Know Your Reds Tasting Kit

From a notable estate in Spain's fine wine region Ribera del Duero and one that has been immensely popular with members. The weather in 2019 was warm and dry with fruit harvested at optimum quality, healthy and concentrated. The young wine is intense with a powerful expression combining hints of liquorice and dark fruits. The palate is dense yet accessible and voluptuous with a bright energy that balances the concentration. The wines of this property have a track record of ageing. As it matures it will become silky, mellow and cedary. The blend is mostly tinto fino (tempranillo), with a 10% cabernet and a 6% merlot, aged for 14 months in French oak barrels. Drink from 2025 to 2034. 14.5%

Pioneering and ever-popular South African syrah-based blend, admirable for its consistent quality. With flavours of ripe mulberry and strawberry, wild herbs, and a touch of peppery spice, this has supple tannins, and balances its inherent fruit richness with freshness. The blend in 2023, which was a cool, elegant vintage for the Swartland, is 74% syrah, 11% grenache, 8% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cinsault, and 1% viognier. This is a benchmark, crowd-pleasing Swartland red ready to drink now.

From a high-altitude vineyard in the heart of Classico country, this is fine and elegant with enchanting aromas of ripe red plum and cherry, leather, and dried spices. The palate shows a beautiful balance of fruit richness and finesse, with well-integrated, silky tannins and a juicy acidity. This finishes long and mineral.

The Côte du Py vineyard in Morgon produces wines of controlled power and minerality. From the 2024 vintage, only growers with vines on the top of the hill - in the lieu dit of Côte du Py itself - can label their wines as such, whereas previously a much larger area was designated Côte du Py. Burgaud has 6 hectares of hilltop vines in the lieu-dit which which bring a brilliant freshness and enlivening acidity to the wine. The 2024 is tightly coiled and athletic, with a mineral core of crushed rocks. Predominantly red-fruited, but with darker brambly flavours too, and black-tea-leaf perfume, this is intense and long, and wears the inherent power of this famed site with elegance. This always has great ageing potential and especially so in this vintage.

This pinot shows all the vibrancy and bright red-berry fruit you'd expect from the fog-cooled yet sunny Sonoma Coast of California. Made by well-respected family estate Schug exclusively for The Wine Society, this has great finesse and a long, perfumed finish.

This cedary and leathery wine is long aged in large foudres (very big barrels) in Weinert's delicious mature style, showing autumnal, forest-floor aromas and flavours.