From yet another quality Californian vintage, Bold Move 2021 marries three powerhouse grapes. Cabernet Sauvignon packs a punch with it’s deep, black-fruit aromas, brooding Petit Verdot adds great structure and tannins to the blend, while Petite Sirah contributes concentrated berry notes and extra body. Combined they produce this bold, intense fruit-filled red blend. A sure winner for any Californian wine lover – the previous vintage even won bronze at the San Francisco International Wine Competition.

Enjoy its rich, ripe blackcurrant and plums flavours, with baking spice layers, firm tannins and a long, sumptuous finish. A delicious red to sip on its own, or a great choice with roasted meats, vegetarian burgers, or spag bol.

Antonio Federici is a small, 3rd-generation cellar in Lazio, just south of Rome. As you'll taste here, its wines are both authentic and delicious. Normally, they only supply their meagre output to top restaurants in Rome.

But with most shut in 2020, we managed to gain a small allocation of this superb, cherry-scented red. And again, the following year. On fine limestone soils (the rocks of which were used to build some of Rome's most famous buildings) they grow some of Italy's most characterful native grapes.

From these they make a small range of award-winning wines. No doubt the skill of top Italian consultant Franco and Matteo Bernabei comes into play, as well as the commitment and passion of the family.

A silky, smooth, easy red.

Big Red El Bombero has been a top choice with customers for over 20 years. And in special vintages, winemaker Javier Domeque crafts a sophisticated Gran Reserva version using the pick of the crop from his oldest vines. To qualify for Gran Reserva status, the wine is aged in oak for three years with further time in bottle prior to release. It’s made mostly from Garnacha, an important component of many full-bodied Spanish reds (and also of Châteauneuf-du-Pape), with a generous portion of juicy Tempranillo for added flavour. It's a touch more refined than El Bombero itself, but still full of rich berry flavour and with delicious spicy complexity from American oak. Drinking perfectly right now with roast lamb, game or a selection of tapas.

And are well-placed to source the best of its truly remarkable wines.

A brilliant taste of Portugal’s flagship red, this one comes from fourth-generation Leonor Freitas (who was named ‘Comendadora,’ the equivalent of a knighthood) by the Portuguese government for her services to the wine industry. As you can imagine, she certainly knows how to produce a very fine wine. Made with fruit from the family’s acclaimed Vinha do Fava vineyard (wines from this vineyard have won over 80 Gold medals), and long aged in oak, this excellent red is packed with rich bramble, spice, herb and mineral character on a velvety smooth finish.

Rated third among the top 10 wineries of Chile and Argentina by The Wine Report, Zuccardi are hugely impressive. Several years ago, their vineyard manager stumbled upon a very old vineyard in Mendoza. The owner, smoking a pipe under a tree, described his small, nuggety grapes as Cachibaché, meaning they were of little value to him (barely bringing in a profit) but potentially of great interest to someone else.

This was because old, low-yielding vines can produce very intense, complex, deeply coloured wines, albeit in tiny quantities. So Zuccardi winemaker Rubén Ruffo got to work. His Cachibaché 2021 is a blend of Shiraz and Malbec, all from this ancient vineyard. Dark fruit and spice, it's superb with lamb shanks and hearty pasta dishes.