2021 Rob Dolan Pinot Gris Yarra Valley, Solent Cellar £20

Unusually slightly pink, made by accident as left on the pink skins too long. Quite light on the palate, hints of apple juice, got more rich in the glass, more like a typical Pinot Gris.

2020 Dirler Cade Pinot Reserve Alsace, Solent Cellar £16.99

Late-picked ripe grapes, full-bodied with citrus and a hint of peach on the palate, rich, some residual sugar but balanced by excellent acidity, interesting contrast with the very light Aussie style, 13.5%.

Domaine Lebrun Pouilly-Fume, Solent Cellar £17.99

25-year-old Sauvignon Blanc vines and biodynamic winery, fermented in stainless steel, no oak. Subtle nose, quite long, good minerality and a slight smokiness as expected from the flint soil; paired well with hard goat’s cheese.

Hawksdrift Sauvignon Blanc, Solent Cellar £15.99

Typical NZ style of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, gooseberry and passion fruit on the nose from very ripe grapes and innoculated, not natural yeast. First NZ SB plantings were in the 1980s, the rest is history. A total contrast to the Pouilly-Fume.

2020 Jamet Enclave Cotes Du Rhone, Solent Cellar £26

100 Syrah – Second wine from Jean-Luc Jamet’s top C. du R. vineyard. From a hot year, touch of black pepper on the nose, maybe a touch of liquorice, quite savoury and mild tannins, very good food wine, but not cheap. 14.5% bv.

2020 Rojomoma Wild Scarlet Barossa Shiraz, Solent Cellar £20

Big and peppery with bold tannins, all the beautiful characteristics of Aussie Shiraz but reigned back a bit, so not in your face. Definite touch of liquorice, maybe a hint of tar also, on nose and palate, quite subtle in its way. Light at 13.9%, a very interesting wine. Quite good value.

2019 Bouchet Le Sylphe Cabernet Franc, Solent Cellar £19.99

From a tiny Loire vineyard farmed biodynamically since 1962 and 60-year old vines, a lovely example of Cabernet Franc, beautiful green pepper nose, slightly rustic with red and black fruit and fine tannins on the palate, aged 24 months in mostly old oak. Will age well.

2020 Durigutti Cabernet Franc Mendoza, Solent Cellar £20

Grown at high altitude on schist, this Argentinian Cab Franc was much more fruity, even a touch jammy on the nose. Aged in concrete with no oak, tannins were very light, blueberries and violets on the palate. A lighter more approachable wine than the Loire offering, elegant but not typical of Cab Franc.