THE VALUE PROPOSITION

Dan Farrell-Wright reveals the insider hacks for discovering great wine at affordable prices.

I am on a constant quest to discover new wines. I visit vineyards and events hoping to find something special. This enduring search unearths both hits and misses, though I can't remember the last time. I tasted a truly bad wine Modern wine making and clean wineries ensure winemakers can easily produce inoffensive, drinkable wines.

Now, there's a killer hook for an ad campaign!

Joking aside, beyond inoffensive and drinkable, as a wine buyer, how do I discover wines that are good enough to make the cut?

I start with ABC: Aromas, Balance, Complexity Each element must feel right - multiple aromas, a balance of acidity and tannin, and complexity.

Next I look for sustainability, which is at the heart of everything we do at Wickhams. Every winery must operate sustainably. That could be organic or biodynamic certification, the French HVE standard, or taking initiatives such as using renewable energy.

Lastly, the price must represent good value for money. When I say good value for money do I just mean cheap? No, I'm talking about wines that punch above their weight. A £10 wine that tastes like a £20 wine.

Higher prices don't always translate into better quality wines. Sought after or well-regarded appellations such as Chateauneuf-du-Pape or Champagne attract a premium. Scarcity drives prices up, hence why even mediocre Burgundy can be eye wateringly expensive. Fashion plays its part too, people love the cachet of an insta-famous wine drunk by celebrities

Finding value requires a little research. Think about wines you enjoy, but possibly can't justify the expense of as often as you'd like.

Look for the name of the village or the region in which the wine is made If the wine is a blend of grapes, find out what the blend is. The secret is to look for wines made using the same grapes, using the same methods, in similar places.

Wines made in neighbouring (but less well known) villages will often be better value. Everyone knows Chablis, famous for its crisp, steely, and mineral white wines. But have you heard of Côtes Salines? It sits just outside the Chablis demarcation, shares similar terroir, grows the same grape variety (Chardonnay), and creates wines of a similar style.

Seek out regions in different parts of the world which share similar climates. Not many people can regularly afford to drink classed growth Bordeaux. The climate of Stellenbosch in South Africa is very similar and the vineyards are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, the major Bordeaux grape variety. Stellenbosch wines have the same profile and ability to age, but the prices are much more affordable.

Crémant is sparkling wine made in France by the méthode champenoise, but not made in Champagne. Pick up a bottle labelled Crémant de Bourgogne and it will taste so similar to Champagne that the difference will be almost imperceptible.

An alternative to Pinot Grigio

CA' DI PONTI GRILLO 2022

Pinot Grigio is cheap and cheerful, but often it can taste a little lack lustre Grillo is a more interesting alternative Indigenous to Sicily, it was originally used to make fortified Marsala wine

However, when it's used to make a refreshing, crisp dry white it is full-flavoured with bags of character and fantastic value for money It exhibits nutty, citrussy, apple and lemon characteristics It's a great garden wine but would also pair well with fresh fish or seafood

An alternative to Bordeaux

PETER FALKE SIGNATURE "KANOA" 2016

The classed growths of Bordeaux are now touted by many as investment opportunities. The result of this speculation is that they are out of the reach of most wine drinkers

Stellenbosch in South Africa has a similar climate and selection of grapes to Bordeaux This flagship wine from Peter Falke is a blend of the popular Bordeaux grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon (76%) and Cabernet Franc (24%) This wine has style and finesse, and has been created for those who understand that wines with personality are made to be drunk.

An alternative to Chateauneuf-du-Pape

DOMAINE MABY"NESSUN DORMA" 2021

The grapes are from organic vineyards in the Rhône village of Lirac, which has a similar terroir to Chateauneuf-du-Pape It is a blend of Grenache and Syrah which are matured in barrels for twelve months

Nessun Dorma reveals astonishing aromatic complexity It has a concentrated colour with ruby red highlights It is a concerto of red and black fruit, sweet spices, liquorice and flowers The palate is full, rich, and fleshy Superb!

An alternative to Sancerre

DOMAINE OCTAVIE SAUVIGNON DE TOURAINE 2021

Sauvignon Blanc is a grape variety at home in the Loire Valley Sancerre is the original expression of the variety and the appellation cannot include any other grapes

Just down river is the commune of Touraine Sauvignon de Touraine is very similar to Sancerre, but it is not so well-known Isabelle and Noë Rouballay are the 5th generation of family winemakers. Established in 1885, the 30 hectares of vines are located on the terroir of the town of Oisly, which possesses the ideal conditions for growing Sauvignon Blanc

An alternative to Champagne

FAMILLE GUEGUEN, BLANC DE NOIRS BRUT NV

The Chablis area produces some of the best Crémant in France and one reason is that its soil is not that dissimilar to that of Champagne This wine definitely delivers excellent value

This is made using only Pinot Noir grapes which gives notes of red apple, bramble fruits and lovely ripe flavours. A wonderful alternative fizz

An alternative to Whispering Angel

CHÂTEAU FONT BARRIELE "LES VIGNES D'HELOISE" ROSÉ 2022

This is a perfectly pale pink rosé from the organic vineyards of Christian and Caroline Gourjon. Their estate sits at the confluence of Arles, Nimes, and Avignon, just north of the iconic rosé region of Provence The blend of Grenache Noir, Cinsault, Vermentino, and Syrah mirrors that of the brand leading Whispering Angel However, and here you must applaud French bureaucracy, being only a lowly IGP classification the wine offers much better value for money!

An alternative to Barolo

GIRIBALDI "CAMPO DEL PESCO" NEBBIOLO 2019

Barolo and Barbaresco are at the top of the Langhe wine hierarchy The tannins can be a challenge in early life, often requiring many years to soften Langhe Nebbiolo is their more accesible cousin, offering amazing value This is a wine to be enjoyed in its youth which has all the essential characteristics of Nebbiolo, a wonderful grape that prospers in the Piedmont region

There are aromas of autumn raspberries, tinged with balsamic and a herbaceous minty freshness

An alternative to Chablis

FAMILLE GUEGUEN, CÔTES SALINES

Famille Gueguen are renowned for their excellent Chablis wines The vines for this wine are thirty years old, but they are located just beyond the boundary of the Chablis appellation in the village of Préhy The resulting wine is classified as AOC Bourgogne and it is a delicious, crisp and steely chardonnay.