Bright ruby with a youthful rim: juicy red cherry and plum, a light peppery spice and gentle herbal lift, soft tannin and a fresh, balanced finish. An easy, food-friendly red from Karl Fritsch's Wagram vineyards. Certified organic and biodynamic (respekt-BIODYN).

The polished, barrel-aged expression of Melnik 55, a modern Bulgarian crossing of the indigenous Broad-leaved Melnik with Valdiguié: deep ruby with violet nuances, ripe red fruits, black cherry and blueberry lifted by vanilla and spice. 24 months in French oak.

A sweet red from Mavrud grapes air-dried for three months before pressing. Dark and rich — prunes, blackcurrant, caramel and chocolate — held together by fresh acidity and soft tannins. No oak. Half bottle.

A ripe but fresh Right-Bank-style red (the estate's "CDT" cuvée, labelled Vin de France): dark cherry, forest fruits, a hint of spice and dark chocolate, framed by fine, ripe tannins. Certified organic (Ecocert) and farmed biodynamically. Made by Corinne and Jean-Michel Comme.

Six hectares on the Figeac plateau, hemmed in on all sides by Cheval Blanc, Figeac and — over the Pomerol line — La Conseillante. Merlot with a third Cabernet Franc off gravel terraces, aged around a year in a third new oak, a third one-year barrels and a third concrete. Cherries, spice and sweet earth; broad but lively, with the moderate alcohol that made 2020 such a fine Right Bank vintage. Wine Advocate gave it 92 points and the Guide Hachette a star. Certified organic (Ecocert) since the 2012 vintage.

Deep garnet, with an expressive smoky, spiced nose over red berry fruit. Smooth and harmonious on the palate with silky tannin and a juicy, fresh finish — a Cinsault, Carignan, Syrah and Grenache blend from the Serin family's Hérault vineyards. Certified organic since 2009.

Named after the ruined Cathar castles of the Haute Vallée de l'Aude, this Pinot Noir shows fine, elegant red fruit — redcurrant, raspberry and cherry — with a subtle savoury spice from ageing in old oak.

A bright, refreshing Cabernet Sauvignon from the Côtes de Thau, Languedoc. Juicy blackcurrant with a soft, appealing mouthfeel — easy drinking with real character.

Deep ruby to garnet, with cherry jam, dried fruit cake and vanilla. Concentrated and full-bodied from appassimento-dried grapes — ripe black fruit, coffee and toast over a warm, structured finish, softened by time in oak. Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG at 15%.

An easy-drinking Sicilian blend of Nero d'Avola and Merlot. Deep ruby with liquorice and raspberry — a great everyday red for pizza, pasta or a simple charcuterie board.

A vibrant, medium-bodied Sicilian red splitting Frappato and Nerello Mascalese half and half, from the hills behind Marsala. Wild berry and gentle spice over soft, well-integrated tannin, part of the blend barrel-aged for texture, finishing long and savoury. Certified organic.

High-altitude Sangiovese from the Monte Subasio park above Assisi, farmed without herbicides or pesticides. Bright red cherry with a savoury tomato-leaf edge, tannins already well integrated and fresh acidity keeping it lively — good with a light chill. Umbria IGT, imported by Les Caves de Pyrène.

Super-light chillable red from high-altitude old vines (70+ years) on schist and granite at 650m. Bright red fruit, herbal notes, refreshing acidity. Whole-cluster foot-stomped in granite lagars, 3 days maceration. Organic farming, minimal intervention.

A single-vineyard, low-intervention red from marl and sandstone soils. Morello cherry, redcurrant and dried herbs, medium-bodied with a long mineral finish.

Organic, dry-farmed bush-vine Cinsault from the Paarl-Swartland border. Wild florals, cranberry and cherry with a spicy, juicy finish — a crunchy, chillable red.

Intense cherry-red Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon grown at 1,000m on calcareous soils near Valladolid. Concentrated blackcurrant and dark fruit with cracked pepper and gentle oak spice — powerful but poised, finishing long and well balanced.

Bhilar's flagship single-vineyard Rioja: a tiny plot of centenarian bush vines on steep, pure limestone, worked by horse. Foot-trodden, partly whole-bunch and aged up to two years in new French oak — cherry and violet, dried herbs, graphite-fine tannin and remarkable length. Around a thousand bottles a year. Certified organic and biodynamic.

Deep ruby Rioja Alavesa from old-vine Tempranillo, Graciano and a splash of Viura, whole-bunch fermented with native yeast. Around eighteen months in French oak and foudre brings dark cherry, balsamic herbs and chalky, fine-grained tannin. Certified organic and biodynamic.

