Celeste Crianza Ribera del Duero 2007 (Independents, €16.99 )
Grown on the high slopes surrounding Ribera del Duero in Spain, this 100 per cent Tempranillo from the Miguel Torres stable has come on leaps and bounds since previous vintages. It gets its name from the canopy of sky and stars it has for company at night — hence the name Celeste, or celestial in English. With a bucketful of perfumed blackberry fruit on the nose with hints of rose petals, liquorice and cherry, the palate is ever more expressive with ripe juicy plumier fruit sitting easily with uncomplicated tannins providing a long appreciative finish. With Easter so close, this is the perfect wine for roast lamb.
Trimbach Alsace Gewurztraminer 2009 (Independents, €18.99 )
From a top French producer with a real penchant for making superb white wines in Alsace from Pinot Blanc to Riesling, this Gewurztraminer is just a gem of a wine to have on standby for everything from the spicy succulence of chicken wings to the heat and aromatics and heat of a Thai green or red curry. It is all about the aromatics on the nose with classic lychees, and almonds jumping from the glass. On the palate it is much more intensive, again, showing its aromatic character hinged with peach, spice, nuts, honeysuckle, and low acidity. A long finish completes the deal.
