WINE: Bamboozled by a blur of wine brands? Mary Dowey suggests 10 names to remember
Ever feel bewildered by the sheer number of different wines on offer? Six or seven hundred of them in your average shop, all jostling for attention - and dozens staring out from restaurant wine lists? A lot of people do. The natural reflex is either to buy the same, trusty bottle that you've enjoyed 20 times already (unadventurous), or to reach for something from a ritzy region such as Chablis or Châteauneuf-du-Pape, hoping that it will deliver (foolish - many don't).
Resist both urges, I suggest. A safer way through the maze is to get to know the names of some reliable producers. Although you may not love every single wine they make, you'll stand a much better chance of finding something well made and appealing than if you venture into the unknown. Here are 10 big but beautiful names to take hesitant wine buyers on a disaster-proof world tour.
GUIGAL: Irish wine-drinkers love the rich, spicy reds of the Rhône, but it's a vast territory. Luckily, one name stands out. Marcel Guigal, a top producer of Côte Rôtie, Hermitage and Condrieu, also delivers outstanding Côtes du Rhône which is both affordable and widely available. Although these wines are part of Guigal's négociant business - so made from bought-in grapes - his insistence on quality at every stage shines through. The white Côtes du Rhône has a lovely, peachy character, thanks to a good dollop of Viognier. The red offers some complexity alongside soft, juicy fruit, and ages surprisingly well, too. Both are wonderfully consistent.
- Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2001. From Superquinn, O'Briens and many off-licences countrywide, about 12.99.
LOUIS JADOT: Burgundy is a scary minefield - everybody knows that. So many appellations, so many small producers plus a number of big companies whose wines are depressingly mixed. It can be difficult to know where to begin - but let me point the way. The house of Louis Jadot is a safe haven. Now American-owned but still run by dynamic Pierre-Henry Gagey (whose family was the previous proprietor), Jadot has a supreme advantage. Jacques Lardière, one of Burgundy's most gifted winemakers, has been fine-tuning quality over decades.
The range is wide, with treats at the top end (Corton-Charlemagne, Puligny-Montrachet, etc) and few if any disappointments lower down. Zero in on Couvent des Jacobins white and red in restaurants and the Bourgogne Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in off-licences.
ZENATO: The first reliable big Italian names to spring to mind are Antinori and Masi, but since they hogged this column a few weeks ago, let's look elsewhere. Zenato is a rising star in Veneto - a family company propelled forward by the younger generation. The wines are modern in style, with seductive fruit, refreshing acidity and a lovely smooth texture. Just about every wine this ambitious company produces seems to be attractive, from citrussy Soave and round Lugana to personality-packed Valpolicella Classico, rich Ripassa and a clutch of glorious Amarones. So remember the Z word.
TORRES: It's not merely a familiar name but a huge, dynamic dynasty - Spain's biggest family-owned company and biggest brand, with operations in Chile and California. Even so, Torres continues to deliver well-made wines at decent prices, especially from its Catalonian headquarters. Quiet Miguel Torres presides over his power base with a fastidiousness that few can match. There are 17 wines on sale here, with the flagship Cabernet-based red, Mas la Plana, the grandest. (And most ageworthy: at a recent tasting the 1981 was glorious.) At a more affordable level, there are easygoing whites such as Vina Sol and juicy, gently spicy reds such as Coronas and Sangre de Toro. They taste distinctively Spanish - a bonus; Torres is a champion of local grapes.
- Torres Sangre de Toro, Catalunya 2002. Very widely available, usually 9.99.
CHIVITE: In Navarra in north-east Spain, the family-owned firm of Julian Chivite has been noted for its wines since 1647. Even if you don't recognise the name Chivite, you'll probably know Gran Feudo, its most familiar brand. This has been a runaway success in Ireland, both with the brambly, leather-edged crianza - still fantastic value at around 9.99 - and the exuberant Garnacha-based rosé, one of my favourite summer pinks at just €8.99. Anybody ready to move up the scale should try meaty Gran Feudo Vinas Viejas or the seriously impressive Colección 125 red, which lives for years.