Bright purple Ribera del Duero from 40-year-old Tinto Fino on clay loam, briefly macerated then six months in French oak. Wildflowers and morello cherry on the nose, fresh acidity carrying muscular dark fruit to a lightly oak-spiced finish. A more approachable style of Ribera. Certified organic.

Classic Rioja Alavesa Crianza from a family bodega founded in 1926, made from one hundred per cent Tempranillo and given twelve months in American oak. Deep ruby, with cherry and strawberry lifted by vanilla and sweet spice, soft tannins and a long, gently spiced finish. The traditional style, and a natural partner for lamb, chorizo or a Sunday roast.

Single-varietal Graciano from the high limestone vineyards of Rioja Alavesa, hand-harvested and fermented in concrete with native yeasts. Redcurrant, pomegranate and black cherry meet eucalyptus, violet and crushed-rock minerality, with juicy acidity and a cocoa-tinged finish. Demeter-certified biodynamic.

Sierra de Gredos Garnacha off granite soils around Burgohondo, some vines over 70 years old. Partial whole-bunch ferment in steel, unoaked, bottled unfined and unfiltered: ripe cherry, wild strawberry and mountain herbs with crisp, mineral-edged acidity.

Cherry red with violet tones, from old Bobal vines planted in 1941 in Manchuela: black fruit, cherry and redcurrant with a mineral edge, a fleshy palate, noble tannin and bright acidity. The 2022 vintage took a Silver medal (94 points) at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2024. Certified organic.

Light-bodied and vibrant with bright red cherry, herbs and a gentle freshness. Best served slightly chilled. A natural wine that punches well above its price, and great for Burgundy lovers. Certified organic.

Cherry-ruby in colour with an elegant, slowly unfolding nose of red berries, raspberry and minerals. Medium-bodied, dry and harmonious with silky fine-grained tannins and a long mineral finish. Spontaneously fermented and aged 12 months in barriques. A beautifully crafted Pinot from volcanic terroir.

Deep, dark and full-bodied with blackberries, black pepper and cloves. Alibernet was bred at the Tairov Institute in Odesa in 1948, crossing Alicante Bouschet with Cabernet Sauvignon, and has become something of a Slovak speciality: intense colour and a distinctly Cabernet-like character. For bold red lovers.

Everyday drinking at its best. Juicy red fruit, soft tannins and a smooth finish. Tempranillo is Spain's most celebrated red grape — think cherries, plums and a gentle earthiness. Brilliant value.

Single-vineyard Garnacha, whole-bunch fermented in concrete with zero added sulphites. Summer pudding and kirsch on the nose, juicy red fruit and Mediterranean herbs on the palate. Unfined, unfiltered and utterly natural.

The classic Southern Rhône blend — red berries, Provençal herbs and a warm, spicy finish. Generous and food-friendly. Perfect with lamb, charcuterie or a hearty stew.

Made from rare indigenous varieties found almost nowhere else. Rustic yet charming, with dark fruit, earthy depth and a lively finish. A real discovery for adventurous wine drinkers.

Corbières-Boutenac is one of the Languedoc's finest appellations. Deep garnet with rich dark fruit, garrigue and hints of dark chocolate. Full-bodied with well-integrated tannins, and a serious wine. Certified organic since 2006.

The sun-drenched heel of Italy produces this rich, deep red. Dark plums, dried figs and a warming spice with a characteristically slightly bitter Negroamaro finish. Exceptional value for money.

From Marlborough's cooler inland valleys, this organic Pinot Noir shows red cherry, raspberry and gentle earthiness with a long, silky finish. The Henri Bourgeois family brings Loire precision to the Southern Hemisphere.

Red Sancerre is a revelation — pale, delicate and perfumed with red fruits and flinty minerality from the famous flint and limestone soils of the Loire. Far lighter and more elegant than most red wines.

The 'King of Italian wines.' Tar, roses, dried cherry and leather, with the silky, approachable tannins that mark out the 2018 vintage. Open and generous, drinking beautifully now rather than needing years in the cellar. Worth decanting.

Gareth and Rainbo Belton's Sangiovese, made at Basket Range in the Adelaide Hills. Bright red fruit and red florals with dusty, chalky tannins and a lifted, puckering acidity. Old World in style, high-altitude Australian in origin. Minimal-intervention winemaking. As good as lunch wine gets.

Barossa Shiraz dialled down: fresh, peppery and medium-bodied with blackberry compote, black pepper and savoury herbs. Made by winemaker Xavier Goodridge from naturally fermented, sustainably farmed fruit, with just a touch of sulphur at bottling.

