1. “Tesco Finest” Fiano, IGT, 2007
Origin: Menfi, Siciliy.
Available From: Tesco, £5.20
Comments from the tasting: Excellent value, very drinkable.

2. Camel Valley “Cornwall” Brut, 2006
Origin: Nanstallon, Bodmin, Cornwall, England
Available From: Dart’s Farm, Somerset, £19.99
Comments from the tasting: Perfectly nice, but can get much better for £20. Too light; lacks structure; too acidic.

3. Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc, 2008
Origin: Marlborough, New Zealand
Available From: Majestic Wine Warehouse, £10.99
Comments from the tasting: Nose: passionfruit, lychee, elderflower; some said: pineapple, mango, citrus, melon. Palate: dry, acidic, strong front palate taste but no body — fades away. No finish (or mid palate for that matter). Perhaps a problem with the bottle?

4. Wild Earth Pinot Noir, 2006
Origin: Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand
Available From: Rannoch Scott Wines, £16.29
Comments from the tasting: Appearance: magenta, crimson, medium opacity. Nose: beautiful – raspberry, blackberry, vanilla, plum, violet, stewed fruit, cherry. Palate: dry, medium acidity, low tannin, light body despite very full taste. Notes of stewed blackberry, plum, with spice — lovely. Conclusion: an excellent wine.

5. Domaine de la Vougeraie, Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, 2006
Origin: Clos de Vougeot, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France
Available From: Berry Bros. & Rudd, £72.40
Comments from the tasting: From the biggest Grand Cru vineyard — Clos de Vougeot can be of variable quality, but this one comes from the top. Appearance: ruby/ garnet — quite translucent. Nose: raspberry, grain, farm smells, pig, mushroom, christmas spices (nutmeg/ cinammon/ clove), fennel, chicory. Quite a list! Palate: incredible length, beautifully smooth, perfect structure and balance. More please!  A superb wine.

6. Matetic EQ Syrah, 2007
Origin: San Antonio Valley, Chile
Available From: Majestic Wine Warehouse, £18.49
Comments from the tasting: Appearance: purple. Nose: blackcurrant, caramel, dark chocolate, oak, wet leaves/ damp. Can smell the alcohol. Palate: full-bodied, beautiful, very tannic back palate, very smooth mid-palate. Licorice notes. Another very good wine.

7. Guardian Peak “Lapa” Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007
Origin: Stellenbosch Range, South Africa
Available From: ?, £17
Comments from the tasting: Lapa = building in which communities congregate/ commune. Appearance: dark ruby/ purple. Very opaque. Nose: creme brulee/ burnt sugar/ caramel, dark chocolate, blackcurrant, earthy. Palate: dry, tannins; very smooth, very acidic. Delightful.

Committee’s Choice
A vote was taken at the end of the evening to determine the Committee’s favourite wine. With one exception, every wine received at least one vote — a testament to the quality of Alistair’s selection. The Tesco, Nautilus, Matetic and Guardian Peak wines all received a single vote.

The remainder of the committee voted for one of the pinot noirs — the Wild Earth or the Clos de Vougeout. These two were outstanding exemplars of, respectively, the new world and old world styles of pinot noir — the Wild Earth with its clean, fruity notes, and the Clos de Vougeoit with its more pungent aromas. Both were outstanding wines. Ultimately, the committee preferred the new to the old by a margin of 6 to 4. Bravo New Zealand!