I have said before that Barbeito colheitas are the cutting edge of Madeira cool and this one demonstrates that admirably. This is made by the traditional 'canteiro' process (it is matured in a warm warehouse rather than being heated artificially) and is not coloured with caramel. The back label tells us this cask was at a cooler edge of the warehouse which supposedly results in a more elegant wine.

Malvasia Colheita Cask 18a 1994, Barbeito
The colour is quite light orange-brown. The nose displays all of the weird aromas of decent Madeira but it has a lightness to it; it is not aggressively rancid or chemical. There is also some candied orange fruit there. The palate is also remarkably light for a Madeira; certainly full of flavour but not thick and heavy. The note on the back label was right, this does seem elegant compared to other Barbeitos I've had. It is very complex and very long. This is very stylish and very satisfying. Cool Madeira!

As an aside, these single cask Barbeito Madeiras occasionally turn up in Fortnum and Mason. My last conversation with the Barbeito agent suggested they'd be getting some new stuff in soon. At less than twenty notes for an imp bottle these are serious wines at bargain prices.

One of the best tastings I have ever attended was at Thanisch; great wines were shown by the charming owner. There are two Thanischs is Bernkastel, this is the best one.

Riesling Spatlese Berncasteler Doctor 1998, Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch (Erben Thanisch)
This has a very pure, focused nose of lime and minerals; linear and direct is a classic Berncasteler Doctor aroma. The palate is most delicious, some sweetness with great citrus fruit and a pronounced stony character. The acidity is really lively. Real balance, elegance and finesse here. The finish is very long, with great complexity and style. This may be a lesser vintage, but the wine is simply superb and it is up from drinking now.

This was one of the bottles we picked up on a booze cruise to France. It cost there in euros what it costs here in pounds.

Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, Billecart-Salmon
A very elegant nose of apples, toast and yeast. There is some minerality there too, so this smells quite complex. The palate is beautiful, with apple fruit, fine acidity and great length. The mousse is very fine. It is light and refined, but not lacking depth of flavour or complexity. This is quite lovely. An excellent non-vintage fizz that is great to drink now, but I am sure will age very well.

The Bandol wasn't good enough, time for something that is definitely good!

Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel Oberhäuser Brücke 2004, Helmut Dönnhoff
This smells really bright, fresh and fruity. Not much botrytis, but it does smell ripe. There is beautiful citric fruit and nutty minerality. The palate has good sweetness, balanced with fine acidity. It is really complex and long. The fruit is quite lovely. What a good bottle of wine!

I am a big fan of Bandol, they are lovely when they are old. They can also be quite a lot of fun when they are young. 2001 was a great vintage for Bandol, but some of the wines have been a bit big. This wine is certainly a biggie.

Bandol 2001, Domaine du Gros-Noré
A rich nose of stewed fruit, this is very ripe. This is so rich in ripe fruit and alcohol that is almost smells like a young port. It does have some Mourvedre meatiness, but it remains reasonably clean. The palate is powerfully fruity, but has quite a rigorous backbone of tannin. This is big but not soupy. The finish is reasonably long, but it doesn't seem overly complex. This is a perfectly good drink, but it is not really top-flight Bandol. Pibarnon and Tempier make more complex, interesting wines

This month's buying recommendations include some bargains from Howard Ripley.

Clos Vougeot Grand Cru 2001, Rene Engel: Sadly no longer with us, Philippe Engel used to be one of the best sources of Clos Vougeot. Concentrated, stylish and complex. This is a top wine for the price. £39 from Howard Ripley.

Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru les Vergers 2002, Domaine Ramonet: Ramonet make great Chassagne. Beautiful, balanced and harmonious wines that age really well. £32.75 from Howard Ripley.

Shiraz 2002, Bannockburn: My favourite Australian Shiraz; it is cheap too. Read the note here. £17.95 from Lea and Sandeman (case discount available).

Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru 2001, Comte Armand/Domaine des Epeneaux: Bargain Burgundy. This is structured like a decent Pommard and it is up for drinking now. £16 from Howard Ripley.

Riesling Kabinett Oberhauser Leistenberg 2004, Dönnhoff: My favourite producer in the Nahe, this wine is elegant and refined with nice fruit and fine acidity. £15.95 from Berry Brothers and Rudd.

Bannockburn are one of my favourite Australian producers. The winemaker, Gary Farr, has worked many vintages at Domaine Dujac in Burgundy and with Alain Graillot in Crozes-Hermitage. These influences show themselves strongly in his wines. The top Pinot Noir he makes, called Serré, when served blind to Jeremy Seysses of Dujac was Burgundian enough to make him think it was one of his wines; I was highly amused to have foxed him.

Shiraz 2002, Bannockburn
The nose is quite like a very ripe Crozes-Hermitage, it has the same cheap cologne character. It also has some beetroot tones and plenty of ripe, dark fruit. The palate is quite big and ripe, but it has a nice tannic structure and very good acidity. The fruit persists on the finish along with a slightly green, herbal note. It is certainly complex and interesting, not just another over-ripe fruit-bomb. If I was served this blind I could easily be fooled into thinking it was Rhône Syrah. This could well be my favourite Australian Shiraz, it has a harmony, balance and style that most Australian wines lack.