Pale straw with a green tinge: yellow orchard fruit and citrus zest lifted by white pepper and herbal spice. Fresh and rounded, with lively acidity driving a clean, moreish finish. Certified organic and biodynamic (respekt-BIODYN).

The white in the Serin family's Oscar trio, made from Terret Bourret — an old Hérault variety that has become genuinely rare. Mint and white flowers on the nose, then a fresh, racy palate full of white orchard fruit and a clean, saline finish. Certified organic. Lovely as an aperitif or with seafood.

Bright, aromatic Viognier from the Côtes de Thau in the Languedoc, grown by the lagoons of the Bassin de Thau. Fresh stone fruit and floral notes with a soft, rounded finish.

Classic dry Mosel Riesling from an estate whose history runs back to 862 AD, when King Lothar II granted the Kröv property and its wine tithes to the Abbey of Stavelot — which is where the name comes from. Pure and mineral with green apple, lime zest, stone fruit and a waft of slate. Clean, easy-drinking and versatile. Fermented and aged on lees in stainless steel. Certified organic (ECOVIN).

A single-vineyard Vidiano from a Demeter biodynamic estate near the Nestos river. Peach, apricot, white raspberry, creamy texture, long finish.

A dry Furmint & Hárslevelű blend from an organic Tokaj estate, wild fermented and aged on the lees. Apple, quince and pineapple, with crisp Tokaj acidity and a mineral finish.

A dry Sicilian white from aromatic Zibibbo, briefly cold-macerated on its skins before pressing to lift the aromatics. Brilliant pale straw, with ripe apricot, almond and orange blossom on the nose, a soft palate and a long, persistent finish. Dry, despite the grape's sweeter reputation.

Delicate and soft, with green apple, honeysuckle and light floral notes over a gentle mineral, well-balanced acidity. An easy, seafood-friendly white. Certified organic.

From the Perusini family's vineyards on the Gramogliano hill in Friuli's Colli Orientali, fermented in stainless steel and left six months on its lees. Bright yellow-green, with elderflower and white rose over apricot, kiwi and gooseberry, closing dry and sapid on the classic Friulano note of bitter almond.

Loureiro from Vasco Croft's Aphros estate in the Lima valley, certified biodynamic (Biodyvin). Spritzy and citrus-driven with a saline edge and a light natural prickle — the sort of Vinho Verde that tastes of the Atlantic rather than of sugar. Bottled for the Terroirs Project.

A textured Tejo white from ODE's own Fernão Pires, half of it aged five months in new 500-litre French oak. Bold but fresh, with ripe tropical fruit and a herbal lift, the oak lending gentle structure to a rounded, persistent finish. Estate-grown, farmed to organic and regenerative principles.

A dry white from Aligoté grown on sandy-loam soils in Dobrogea, near the Danube Delta. Fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel and rested on its lees over winter — no oak, no skin contact. Floral and citrussy, fresh and lightly mineral. Certified organic.

Pale-lemon Chardonnay from high-altitude chalky clay in DO Manchuela. White peach, pear and citrus blossom, full-bodied and rounded on the palate, with fresh acidity carrying through to a soft orchard-fruit finish. Certified organic.

Ben Walgate's Chardonnay, made at his Rye winery from two clay sites in the south east — one farmed biodynamically, one conventionally. Whole-bunch pressed and fermented in a mix of stainless steel and oak barrels of varying size and age: fleshy apricot and taut ripe citrus up front, salty and nutty underneath.

Montravel is a lesser-known appellation in the Dordogne producing excellent dry whites. Fresh citrus and stone fruit with a gentle roundness from the Sémillon. Brilliant value for a versatile food wine.

Picpoul — often glossed as 'lip-stinger', though the Occitan more likely points at hens pecking the grapes — is the Languedoc's great shellfish white. This organic cuvée comes from vineyards above the Étang de Thau: lemon zest, white blossom and a saline, mineral finish. The classic match for oysters.

A blend of Chardonnay, Chenin and Mauzac from Etienne Fort's vines at Bouriège, up at 450m on clay-limestone in the hills of Limoux. Fresh and lively, with orchard fruit, citrus zest and a clean, dry finish. Stainless steel, very low sulphur. Great with seafood.

From the ancient vineyards of Campania, this blend of Fiano and Greco brings peach, toasted nuts, honeysuckle and a rich, almost waxy texture. Southern Italy's white wines are seriously undervalued.

