The tiny Terrasses du Larzac appellation lies just to the north of Montpellier on the southern slopes of the Larzac plateau. It was carved out of the larger Languedoc appellation in 2004 in recognition of its unique terroir, and is now seen by many as one of the best spots in the region.

Sébastien Fillon is one of Larzac’s rising stars and together with his wife Béatrice and brother-in-law Nicolas Mollard, they produce the Mollard et Fillon, Terrasses du Larzac red. It is 100% organic and made from a combination of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan. The grapes are bought from a selection of the best vineyards in the area (all hand harvested) and vinified at Domaine Clos du Serre - the Fillon's much lauded Terrasses du Larzac estate. It is then aged for one year (partially in French oak barrels) before release.

The 2015 is a rich, juicy and impressively complex wine that punches well above its £14.95 price point. It is ripe and delicious now but has the structure to age well over the next 4 - 5 years. It will benefit from a couple of hours breathing before drinking.

Offered: April 2018.

Alcohol: 14%.

Vintage report: A great vintage in the Languedoc, generally thought to be on a par with the superb 2010. The wines are rich, deep and well structured.

Drinking window: 2018 – 2023.

Food matching: Nicolas recommends roast lamb or beef ribs with French fries.

Vincent Ricard is the 5th generation of his family to run this excellent small estate in the Loire Valley, and since taking over has gained quite a reputation in the area and increasingly internationally.

Production is small but quality is excellent thanks to the age of the vines (30 – 40 years old); the excellent terroir (the same clay and limestone soil that creates the richest Sancerres); and Vincent’s meticulous attention to detail throughout the production process – including keeping herbicide and pesticide use to an absolute minimum.

The Tasciaca 2016 comes from the highest Sauvignon Blanc plots on the estate and is fermented and aged in old oak barrels rather than stainless steel tanks - a technique used by the top Loire winemakers which adds texture and complexity to the finished product. Not oakiness as would be the case if the barrels were new.

Offered: March 2018

Alcohol: 12.5%

Vintage report: Tricky weather conditions throughout but the vintage ended well with fine weather at the end of summer and the resulting Sauvignon Blanc grapes tended to be concentrated with excellent aromatics.

Drinking window: 2018 – 2021.

Food matching: This white has the weight to stand up to food well. It would be perfect with goats cheese or creamy fish and chicken dishes.

Domaine de Ribonnet sits in the heart of the Comté Tolosan, half way between Toulouse and the Pyrenees.

Previously owned by Clément Ader, one of the pioneers of mechanical flight (he is credited with “an uncontrolled hop of approximately 50m” in his plane Eolé in 1890!), the estate was taken on by Christian Gerber in 1974. His son Simon joined the team in 2015.

The family have 20 hectares under vine, and have been organic since 2001 (so no nasty chemicals in the vineyard), and they adopt a non-interventionist approach in the winery. This basically means that (as far as is practicable) they avoid any artificial additions in the winery.

As a result they make wines of stunning purity which are an honest reflection of the terroir. This Syrah from the superb 2015 vintage is a perfect example.

Offered: February 2018

Price was: £12.95

Alcohol: 14%

Vintage report: 2015 was an excellent vintage in south west France: good weather during the flowering season (crucial in determining the size of the harvest), a hot, dry summer; rains in August to help ripen the grapes, and to the delight of Christian and Simon, no hail damage or trouble from the cicadelles (leaf hoppers) - a bit of a problem during the previous vintage.

Drinking window: 2018 - 2019.

Food matching: Young Syrah is a good match for charcuterie, but this would also go well with Comté cheese (incidentally, the cheese comes from eastern France, not Comté Tolosan just in case you were wondering). It would also be a winner with sausage and bean cassoulet.

Like all good wines The Thirsty Cyclist began with a barrel. In 2015, Tom Keville-Davies, aka The Hungry Cyclist, was searching for a good, easy-drinking wine to serve to guests at his Cycling Lodge in Burgundy. Collaborating with good friends and local winemakers Chris & Lucie Santini, they made their first barrel of Beaujolais-Lantignié.

This juicy Beaujolais, from organic vineyards in the village of Lantignié, was soon lapped up by Thirsty Cyclists returning from a day on the road, and due to its success, and with supply soon exhausted, in 2016 Chris, Lucie & Tom decided to expand their project and introduce The Thirsty Cyclist to wine enthusiasts beyond the bounds of their village.

Just 8 barrels (just under 200 cases) were made and Neal Gower - wine enthusiast, cycling fiend and acclaimed graphic artist - was commissioned to design the label.