PETER LEHMANN: The takeover of Lehmann was one of the biggest cliffhangers in the wine business last year. The Baron of the Barossa is widely admired, both for helping to save Australian Shiraz from being ripped out when times were rough and for a cracking range of wines. Happily, the new majority shareholder, Californian Donald Hess, seems happy to let Lehmann and his company continue without major change. That's great news for fans of everything from statuesque Stonewell Shiraz down to the brilliantly consistent Barossa range, whose Semillon, Riesling, Cabernet and Shiraz all over-deliver at comfortable price levels.
- Peter Lehmann The Barossa Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2001. See Bottles of the Week.
MITCHELTON: The acquisition of the Mitchelton range has been an exciting development for Dunnes Stores. Bought by the smart Australian winery Petaluma (well before it, in turn, was scooped up by big brewer Lion Nathan), Mitchelton is a leading light in Victoria. Like many of the other producers recommended this week, it delivers smashing wines across a wide range of styles and price points. The Thomas Mitchell range is hard to beat for value (8.49), while the massive Print Shiraz is a classy blockbuster (34.95). In between, explore Mitchelton Shiraz; funky Airstrip Marsanne-Roussanne-Viognier; Crescent Shiraz-Mourvèdre-Grenache and the best summer bargain of all, Blackwood Park Riesling.
NEW ZEALAND
VILLA MARIA: Although it is among New Zealand's three largest wine companies, with a vast and swish new Auckland HQ, there's nothing remotely factory-like about Villa Maria. Why? Because owner George Fistonich is hands-on and quality-obsessed. Winemaker Alastair Maling MW shares his philosophy, fretting as much about the competitively priced Private Bin range as the fancier bottlings. Tropical-tinged Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc and newly zesty Riesling are a good bet. But if you get the chance, dip into a Villa Maria red such as the smooth, cherryish Cellar Selection Pinot Noir or the refined, well structured Reserve Cabernet-Merlot.
- Villa Maria Cellar Selection Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2000/1. From Cabot & Co, IFSC; Higgins, Clonskeagh; Mill, Maynooth; MJ Wines, Dundalk; Cliftons, Cobh; McCambridges, Galway and other independents, about €16.99.
SOUTH AFRICA
VERGELEGEN: At Cape Wine 2004, Vergelegen impressed me with a long line-up of exciting, individualistic wines. Winemaker André van Rensburg is an outspoken iconoclast - the sort of person you can't help admiring. (I love his anti-competition stance: "I'm not interested in making wines to score points. I want people to drink bottles of my wine - not to sniff and spit.") Given their intense, subtle flavours, the Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are a steal at 13.95, while the Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are polished offerings for about 6 more. Let's hope the splendid reserve wines reach Ireland soon! The estate red mentioned last week sits at the top of the tree.
- Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc, Stellenbosch 2003. From Corkscrew, Chatham St; Vintry, Rathgar; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Capranis, Ashford; Mill, Maynooth; Lannys SuperValu, Ardee; Thomas Woodberrys, Galway, about 13.95.
FETZER: Although Fetzer ceased to be a family-owned company some years ago, there is still a down-home feel to the Mendocino operation built up by Barney Fetzer and eight of his children - along with a determination to offer honest value. Among the cheaper wines, Pacific Bay Chardonnay-Pinot Grigio is a great white summer quaffer (just 7.99), while Zinfandel-Shiraz shines as a gluggable red (9.99). But the all-organic Bonterra range crafted by winemaker Bob Blue encompasses Fetzer's best efforts to date. The entire Fetzer range may soon be organic, however. Worth watching.
- Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast 1999. From selected SuperValus; Molloys; O'Briens and independents, usually 16.99.