It ended up being considerably longer than intended, but all's well that ends well, because 10 years later it's proved to be absolutely stunning – a silky, velvety luxury wine. A great choice with lamb.

Martinborough may be less high profile than other Kiwi wine regions (it's only small) but the quality of its cool climate wines is second to none. It lies in the southern corner of North Island and is renowned for Pinot Noir. A government report in 1979 had highlighted that the conditions of the region were remarkably similar to Burgundy – free-draining gravel soils, with moderate temperatures and rainfall. Jeremy Corban and Katherine Jacobs founded their beautiful family estate in 2005, after a wine stint in France.

They chose a site in Martinborough's Te Muna valley and planted Pinot Noir. This is their gloriously fragrant, expressive flagship wine. Aged in new oak, it has a lovely balance of ripe fruit, spice and savouriness. Open early.

Casa Primicia is one of the oldest buildings in Rioja Alavesa – in the 15th century it was where the Church collected tithes. In 1985 the Madrid brothers bought it and converted it into a winery. A host of prestigious awards soon followed, including the ‘Grand Prix d’Honneur’ at Vinexpo in Bordeaux. Grapes for this wine come from a beautiful 40-year-old vineyard and a good vintage.

Winemaker was Fernando Domingo (he trained under great oenologist Don Manuel Ruiz Hernández), who aged the wine in American and French oak barrels for 18 months, the rest in bottle, to obtain the perfect balance of subtle spice and deep fruit. A superb Rioja Reserva with red berry notes, cocoa, vanilla and toasty oak. Excellent with tapas, lamb or rice dishes.

For lovers of Tuscany's ethereal Brunello di Montalcino wines, Rosso di Montalcino is a superb and more affordable alternative. It's wines don't quite last the decades of Brunello, but then sometimes you can't wait that long. This glorious pure Sangiovese is from Giacomo Neri, a winemaker renowned for his remarkable Brunellos, two of which have scored a perfect 100 points. His father founded the estate in 1971, realising the huge potential of the area's soil and climate. He passed the property to his son in 1991, who has taken excellence another step even higher, extending the vineyards, now 63 hectares, and buying up some remarkable single vineyards too. Decant this red an hour before serving with rich red meat dishes.

Château Gigault was acquired in 1998 by Christophe Reboul, who had purchased Blaye's Château Les Maréchaux the year before. He immediately employed Stéphane Derenoncourt, who makes wine at some of Saint-Emilion’s greatest estates (La Mondotte, Canon La Gaffelière and Pavie Macquin), as consultant winemaker.

The château releases two wines – a traditionally made claret and this, their no-expense-spared Cuvée Viva, named after Reboul's late daughter. Critic Robert Parker described it as “consistently one of my picks as an overachieving wine”, while James Suckling considers it "excellent value". Hand-picked, low-yield Merlot aged in new oak, this is a rich, velvety, well-structured claret. Decant for an hour before serving. Ideal with lamb.

Located in the heart of Medoc, Château La Gorre has been a family-owned estate since 1937. Confirmed Cru Bourgeois in the 2003 classification, it's a property renowned for the quality of its terroir, the authenticity of its wines and the consistency of its vintages. This is their first wine; vinified from the oldest plots and aged in oak barrels for 12 months, it's a wine that will continue to improve, if you wish to cellar it.

2016 was a classic vintage too, not as fruit forward and accessible as 2015, but one that has aged very well. This silky Bordeaux made primarily from Merlot and Cabernet is a real charmer and will cellar for another few years. Decant an hour before serving. It'll be a fine match with lamb or a rich veggie casserole.

Château Peybourdieu is exactly the type of small, under the radar property we love to champion. It also illustrates Robert Parker’s advice not to “overlook the so-called petits vins of Bordeaux – they frequently compete with wines selling for two or three times the price”. Winemaker Denis Cayé is the third generation of his family at the property and his years of experience are evident in this fine 2021 vintage. The estate lies just north of the Haut-Médoc, between the Atlantic and Gironde estuary, protected from strong winds by forest.

A classic Médoc blend of Cabernet and Merlot, it delivers blackcurrant, earthy and oaky hints with a liquorice and cigar box character. Open a few hours early and decant. It's excellent with roast meats.