JAMIE GOODE

Fresh, aromatic and vivid: The best wines from exotic locations OUR expert goes on a voyage of discovery to find bottles from exotic places.

The wine world has grown and flourished over the last couple of decades. As well as the classics from France,Italy and Spain, we have New World wines from California, Australia, Chile, Argentina and New Zealand. And then there’s South Africa, where there’s a mix of the old and the new.
But of late we’re starting to see bottles from more exotic locations such as Macedonia, Georgia, Greece, Romania, Turkey and Israel. So this week’s super selection includes a Romanian pinot noir, a shiraz from Israel and a sweet red from Macedonia. Enjoy!
Waitrose Pinot Noir 2015, Dealu Mare, Romania £5.99, Waitrose, 13% alcohol
It’s rare to find a good, cheap pinot noir but this one is supple, fresh and juicy with simple, direct cherry and berry fruits, with a bit of sweetness on the finish.
Recanati Shiraz 2014, Upper Galilee, Israel £14.99, Waitrose, 14% alcohol
Although the Israeli wine industry is small, there are some tasty bottles emerging, such as this floral, aromatic, vivid shiraz bursting with pure sweet berry fruits.
Tbilvino Qvevris 2014, Kakheti, Georgia £9, Marks & Spencer, 12% alcohol
About half of this wine is made in a super-traditional Georgian way in large clay pots called qvevri, which brings out the flavours. Full-yellow in colour, it has moreish apple pie and lemon fruitiness with some exotic apricots, too. It’s gorgeous stuff.
Wine Atlas Feteascã Regalã NV, Romania £4.97, Asda, 11.5% alcohol
Feteascã regalã is the grape variety here, and it has fashioned a white wine that is grapey and bright with a hint of sweetness. Rounded, juicy and pretty, this wine is highly drinkable and a bargain at under a fiver.