12 alternatives to Châteauneuf-du-Pape

<p>A seductively savoury and earthy expression of Syrah, which effortlessly combines ripeness and freshness. The herbal notes of eucalyptus and pepper work in tandem with ripe wild berries and crushed raspberries, and it tumbles down into a chalky, lifted, fresh finish. With its notes of thyme and wild herbs, it evokes a nostalgic nod to France but is unique and characterful in its own right.</p>

<p>Gorgeous! What a nose. Ripe crushed blackberries, dried cranberries, plums and incense create a heady, seductive concoction, drawing you in. Licorice and dark chocolate fill out the palate; it's a full, thick, ripe mouthful but it has undeniable, stony freshness. Super silky tannins linger on into the finish, leaving you quite bowled over.</p>

<p>Alluring and seductive aromas of crushed blackberries, cured meat and thyme unfold effortlessly onto a bold palate that brings a whack of flavour. At once both savoury and sweet, herbal and fruited, it evokes a sense of place, of rugged wild landscapes. The umani, meaty side to the wine softens with air and the drinker is enveloped by fresh juicy peppery plums, blueberries and salty blackberries. It's brought to a haunting close with a lick of salty minerality and fine-grained tannins. A soulful wine.</p>

A 100% Syrah from north east-facing, sloped vineyards, situated at 250m altitude on a limestone base in La Livinière, Minervois. This has a deep dark nose with savoury traces of earth and hints of dark chocolate and blackcurrants. The palate shows nuances of garrigue and black pepper spice with ripe red and blue fruits into the long finish. It’s concentrated and pure with a fine dusting of tannins. Seriously enjoyable now but will continue to offer pleasure for many years.

<p>A full, intense mouthful of 100% Prieto Precudo, 50% of which has been whole bunch fermented. Dark fruit abounds - blackberries, black cherries and brambles. The tannins coat the teeth and wrap around the tongue, ripe and tasty and fine-grained. It's muscular but elegant, with a spicy finish. This is from old bush vines grown on rocky limestone and alluvial pebbles, not dissimilar to those found in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.</p>

<p>Deeply concentrated, powerful and rich, this bold wine is full of stewed blackberries, spiced plums and fresh blackcurrants. There is some fruit evolution with notes of dried blackberries and prunes. The palate is explosive! But it shows a soft, subtle power and grippy ripe tannins. From older vines.</p>

<p>A generous, punchy wine that shows a deep, dark profile of black cherries, blackberries and cinnamon spiced plums. Dark chocolate and fleshy black fruit combine with dried rose petals and sage. A wine to drink alone or pair with food - the botle age offers tertiary complexity, but also an evolved savouriness that would pair well with roasted beef or sautéed soy vegetables.</p>

Quite a serious wine for the price here, from 80-year-old, dry-grown bush vines. Aromas and flavours of spiced fruit cake and chocolate-covered raspberries on a smooth, concentrated palate that’s the right side of jammy, thanks to the acidity.

A perfumed, classically Mediterranean Cannonau (aka Grenache) shows a fine purity of sweet and juicy red fruit with an earthy undertone, good balancing grip and damsony freshness for an ideal summer’s day barbecue red.