Burgundy isn’t the most reliable wine region when it comes to quality, but I’m often surprised how good affordable reds can be from there – even these days. We are talking about wines from bigger, less widely known producers, of course. They often deliver classically proportioned pinots for 10-15€, just like the Paul Delane 2023 reviewed months ago on this blog. Here is another nice one for 14€ which I liked a lot.
A new chapter in the history of Burgundy: unoaked serious pinot from Charles Lachaux
If you are not familiar with the buzz about young Charles Lachaux in Burgundy, I highly recommend you to read the full story on the Rarewine website. He is changing everyone’s favourite wine region.
Cotes du Rhone: fancy vs supermarket version
The benchmark for the tihanyi kék variety: Szentesi Pince 2025
If you follow this blog you know that I’m passionate about the revived indigenous Hungarian variety called tihanyi kék. The latest vintage (the 2025) from its most prominent producer Szentesi Pince is now released, and what a wine it is. I my eyes it is their best so far.
Stunning garnacha: El Hombre Bala 2022 from Uvas Felices
Back to Spanish garnacha. This comes from the same vintage as the Frontonio Supersonico and the price is similar – but it’s a far superior wine. A high-end garnacha if you ask me, and I bet it would outshine many competitors around 40-50€ – it’s great value, highly recommended.
Powerful Bolgheri: Campo Al Mare 2024
Charming Soave: Pieropan 2025
One of the cool things about this Pieropan Soave Classico is that it’s so different from the major white wine styles (chardonnay, sauvignon blanc etc). An other one is the packaging, the bottle is just beautiful.
Great Langhe nebbiolo: Luigi Pira 2023
Admittedly, I don’t taste tons of nebbiolos each year, but this was easily the best I came across in a long time. This wine has soul.
Domaine Mee Godard Beaujolais Villages 2022
Mee Godard is one of the top producers in Beaujolais, I was simply blown away by her wines when I quickly visited her in 2019. If memory serves, she has a Burgundian approach, she de-stems the grapes so it’s not the region’s trademark semi-carbonic method she uses. I’m not sure if that applies to her Beaujolais Villages 2022, but it’s a great wine. Continue reading
Another standout Hungarian kadarka: Szekretár 2025
Hungarian kadarka 10 years ago mostly meant a dull, 80 point wine, but producers really raised the game in recent years and pushed the variety to a new level – there are now many reaching the 90 point mark (I’m referring to the original, conservative and absolute 100 point scale, where serious wines start at 90, regardless of region or variety – today many critics use it differently, just think about the sometimes crazy Suckling scores). With their 2025 release Szekszárd producer Szekretár has now joined the top league.









