Monica di Sardegna 2004, Cantina Santa Maria La Palma, €14.99 Made from Monica, a local Sardinian grape of little repute, this dark beauty is slow to reveal itself.
Leave it to breathe for an hour or so and the slight berry nose has been replaced by something darker and more opulent, with aromas of sun-kissed fruit and bitter chocolate. Rich and full in the mouth and weighing in at a well-balanced 13 per cent abv, this medium-bodied wine is a neat surprise. Claudios Wines, Georges Street Arcade, Dublin 2.
Dona Paula Estate, Malbec 2004, €14.99 Argentina continues to offer great value, and this fine example of Malbec is no exception. It has a smoky nose of berry and vanilla, a rich and fleshy feel in the mouth and a smooth, concentrated finish. There is plenty of alcohol, too, with an abv of 14 per cent. From: Nolan's, Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin and Bourke's Fine Wines, Dún Laoghaire.
Terrasola 2003, Jean Leon, Syrah/Garnacha, €14.99 The €15 barrier has become the new frontier for interesting well-made wines, as all three here are. The Jean Leon winery is in Catalonia, but the Terrasoloa series of wines are made to a high standard from bought-in grapes. This wine is a blend of 70 per cent Syrah, 20 per cent Garnacha (aka Grenache) and 10 per cent Tempranillo, so it is no surprise that it has aromas of dark fruit and chocolate, is round and full in the mouth with a peppery edge, and finishes with a spicy alcohol kick (abv of 14 per cent). From: Red Island Wines, Skerries, Co Dublin and Slainte Off-Licence, Galway.