Party Mixed Dozen

Full-bodied, fruity Australian shiraz with attractive aromas on the nose and a generous palate. Notes of crushed black fruit are joined by a delicious hint of mocha coffee and vibrant dark cherry.

Popular Cape White Blend with chenin's fresh stone-fruit flavour complemented by rich and aromatic viognier. A lot of flavour at moderate alcohol.

This Sicilian red is all about the fruit, with ripe strawberry and blackberry character, and a soft, succulent mouthfeel. Balanced and medium-bodied, this is perfect with or without food. The estate on which the nero d'avola for this wine is grown works to conserve the local flora and has catalogued rare species of orchids on their land. As a further move to improve biodiversity, Feudo Arancio has planted a lemon grove inside the stone quarries on the estate and thus rehabilitated previously damaged land. They also grow olives, oranges, and prickly pears.

A floral, vibrant Spanish red which is fruity and plump with a touch of spice. A lovely introduction to the flavour of unoaked garnacha.

The 2024 vintage marks a return to the classic Laborie blend of carignan and grenache, with a splash of merlot adding suppleness. Brilliant value southern French red delivering fresh, uncomplicated fruit and soft tannins.

Great-value merlot-based blend from a popular château in the elegant 2023 vintage. Sweet red-fruit character from the merlot is complemented by great fragrance and fine, food-friendly tannins thanks to the inclusion of cabernet franc.

Fragrant, fruity, full-flavoured southern French white, the happy marriage of two worlds with crisp sauvignon coming from Gascony and full-bodied, peachy viognier coming from Languedoc.

Made from Cahors fruit and from one of the top estates, this is a soft, ripe-flavoured red with a twist of raspberry and plum. An uncomplicated red that could even be served slightly chilled. Malbec was once more widely planted having been a much more important varietal in Bordeaux. In Cahors, it is the main varietal, rarely less than 80% in any blend and often more. Malbec needs heat and sunshine to ripen fully and it thrives in the semi-continental climate of this part of the Lot Valley.

Casa Ermalinda Freitas is one of Portugals more famous and most highly regarded big wineries. Thanks to their scale they can produce some delicious wines at very affordable prices and this is an excellent example. A delicately fruity, versatile blend of Portuguese grapes fernão pires, antão vaz and verdelho, with grapy freshness and easy drinkability. A no-nonsense, charming and easy-going white with authentic Portuguese charm.

Combining Loire and southern French fruit for easy, anytime drinking, this is a fresh, gently fruity, moreish chardonnay.

This wine combines Loire and southern French fruit for a delicate, slightly tropical aroma, and easy, creamy finish.

Easy-going sunny Sicilian grillo showing apricot and pink-grapefruit notes with a touch of saltiness on the refreshing finish, unsurprising for vines growing so close to the sea. This is a great match to Sicilian roasted vegetables. It comes from a region with serious water problems, and the forward-thinking cooperative behind the wine has taken great strides to reduce water usage through, for example, the use of drip irrigation.