The flagship white from a family estate in Bergerac, now run by the next generation of the de Conti family. A classic Sud-Ouest blend — Sémillon for roundness, Sauvignon for lift, Muscadelle for floral aromatics. White peach, acacia blossom and a mineral finish. Organic. Brilliant value.

Crisp, unfussy and brilliantly refreshing. A blend of Colombard and Ugni Blanc from Plaimont, a Gascon co-operative of several hundred family growers. Lemon zest, orchard fruit and a clean finish. A fridge-door regular. Sauvignon drinkers take note.

A thinking-person's Marlborough Sauvignon from a small family-run, certified organic estate. Passionfruit, guava and elderflower with fresh basil and lime, softened by 10% old-oak ferment for texture. Juicy, mineral and properly elegant — a world away from the supermarket style.

Moroccan Chardonnay from an organic estate at the foot of the Middle Atlas. Deep yellow and tropical on the nose — custard apple, quince and green almond — with a subtle oak caress and a long musky finish. Big, generous and genuinely distinctive; a curiosity worth taking seriously.

Skin-contact Traminer from Judith Beck's biodynamic estate at Gols, on the eastern shore of the Neusiedlersee. Around eight to ten days on the skins and a rest in used barriques turn the grape's natural exuberance — rose petal, orange peel and warm spice — into something drier and gently grippy. Certified biodynamic (respekt-BIODYN). A brilliant match for spiced and aromatic food.

A traditional Georgian amber wine from Kakheti, blending Rkatsiteli, Kisi and Mtsvane fermented in qvevri clay vessels. Dried apricot, citrus blossom and toasted almond with soft, structured tannins.

Amber-gold with a copper blush after a few days on skins: ripe peach, grapefruit and a touch of green apple, with a light savoury grip of tannin and a clean, dry finish. Low-intervention winemaking, and gentle enough to convert an orange-wine sceptic. Vegan.

Burnished amber with a creamy texture: ripe peach and apricot, citrus pith and a whisper of honey blossom, framed by fine tannin from daily punch-downs and bright acidity. Wild-fermented on skins and aged in concrete egg. Small-batch and low-sulphur.

Amber-gold skin-contact white from old-vine Viura, Garnacha and Garnacha Blanca on Rioja Alavesa's white limestone. Two months fermenting whole-cluster on skins, then a year in French foudre, gives a grippy, waxy texture with dried apricot, orange peel and honeyed spice. Certified organic and biodynamic.

Skin-contact Macabeo from D.O. Manchuela, given a full two months on its skins. Stone fruit and white blossom, with a soft, textured palate and a mineral finish. Vegan and low-intervention, and made in tiny quantities — around 6,500 bottles in 2022.

Schlehe means 'sloe', so expect wild fruit character with the added texture of skin maceration. White pepper, citrus peel and a savoury, tannic edge from the skins. Kamptal orange wine at its most approachable.

An amber, skin-macerated Alsace blend of Muscat, Gewurztraminer and Riesling, aged on its fine lees and bottled with nothing added — no sulphites, unfined, unfiltered. Very ripe on the nose, all stewed peach, fresh Muscat grape and exotic fruit, but fresh and beautifully balanced on the palate. Stoeffler have farmed organically since 2000. Lovely with strong cheeses or anything spiced.

Pale peachy pink, a Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah blend from the Serin family's Hérault vineyards. Redcurrant, strawberry and white peach with a citrus edge, dry and crisp with vibrant acidity and a refreshing finish. Certified organic since 2009.

A gastronomic Southern Rhône rosé made using the gentle 'rosé de presse' method. Rosehip, wild berries and cherry with ripe, balanced acidity.

Strawberry-pink rosé from the Vinha da Malhada plot at Ourém, on the limestone hills at the northern end of the Lisboa region. Crushed and fermented in steel with no skin contact, so the colour comes off the press alone — bone dry, intensely fruity, fresh red berries and a medium finish. Certified organic with Ecocert-Portugal, as the whole estate has been since 1997.

Pale strawberry-pink rosé from old-vine Bobal in the Cabriel Valley, Manchuela. Ripe strawberry and red fruit on the nose, fresh and intense on the palate with good acidity and a dry, easy-drinking finish. Certified organic.

Monastrell gives rosé real substance — this is dry, flavoursome and far from insipid. Strawberry, wild herbs and a pleasingly savoury finish. Great with tapas or grilled fish.

A classic pale Provence-style rosé from one of the Languedoc's finest estates. Delicate strawberry, white peach and citrus with a bone-dry finish. Elegant and refreshing — brilliant price.

Pale salmon pink with delicate red fruit, citrus and a fine saline lift. This is refined, dry and deeply food-friendly rosato from one of Sicily's most thoughtful minimal-intervention growers.

