Drinkable now, but would benefit from further ageing.

This is a silky-smooth and very fruity varietal Merlot.  The ripeness of the fruit means that it would match up a variety of foods very well.  The alcohol is pretty well integrated, although it has the fruit intensity to age if you desire, although it is not one I would go to the trouble of ageing, myself.  The length isn't quite what I anticipated but nonetheless it is very palatable and one I will buy again.

Whispering Angel Rose 2014

From - Provence, France
Grape - Blend of Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Vermentino
Alcohol - 13%
Available from - Waitrose
Price -£16.99

Appearance - This wine is clean, with a pale, pink appearance.

Nose - The nose is clean with a youthful, medium- intensity aroma of grapefruit, raspberry and cranberry.

Palate - The palate is dry with medium intensity, high acid long length, medium+ alcohol, medium body.  The flavours reflect the aroma with maybe a touch of green apple.

I am drinking this as it was recommended to me.  A typically classy, elegant and food-friendly wine from Provence, who do rose so well.  It ain't cheap, but it's beautiful.

Calvet Sancerre Rose 2014

From - Sancerre, Loire, France
Grape - Pinot Noir
Alcohol - 12.5% abv
Available from - Waitrose, Ocado
Price - £15.99

Appearance - The appearance is clear, pink with medium intensity.

Nose - The nose is clean and youthful, with medium intensity aromas of ripe strawberries and raspberries.

Palate - The palate is dry, with high acidity, medium alcohol, medium- intensity and long length.  It has flavours of red fruit, raspberries and strawberries, and maybe a touch of cherry.

As you might imagine, a lovely wine.  With a subtle aroma of ripe red fruit, the palate seems slightly more tart at first, and therefore reminiscent of raspberries, but the ripe red fruit from the Pinot Noir comes through on a surprising length, in view of the subtlety of flavour.  This is a great option for a warm afternoon or evening.  I would not imagine that this would be suitable for ageing, but it is a classy and highly satisfying 'drink now' wine.

Waitrose Foundation Chenin Blanc 2014

From - Cederberg, SA
Grape - Chenin Blanc
Alcohol - 12.5%
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £8.99

Appearance - Clear, medium intensity, lemon-green

Nose - Clean, medium+ intensity, citrus, and apple.

Palate - Dry, medium alcohol, high acid, medium+ body, medium+ length. Medium+ intensity   Lime, stone fruit, apples, a touch of stone minerality and even a touch of petillance.

Oz Clarke reckons that, when the 'true' price of a wine can sometimes be in doubt, supermarkets' own label wines can often prove to be good value.  I found this wine to be really good, plenty of fruit and very refreshing.  I had it to accompany a tomato salad, which worked really well.  It also provides a good deal for the farmers.

Inama Vigneti di Foscarino Soave Classico 2012

From - Veneto, Italy
Grape - Garganega
Alcohol - 12.5% abv
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £18.99

Appearance - Clear, medium+ intensity, lemon-green

Nose - Clean, medium+ intensity, youthful with aroma of ripe pears, citrus (grapefruit and lime), and a touch floral.

Palate - Dry, medium+ acid, full body, medium+ length, medium+ intensity, with stone fruit (peach), ripe apples and pears, citrus (lime), stone minerality and maybe a touch of honey.

This is a beautiful, complex, full bodied wine, that I would be brilliant with a risotto, I reckon.

Torres Floralis Moscatel Oro

From - Penedes, Catalunya
Grape - Moscatel
Alcohol - 15%
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £7.49

Appearance - Clear, deep, tawny

Nose - Clean, medium- intensity, with grape and slightly nutty aroma.

Palate - Sweet, medium+ acid, medium length, full bodied, with raisins, prunes, sweet spice, ginger and candied peel, like Christmas time!

This is a great value sweet wine from the accomplished familia Torres, that is a great match-up for a variety of desserts, and was very agreeable with my strawberries and Booja-Booja vanilla ice-cream.  Yum yum.