Panamera Cuvée Napa 2007, Napa Valley, California (N/A in the UK)
OK dark deep baked berry, but overdone smoky bacon oak, which lingers when the fruit has begun to fade, ripe but overblown and clumsy, with nothing in the way of freshness. C-

First Drop ‘Mother’s Ruin’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, McLaren Vale, Australia (£14.99 Secret Cellar, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Hanging Ditch, Harvey Nichols, The Sampler)
Starts off a little tough and chewy but then relaxes, allowing the mint-tinged blackcurrant, cassis, plum and dark berry flavours to shine and an olive-like edge to emerge, big but not too beefy, with a friendly finish. S(-)

Casillero del Diablo Reserva Privada Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah 2009, Maipo, Chile (£9.99 Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, yourfavouritewines.com, tesco.com)
Powerful young wine, can’t fault its intensity, but is it too loud? Has some baked berry edges, but also fresh plum and blackcurrant notes, some toastiness and spice (and a touch of rubber) from oak, but it’s in balance with the fleshy but never overripe fruit. B+

Warwick Three Cape Ladies, Simonsberg 2008, Stellenbosch, South Africa (£13.99 Ann & Vin, Bon Coeur Fine Wines, Bottle and Basket, www.vintagemarque.com)
Blend of Cabernet, Syrah and Pinotage in which – in true clichéd style – all three strut their stuff. There’s the stern, tannic blackcurrant and cassis backbone of Cabernet, the spice and plum of Syrah, and the dusty, slightly jammy, slightly volatile edge of Pinotage. Add in more spice and vanilla from oak and you have a pretty decent wine. S