A lightly sweet, low-alcohol sparkling rosé made by the méthode ancestrale, the single-fermentation method that defines Bugey-Cerdon and which Balivet is credited with reviving locally. Bright and perfumed with crunchy cherry, raspberry and violet over fine bubbles, and a lovely play between sugar and acidity. Certified organic.

A traditional-method sparkler from Limoux with citrus, syllabub and lime-blossom notes, a limestone-driven saline freshness and a gentle bitter twist on the finish.

A lightly sparkling red from the Piacenza hills — bright ruby with a soft, gentle fizz, juicy blackcurrant, wild strawberry and violet, light grippy tannin and a clean, dry finish. Serve cool, with charcuterie. Bottled in the local style, hand-tied with string.

Pale straw with a green hint and a delicate, gentle fizz: fresh mint, white flowers and citrus, light and easy on the palate with the soft bitter twist that marks out the Ortrugo grape. A Colli Piacentini classic, hand-tied with string.

Mother-of-pearl pink with a fine, lively bead: ripe raspberry and strawberry, a generous entry settling into a dry, firm finish with a touch of red-fruit-skin tannin. Traditional method, eighteen months on lees. Certified organic, bottled under the Corpinnat mark.

Pale gold with a fine, persistent bead; white flowers, pear and pastry giving way to brioche, cream and toasted almond, with fresh acidity and a dry, structured finish. Traditional method, a minimum two years on lees in Penedès. Certified organic, and bottled under the stricter Corpinnat mark rather than Cava.

A fascinating hybrid method — part Pét-Nat, part traditional Champagne method. Hazy with citrus, brioche and minerals. Lovely fine bubbles and a complex, easy-drinking character. Great with or without food.

Frizzante means gently sparkling — less fizzy than Prosecco but just as charming. Fresh pear, white flowers and a clean, light finish. An approachable crowd-pleaser at a great everyday price.

Grower Champagne from Ophélie Lamiable, whose six hectares at Tours-sur-Marne are classified Grand Cru in their entirety. Sixty per cent Pinot Noir to forty Chardonnay, the current release built on the 2021 harvest and topped up from a perpetual reserve, then dosed at just 4.5g/l — Extra Brut, properly dry. Citrus and brioche over a long, chalky finish.

Pale, cloudy pink with lively frothy bubbles; bright raspberry and strawberry fruit with fresh herbs and a hint of almond and citrus. Fresh, dry and gluggable — a fun, funky ancestral-method pét-nat. Natural, wild-yeast.

Bright, juicy red fruit with a herbaceous Balkan edge — a lighter, savoury red pét-nat leaning toward cool-climate Pinot in character. Easy-drinking, ancestral method, unfined and unfiltered. Tiny production.

An experimental pét-nat co-ferment (75% apple, 25% Cabernet Franc) made with Chinon winemaker Boris Desbourdes. Crafted as a 'vin de soif' — lower-alcohol and easy-drinking; juicy, funky and fruit-forward. One for fans of funky pét-nats. Serve chilled, but not too chilled.

Natural sparkling pét-nat made using the ancestral method from old-vine field blend. Wild strawberry, cherry, grapefruit, and a gentle fizz. Cloudy, unfiltered, undisgorged, no added sulphites. Fun, energetic, and refreshing.

Pale coppery-pink with a lively, frothy natural fizz; crunchy red apple, strawberry and cherry with a distinctive salty, savoury tang. Dry and gently textured: a fun, funky ancestral-method Pinotage pét-nat from the Swartland. Decanter scored the 2023 vintage 89 points.

A craft Moravian vermouth with a beautiful rosy pink colour, built on a rosé base of Frankovka, Zweigeltrebe, Svatovavřinecké and Merlot. Aromatic and complex with herbs, spice and floral notes, and properly sweet. Serve over ice with a slice of orange, or use in cocktails.

Partida Creus are cult natural wine producers in Penedès. MUZ is their extraordinary vermouth: intensely herbal, bitter-sweet and complex, built on a blend of young red, barrel-aged red and oxidative white from their own vines. Unmissable.

Not a wine — but a brilliant one for non-drinkers. Made in Provence by Myrko Tépus and Nicolas de Groot on the same philosophy as their wines: organic ingredients, careful fermentation, no added sulphites or finings. Organic Sencha green tea and pomelo, with a distillate of Damask rose and Rose de Grasse and organic hibiscus flowers. Rose-hued, with hibiscus and wild meadow grass over a fine, delicate fizz. 0.0% ABV.