The 2002s from Daniel Barraud were quite excellent for Pouilly-Fuissé; I put a few bottles in my cellar. When I saw the first 2004 on the shelf of Lea and Sandeman I was keen to try it.

Pouilly-Fuissé la Verchère 2004, Domaine Daniel Barraud
The nose is nutty with some ripe lemony fruit. It smells quite pretty and charming, if not overly complex. The palate is light to medium-bodied with good fruit and a creamy minerality on the mid-palate and finish. The flavours are pure and focused. It is a nice drink, but the 2002s were a bit more bien loché (well titted out) and fun. This is a light, pretty Chardonnay that should go well with dinner tonight.

I am ashamed to admit this is the first 2005 German wine I have tried. I'd heard it was a good vintage, and this wine seems to bear that out. It was nine pounds from Sainsbury's supermarket; a bargain! The winemaker is another lovely chap, and quite dissolute too.

Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett 2005. Dr. Loosen
This smells very ripe and peachy. There is also some slatey minerality on the nose. This really smells quite big for a Kabinett. The palate is surprisingly sweet and dense, but it is not heavy. The acidity is really very good and lively. It has a good long finish of slate and peachy fruit. This is a perfectly balanced Kabinett from what is obviously a ripe, and seemingly good, vintage. Yummy.

I've recommended this in the past, it is a real bargain. Quality dry Riesling for around an Ayrton (Ayrton Senna, tenner).

Mesh Eden Valley Riesling 2005, Grosset/Hill Smith
It has a pure nose of lime fruit. It even displays a degree of minerality: jolly good! Not overly heavy or over-ripe. The palate is linear and direct, with very good fruit and nice length. It is not terribly complex, but it is refreshing and stylish. At this price you cannot go wrong.

I was first introduced to Savennières on a trip to the Loire. We visited Pierre Soulez first and I was instantly sold on his wines. They are very concentrated and dense, but very well balanced and interesting. The Cuvée d'Avant means that it has been harvested late and fermented in oak. Oak is not commonly used for Savennières, but M. Soulez thinks it makes his wines more approachable when young. His best wines are often quite sweet, but with the density and acidity they are fine matches for food. He puts an indication of sweetness on the label for these wines, in this case moelleux.

Savennières Clos du Papillon Moelleux Cuvée d'Avant 1999, Pierre Soulez/Château de Chamboureau
A deep yellow colour, this looks ripe. The nose is dense with ripe apple fruit and some botrytis. You can really smell the ripeness of the grapes. It has a really pronounced minerality, the nose is rich and earthy. It has a degree of Chenin Blanc wet wool character, but it is surprisingly clean. There is no sulphur or oxidation, common problems with Loire Chenin. It is rich and powerful, but doesn't taste very sweet thanks to very well integrated acidity. With the fruit, minerality and acidity this is a very complex palate. Very long, too, with the fruit and minerality persisting for a long time. This is excellent Savennières that is really up for drinking; I love it.

I have many memories of drinking this wine is the past; I've even had some old bottles that I have thought are quite good. It has always been a large-scale wine, but this vintage is just too heroic.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2000, Cape Mentelle
A very hot, ripe, alcoholic nose (it is 15%) with stewed, jammy fruit. There is some French oak character there as well. This just smells a bit fiery. The palate has reasonable structure, plenty of fruit, and a hot alcoholic burn on the finish that seems a bit too much like hard work. I suppose there is a degree of complexity to it, but any refinement has been baked out of it. Since I am not the biggest fan of Cabernet, nor over-ripe wines, I don't suppose this is really the wine for me.

Fourteen quid well spent on this. It has some real character.

Local Growers Semillon 2002, Rockford
There is a honeyed, waxy character to the nose. It also has good lemony fruit. This smells quite characterful. The palate is finely balanced with some Semillon weight and a good backbone of acidity. This is pretty good for the price. Best of the Australian set so far.

The two Australian wines I had planned to have with dinner bored the tits off me.

Chardonnay 2003, Cullen
Soft melon fruit on the nose, some wood too. It smells quite dull; I've had so many similar wines in the past. The palate has fruit, acidity and oak, but is frighteningly boring. I am not impressed.

'Joseph' Nebbiolo 2002, Primo Estate
Oh no, I am not really sure I can be bothered. Yeah, there is cherry fruit and there is a hint of bitterness, but it is just another ripe Australian wine, really. I think it is well made, with plenty of fruit and tannin, but it is just wall-paper in the realm of fine wines.  

I first tried this at the London wine and spirit trade fair. I thought it seemed a nice enough drink. It is an adequate, but slightly dull, aperitif.

Riesling 2004, Plantagenet
This has but hints of fly-spray on the nose, a common problem, I find, with Australian Riesling. It is obviously ripe, but has some pure grapefruit notes on the nose. It is quite weighty on the palate, with good, but not excessive acidity. It is a perfectly nice drink, but doesn't really engage me.