The wine itself is a beauty. Pure, fruity and easy drinking at 12.5% abv, but with real depth of flavour and balance too. It is typical of the wines that the Santinis produce – tiny production, unique terroir, and made with minute attention to detail - and shows why the new ‘micro-négoce’ movement that they are a part of, is shaking up the established order in Burgundy.

Offered: January 2018

Alcohol: 12.5%

Vintage report: A good year which produced reds with plenty of body and excellent aromatics.

Drinking window: 2018 – 2020.

Food matching: Perfect spring drinking (particularly with a slight chill on the bottle) and ideal for washing down a plate of charcuterie, shared with a grilled bavette or as a last bottle before bed.

One of a pair of superb Tuscan reds imported from Castello Sonnino, a 13th century estate that I discovered when I was cycling south from Florence last October.

Their Chianti is classified as a Chianti Montepertoli DOCG - Montespertoli being the smallest of the Chianti sub zones. It is unoaked, made from 80% Sangiovese and 15% Caniolo with 5% of white grapes to give an extra lightness and freshness of character.

Offered: November 2017

Alcohol: 13.5%

Vintage report: A good year which produced reds with plenty of body and excellent aromatics.

Drinking window: 2017 - 2019

Food matching: Chianti is famously food-friendly and this would be a great match for tomato based pasta dishes, pizza, lasagna, or even roast chicken.

Domaine Ollier-Taillefer is run by 5th generation winemakers Luc and Francoise Ollier; it occupies 30 hectares of the highest ground in Faugères, it's organically certified, and a superb example of the small, quality-conscious estates bringing the region into the spotlight.

Their Grand Réserve 2012 was voted the best sub-£15 Languedoc red at the Decanter World Wine Awards (no mean feat) and the 2015 is equally delicious (2015 was arguably the best vintage of the millennium).

Made from a blend of old vine Carignan, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, the 2015 is silkier and slightly lighter than previous vintages that I have offered (13.5% abv) but still relatively rich in style with striking aromatics, ripe red fruit, a soft spiciness, notes of garrigue and as usual that more-ish freshness.

Offered: October 2017.

Alcohol: 13.5%.

Vintage report: 2015 was a superb vintage in Faugères: near perfect growing conditions, plenty of water thanks to the winter rains and healthy, ripe fruit at harvest.

Drinking window: 2017 – 2023.

Food matching: The winemaker reckons it would be particularly tasty with roast lamb or pigeon… both sound extremely good to me!

The tiny Becker Landgraf winery sits in the gently rolling hills of Rheinhessen, just to the southwest of Frankfurt, on the edge of the village of Gau-Odernheim. It is owned and run by Johannes Landgraf and his wife Julia (née Becker), a young couple from local winemaking families.

They took over the winery from Julia’s parents back in 2006 and together make top notch, cool climate Pinot Noir and Riesling.

If you’re a fan of red Burgundy but not so enthusiastic about the high prices then you need to investigate the Pinot Noirs being made in Germany. Known there as Spätburgunders, the best rank among the finest Pinots in the world, and frankly, they thrash the Burgundians on value for money. This superb 2015 from Becker Landgraf is a prime example.

Offered: September 2017

Alcohol: 13.5%

Vintage report: A stunning vintage, some think one of the all-time greats.

Drinking window: 2017 – 2022.

Food matching: Silky enough to be drunk by itself but would be even better with roast chicken, mushroom risotto or duck pancakes (to name just a few!).

In stellar vintages such as 2015, the entry-level wines from the top producers can offer real class at very good prices. This Côtes du Rhône from Domaine Grand Nicolet is a perfect example.

An unoaked Grenache-Syrah blend with a bit of Carignan and Cinsault in the mix as well, it is rich and smooth with bright red fruit, impressive complexity and a lovely freshness that keeps you coming back for more.

Robertparker.com describes Grand Nicolet as a "go-to estate that fashions terrific wines, year in, year out". Their 2015 absolutely bears this out and will drink beautifully this autumn and beyond.

Offered: September 2017

Alcohol: 14%

Vintage report: 2015 was widely hailed as an exceptionally good year: “truly sensational” (Jeb Dunnuck), “rare and exceptional quality” (Michel Chapoutier). Rhône expert, John Livingstone-Learmonth was also brimming with enthusiasm, saying: “What struck me from the outset was how grown-up the wines were. At six weeks, they tasted like more finished wines of six months old. After six months, they tasted as if they had already received two winters of cellar raising.”

Drinking window: 2017 - 2020.

Food matching: Côtes du Rhône reds are famously food friendly and go with all sorts of different dishes. A few top matches though would be autumn stews, bangers and mash, hard cheeses and Sunday roasts.