El Esteco Tannat 2011, Calchaqui Valley, Argentina (£7.49 Marks and Spencer)
Plush, chocolatey and fleshy, offers New World sweetness and ripeness of fruit with Old World earthiness, just on right side of raisinny, with a meaty edge to its plummy blackberry flavours. B+

Domaine Chiroulet Côtes de Gascogne Grande Réserve 2009, South West France (£15 Marc Fine Wines, Drinks of France, Deliciously French)
Quite a severe style, with smoky-bacon-like oak overlay to dense blackberry and blackberry flavours. Fresh in parts, but there’s also a baked character, maybe from overripe Merlot. Some will love this, but for me here’s just too much of the bodybuilder about it. B(+)

Clos Basté Madiran 2010, South West France (£13 Wine Story)
Fresh, vibrant and rounded, with juicy, almost oily cassis flavours backed up by earthy freshness, chewy tannins and hints of violets. Rich but fresh, tasty now but built to last. S(+)

Producteurs Plaimont L’Empreinte de Saint Mont 2010, South West France (£11.50 Vinopic)
Burly youngster, there’s a slight rawness to the oak, but the main event is the dense, dark fruit flesh backed up by a savoury/funky edge and a wild undergrowth character. Just about approachable now, but all the better for being open a couple of hours. S(-)