Warming winter wines

2008 Jules Taylor pinot gris. Photo / Babiche Martens

Bargain red from the med

Domaine l'Ameillaud Vin de Pays de la Principaute d'Orange, France 2007 $14.95
Warmer climates produce the ripe and fuller-bodied styles so suited to these chillier times. For years Englishman Nick Thompson and his wife Sabine of Domaine l'Ameillaud have consistently produced this amazing value Vin de Pays in France's Rhone region. Delivering a big mouthful of ripe and juicy dark berries and cherries with notes of chocolate, spice and earth, the 2007 is no exception.
(From www.thewineimporter.co.nz.)

Beefy beaut

Serafino McLaren Vale Tempranillo, Australia 2007 $23.99
Look across the ditch for more big bold wines befitting nights by the fireside or hearty stews and roast meats, like this rich McLaren Vale red. This is Spain's tempranillo grape with an Australian accent: a velvety textured wine that revolves around a concentrated cherry liqueur/rum truffle core that's laced with vanilla and spice.
(From fine wine retailers.)

Red wine drinker's white

Cooper's Creek Gisborne Viognier 2008 $18-$20
Winter whites tend to be in the fuller-bodied and softer spectrum, making varieties such as pinot gris, gewurztraminer and the "red wine drinker's white", viognier, appropriate options. This attractive and very affordable viognier has seductive and slippery textured apricot and nectarine fruit, overlaid with subtle gingery spice and finishes with a fresh twist of lemon zest.
(From Farro Fresh, The Barrow, Point Wines, Duffy & Fins and branches of Liquorland.)

Flavoursome flagship

Trapiche Oak Cask Mendoza Malbec, Argentina 2007 $15.30
The vinous equivalent to a cup of cocoa, this example of Argentina's flagship grape, malbec, was simply made for fireside sipping. Chocolatey in both texture and flavour, with oodles of smooth dense dark berry fruit, its fruit driven flavours are augmented by liquorice and spice, plus savoury hints and leather.
(From fine wine retailers, Cellar Select stores.)

Rich spanish red

Abadia Retuerta Rivola Sardon del Duero Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon, Spain 2005 $29.99
Another powerful warm climate red just made for those nippy nights. The Rivola is a hearty tempranillo and cabernet sauvignon blend, made just outside Spain's famed Ribera de Duero region, that's got bags of body and concentration to its opulent blackcurrant and blackberry fruit palate infused with spicy oaky notes and an earthy element.
(From Caro's.)

Nice 'n' spicy

Jules Taylor Marlborough Pinot Gris 2008 $21.90
After making wine for Kim Crawford and as Group Senior Winemaker with the Constellation group (formerly known as Nobilo), Jules decided to go it alone last year to concentrate full time on her impressive solo label. Hers is one great gris that offers an intense combination of the variety's classic apple and quince fruit seasoned with clove and nutmeg spice, supported by minerally notes and a palate-cleansing freshness.
(From Glengarry, Mairangi Bay Fine Wines, Matakana Liquor Centre, Richmond Rd Liquor Centre, Hamilton Wine Company, Super Liquor Mangawhai and Snells Beach.)

Graceful blend from the gravels

Alluviale Gimblett Road, Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Franc 2007 $25-$30
Frenchman David Ramonteu, who's also the winemaker at Hatton Estate - now with partner Kate Galloway of Alpha Domus - has been crafting some exceptionally elegant wines under the Alluviale label that the couple now own. This fragrant Bordeaux blend of merlot and cabernet franc has a svelte palate of rich but restrained black cherry and currant fruit layered with subtle notes of spice and mineral and driven by a bright line of acidity.
(From Caro's, Maison Vauron, Scenic Cellars, Primo Vino.)

More than port

Vega Douro Tinto, Portugal 2005 $24.90
Portugal's Douro region may be best known for its fortified ports, but it's producing some increasingly impressive table wines as well that echo the rich ripe flavours to be found in the region's most famous export. Made by major Portuguese player, DFJ Vinhos, the Vega powers along with its peppery spice and earthy mineral profile over supple but structured juicy dark plummy fruit.
(From Wine Circle, Huapai.)

Warm and pepper

Villa Maria Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Cellar Selection Syrah 2007 $29.99
Syrah, known as shiraz in countries such as Australia, makes fuller bodied wines that work wonders with rich casseroles and all types of game. Villa Maria's is a varietally pure expression with its deeply flavoured and juicy dark berry fruit, powdery texture and liberal seasoning of the variety's characteristic spice and black pepper.
(From selected liquor outlets.)

Get fortified

Blandy's Duke of Clarence Rich Madeira NV, Portugal $49.95
There's nothing like cold weather to warrant a good fortified wine and madeira is one of the classics. It's made by an intriguing process that involves heating the barrels of the madeira wine as they mature on the Portuguese Island of the same name. This technique is said to replicate the conditions of the madeira's historic boat journeys through the hot Equatorial seas to export markets in the West Indies, which were found to caramelise their sugars and give them their unique burnt tang. Like fruitcake in a glass, this - the sweetest style of madeira - is oozing dried fruit, toffee, nut and spice, with a richness and sweetness that's tempered by its underlying freshness.
(From Glengarry, Advintage, Hamilton Wine Company, Wine Direct)