Credit crunch wines: entertain with confidence on a tight budget

The ethos behind the 80 or so wines which make up our core annual selection is to find wines which offer both superb quality and value for money.

The ethos behind the 80 or so wines which make up our core annual selection is to find wines which offer both superb quality and value for money. With this in mind, we have found a selection of wines that are situated close to their more famous cousins, sharing grape variety and soil profile and made by talented individuals, but costing considerably less. So for these difficult times, here is an offer devoted to value – a selection of wines, starting in California and moving back to the more famous wine-growing regions of France.

As Will Lyons explains on page 51, Californian wines are really punching above their weight in terms of quality and our first wine, (1) Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 from California’s Napa Valley, is no exception. At £399 per case (or £339*) this is the younger brother to the iconic Insignia, which retails at over £100 a bottle, or more for older, rarer vintages. A classic Bordeaux blend, this is aged in a combination of French and American oak barrels, giving vibrant blackcurrant fruit on the nose and a luscious, brooding palate. It’s a delicious dose of sunshine.

To France and the Loire Valley, downriver from Sancerre. Sharing all the benefits of soil and climate but with a lower price tag, we offer (2) Les Rafelières 2007, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire at £99 per case (or £87*). With pure, zingy sauvignon fruit, grassy and chalky behind, this is a firm favourite with Private Cellar customers and cannot be recommended highly enough. It is considered better than many a Sancerre – having a depth of flavour and persistence that is lacking in many a more famously labelled bottle.

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