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.

Cala Rey is the result of blending two popular white grapes – Sauvignon and Verdejo. It’s the creation of a new winery, founded in 2017, in Castilla La Mancha. Tomasso Ciampoli fell in love with the Alpera region and a particular 25-hectare plot of ancient vines. It was this passion that rekindled the family’s long-held tradition of making wine.

From the age of four, he’d help his grandfather craft wines that were enjoyed at every celebration. Now, he’s harnessed his knowledge, joining forces with winemaker Diego Lopez. The vineyard boasts vines that are up to 100 years old, their roots reaching deep to find nourishment. The result? A wine bursting with delicious, vibrant flavours. A zesty white – great for solo sipping or with tapas.

Over 170 years of experience have gone into the making of this ripe tangerine and toasted brioche Champagne.

It's the work of 5th-generation winemaker Julian Fourrier, whose father, Philippe, created this special cuvée in honour of his wife, Brigitte. Her maiden name was Delmotte.

The grapes are a classic blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay taken from vineyards first planted by Philippe and Brigitte.

All the family's 18 hectares of vines lie within Champagne's little known Côte des Bar, described by Wine Folly as "the hottest Champagne region right now".

Made traditionally, this fine fizz was aged four years on its lees to enhance its rich toasty flavour.

Presented in a handy half bottle - perfect as a celebratory bottle for two!

The Rapeneau family has been producing Champagne for over a century and oversee the production of the Louis Dumont label.

Now 4th generation, they are committed to high quality through understanding the nuances of the various subregions.

With five main grape growing areas in Champagne, careful selection of the grapes is a major influence on the style of the fizz.

Louis Dumont is a delicious, fruit-forward bubbly, ready to be enjoyed. It’s crafted from grapes from Vallée de la Marne – known for its fruity Pinot Meunier and peachy Chardonnay – and Côtes des Bars, with its reputation for full-flavoured, ripe Pinot Noir.

It’s a Pinot-dominated blend, brimming with red fruit flavour, refreshing citrus, and classic brioche notes. Chill and enjoy.

Paul Goerg is a leading independent Champagne house, as this Premier Cru testifies. Owned by eight grower families, it was voted by Le Guide Hachette as the top Champagne out of 100 tasted – above vintage Veuve Clicquot and equal to Krug. Goerg is named after a respected 19th century mayor of Vertus, located in the famous Côte des Blancs. Here, Chardonnay is king and an impressive 85% of it is classified as Premier Cru.

The elegance, finesse and purity of this variety is the hallmark of the Goerg style, enriched here with 40-50% reserve wine. The chalky soils of Vertus lend a rich, yet refreshingly mineral quality, while three years’ ageing adds considerably to the wine’s complexity. Superb for celebrations and lovely with oysters.

There are documents showing that wine was made at this beautiful property as early as 1172, when it belonged to Ermengarde, Countess of Narbonne. We don’t know the exact style and quality then, but today it is exemplary – Corbières at its sensuous best! The estate has been in the same family now since 1803 – seven generations of women and now Guillaume Allien, the eighth generation. Despite being in his final year as a medical student, Guillaume gave it all up to restore the family estate and learn winemaking.

He works with consultant Gilles Dejean to make this luscious, dark-fruited red, which speaks clearly of its stony soils, the herbal-scented garrigue and its Corbières provenance. A warming red that’s perfect for a rich casserole.

Finding a parcel of 2010 claret nine years after this 5-Star vintage was a coup for our Buyer Jean-Marc Sauboua. Critic Michael Schuster described the wines of 2010 on release as “massively elegant, fresher, firmer, more tannic”, Suckling praised them for being “very precise, focused and fresh to taste”, “dangerously good” said Jancis Robinson MW.

Médoc wines that year proved particularly good value too. The 40 hectare estate Château Carcanieux has very gravelly soils, hence its original name Carcanieux Les Graves. This encourages superb concentration and ripeness in the wines. Cabernet with Merlot, and aged in barrel, this silky claret has a fine balance of fruit and maturity, with spice from the oak. Decant and serve with steak au poivre.