Pérez Cruz Single Vineyard La Miguera Block 2010 (Chile)

Nose:  Quite woody with a hint of dark berries.

Taste:  Definitely berries, maybe cherries.  Definitely a medium-dry, but not too sweet.

Finish:  Very light tannins, super smooth.

What we say:  S - 'Oh, the taste is definitely berries!'  V - 'I think I like my wines to have a bit more bite at the end.' 'It's really drinkable, but maybe a bit boring?' S - 'Yeah, but it's not bad.'  'There's really not too much to the finish.'  'I don't think it's too boring, because you do get that taste of berries - it's not 'generic' red, but it's not that complex.  It's just a decent, drinkable wine.'  'It's a wine you could certainly enjoy just sitting, typing away, and sipping from time to time.'

What they say:  Tremendous structure, concentration, and fruit expression.

Rating:  6

Price:  £19.99

Freehand Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (New Zealand)

Nose:  Quite fragrant, slightly citrusy and sweet, possibly lychee fruit or melon.  Very fresh.

Taste:  Medium, not sweet, and possibly melon.  Reasonably light in flavour, but developing in the finish.

Finish:  Slightly sour, but pretty quick.

What we say:  S - "Wow, what is that?  It's like a sweet melon or lychee fruit or something."  V - "Yeah, the nose is strikingly different.  I'm afraid that the taste might only disappoint from this point."  S - "It really strikes the balance between sweet and dry."

What they say:  Fresh grassy and stonefruit notes on the bouquet and a luscious palate of ripe peach and passion fruit.

Rating:  6.5 (S - 7; V - 6)

Price:  £10.99

Piccini Memoro (Italy)

Nose:  Juicy berries, possibly blackberries or dark red berries.  Definite oakiness as well.

Taste: Slightly sweet, heavy and thick.

Finish:  Reasonable tannins that don't linger, with either a vanilla or cinnamon (we disagreed on this) finish afterwards.

What we say:  V - 'It's a bit strange - it was all oak on the first go, all berry on the second.'  'The berry scent is a bit different, but I can't figure out what it is - maybe cherry pie?'  S - 'It's almost syrupy without being sweet like a syrup.'

What they say:  Plenty of rich black cherry flavour, with coffee and tobacco on the nose, and hints of dried figs and prunes.

Rating:  6

Price:  £9.49

Beneficio McLaren Vale Shiraz 2010 (Australia)

Nose:  Juicy and reasonably oaky, overall medium.

Taste:  Very berry, possibly dark cherries, pretty dry through.  Relatively heavy.

Finish:  Quite bitter - some serious and long lasting tannins.

What we say:  V - 'I'm just getting a whole pile of oak, the nose is quite dry.'  S - 'The tannins are sticking on the roof of my mouth'  'It feels kind of French to me - heavy and tanniny.'  V - 'Except better than the French wine we've had.'  'It's pretty drinkable, but not particularly remarkable.'

What they say:  Elegant and balance in weight with structured velvet tannins, underpinned by dark berry fruit, liquorice and hues of cassis.

Rating:  6

Price:  £17.99

Villa Taurini Piemonte DOC Barbera 2010 (Italy)

Nose:  Quite oaky at first, which is reasonably heavy, followed by red berries, probably cherry or other types of bittersweet berries.  Dry.

Taste:  Definitely berryish and quite tart.

Finish:  Somewhat of a sour finish, very little tannins.

What we say: V - 'I think the red berries are pretty pronounced in the nose.' S - 'I can't really smell the fruit past the woodiness; maybe I'm just terrible at smelling.'  'The taste isn't as woody as I would have expected from the nose.'  V - It's a little bit of a letdown after the nose.' S - 'Yeah, I'm not a big fan of it.  It might be a wine that you need to pair with food.'

What they say: Full of luscious fruit flavours and some subtle spicy notes, it is a fresh and vibrant wine.

Rating:  4.5  (S - 4; V - 5)

Price:  £6.99

Il Corvo Nero d'Avola 2010 (Italy)

Nose:  Predominant dark berries with a slight oakiness.  Somewhat sweet.

Taste:  Somewhat tart and light, although we were eating some strong cheeses at the time.  Definitely smooth. Lighter than expected with definite red berries.


Finish:  Bloom of tannins in the finish, but not really overpowering.

What we say: V - "The nose is berries all over the place."  S - "What is that taste?  We've had it before.  Is it berries?"  "Yeah, it's like a flower blooming with the tannins.  Not like a firecracker, which is all like 'boom,' but a gradual pffffffssh.'  'It's a good wine, but nothing spectacular - it's not particularly complex.'  'Did they say leather?  Is there horse?  "Oh no, not the wine too!!"' L - 'It stings your nostrils a little bit.' V - 'It's ok, kind of watery in the finish.'

What they say: Bursting with dark fruits, black cherry, plum and blackberries, with savoury notes of leather and black peppercorn slowly emerging with a hint of liquorice.

Rating: 6.3 (S - 5; V - 6; L - 8)

Price: £8.99