Whether you’re heading to a dinner party, hosting one of your own or are simply opening a bottle of fine red wine for the evening, it always pays to have a selection of top-quality tipples resting on your wine rack, ready for choosing.
There is a great variety of exemplar grapes when it comes to red wine, with some of the most popular offerings being Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. However, the style and flavour palate of each red wine would be greatly different between winemakers, depending on the region where the grape is grown. And not forgetting the palate of the individual has to be taken into consideration.
Taking all the different grape varieties into account, we have compiled a list of the 11 of the best red wines you should be drinking in 2022.
Chateau Lalande-Borie, Saint-Julien 2009
Lalande-Borie 2009 is a velvety, smooth red that delivers a beautifully flavoured Saint-Julien. When taking a sip of this brilliant wine you can taste a ripe core of fruit with fruit-coated tannins. At the price of £42.95 a bottle this is certainly a wine reserved for dinner dates and parties, where it can be served accompanied by a roasted red meat.
Grand Vin Pinot Noir ‘Clayvin Vineyard’, Marlborough 2015
This well-aging Pinot Noir from 2015 offers hints of earthy, forest aromas which every pinot-lover would appreciate. The initial taste presents a delicate assortment of red berries that progresses into a velvety floral palate. In terms of tannins, they are exceptionally fine in this wine which allows for a complex and lengthy finish.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine de Pignan 2018
Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the heart of southern Rhone, a region that produces the most complex and outstanding reds. This particular Domaine de Pignan has a dense dark red colour and flavour notes of raspberries and sweet cherry compote. This is the perfect red wine to savour with a hearty dinner on a dark winter evening.
Givry, Louis Latour 2017
Louis Latour’s 2017 Givry is an excellent example of a Pinot Noir packed with flavour and charm. Givry is Burgundy’s rising appellation that is likely to soar in value over the next few years, so take advantage of the price of £23.95 a bottle to treat yourself.
Pauillac 2017
This Pauillac, made by one of the most famous Chateaux in the region of Bordeaux, is a red wine of sheer class, which isn’t a surprise considering its pedigree. The main grape in this blend is Merlot mixed with a small portion of Cabernet Sauvignon to add some strength to the flavour palate. Pauillac has a beautiful ruby red colour with flavours of ripe fruit and a smoky hint of tobacco. All this comes at a fraction of the price of the Chateau label.
‘Piropo’, Castello di Potentino, Toscana IGT Pinot Nero 2016
An exceptional bright red Pinot Noir from the region of Tuscany, Italy. The flavour palate combines delicate red fruit flavours such as cherry and raspberry, with earthy notes of mushroom. This is the perfect dinner wine to accompany roast grouse, Lapin a la Mountarde or any other hearty dish.
Château d’Escurac, Cru Bourgeois Médoc 2015
Château d’Escurac 2015 is one of the exceptional Medoc Cru Bourgeois and a favourite of many wine critics and lovers. This oak-aged fusion consists of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet and 10% Petit Verdot, the perfect ingredients to make a fine claret. A wine like this is perfect to enjoy in the winter months, especially around Christmas, when it can be served alongside a rich roast dinner, but there’s nothing stopping you from enjoying it all year round.
Esprit de Pavie, Bordeaux 2015
Finding exceptional clarets at an affordable price is a laborious task, but occasionally you can come across a showstopper that makes it worthwhile, and Esprit de Pavie 2015 is exactly that. This brilliant red offers an intense blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc rich in flavour with a note of jammy ripe fruit and laced with hints of spice, tobacco, liquorice and vanilla. A very special wine with good concentration and a captivating finish.
Le Marquis de Calon Segur, St. Estephe 2009
This Saint Estephe features an exquisite blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to offer lots of richness and structure with great minerality. All the grapes were handpicked and fermented for 21 days before aging for 18 months in French oak barrels, which is where part of the rich flavour comes from. This is a brilliant wine for fancy dinner parties or to give as a present for a dear friend.
Saint-Emilion 2017
Saint-Emilion 2017 comes from one of the best Premier Grand Cru Classe vineyards. This deep red wine is mostly Merlot with just a hint of Cabernet Franc. The Merlot offers delicious ripeness and mixes flawlessly with the fragrant Cabernet Franc. It features dark berry fruit flavours with great complexity and structure. This is the kind of wine that develops in the glass. It’s best enjoyed if opened an hour before serving to allow all the flavours to develop.
Château Les Ormes de Pez, Saint-Estèphe 2006
Deep red in colour and full of aromatic black fruits such as black cherry, cassis and blackcurrant. The delicious mix of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc makes for an excellent red with ripe, smooth and velvety tannins.
