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.

There are all sorts of theories as to why German wines fell out of favour in the UK - confusing labelling, Blue Nun, the war! The simple fact though is that Riesling is one of the world's greatest white grapes (the greatest if you ask Hugh Johnson or Jancis Robinson).

In the early 20th Century, German Rieslings were regarded (along with Bordeaux) as some of the finest wines available to humanity. Anyway, something went wrong with the marketing and here we are.

The good news though is that Germany still produces some absolutely sensational wines and the value is often fantastic.

Martin Wassmer's dry Riesling is a thrilling example. Bright and fresh with ripe citrus and apricot fruit, excellent balance and a slight minerality. It is the sort of complex white that seems to offer up something new with each sip.

Offered: August 2017.

Alcohol: 13%.

Vintage report: 2015 was a cracking vintage across Germany and Markgraflerland was no exception. A strangely dry summer raised a few eyebrows but aside from this winemakers experienced remarkably few issues. Baden Rieslings tended to be fruit-forward with fresh acidity. Very much the case with Martin Wassmer’s 2015.

Drinking window: 2017 - 2022.

Food matching: Try it with Chinese or Thai food (not too spicy), seafood would also work well, as would cider-glazed pork.

The Languedoc continues to over deliver on quality and value, and the wines of Domaine de la Cendrillon in Corbières are wonderful examples.

The Joyeaux family have been making wine here since 1750 and today combine centuries of vineyard know-how (!) with top-spec wine making equipment, to produce some glorious old-vine red and rosé.

Robert Joyeaux took the reins in 2005, converted the estate to organic and has gradually established it as one of the region’s most exciting producers.

The Classique is a blend of old-vine Grenache, Syrah and a little bit of Mourvèdre (for added intensity and structure). It is unoaked, medium - full bodied, and very smooth in style with plenty of blackcurrant and raspberry fruit, as well as notes of coffee and a slight pepperiness from the Syrah.

Offered: July 2017

Price was: £14.95 bottle | £30.95 magnum

Alcohol: 14%

Vintage report: A challenging vintage in the Languedoc with winter drought and hail meaning yields were down. September rains then caused trouble for later ripening grape varieties. Overall though, some very good wines were made, particularly by those who triaged carefully at harvest.

Drinking window: 2017 – 2020.

Food matching: Drink with barbecued red meats, game, country-style pâté, hard cheeses.

The Languedoc continues to over deliver on quality and value, and the wines of Domaine de la Cendrillon in Corbières are wonderful examples.

The Joyeaux family have been making wine here since 1750 and today combine centuries of vineyard know-how (!) with top-spec wine making equipment, to produce some glorious old-vine red and rosé.

Robert Joyeaux took the reins in 2005, converted the estate to organic and has gradually established it as one of the region’s most exciting producers.

The Minuit rosé is made mostly from Mourvèdre with a bit of Grenache and Cinsault in the mix as well. It is light and very drinkable at just 12% abv, dry, with crisp acidity, delicate citrus and cherry fruit, and a slightly floral character. The overall balance is excellent and the finish long and clean.

Offered: July 2017

Price was: £12.95 bottle | £28.95 magnum

Alcohol: 12%

Vintage report: A high quality but small vintage. Lack of rain meant old vines (therefore deep rooted) fared better than young. Fruit was very high quality though and many lovely wines to be found.

Drinking window: 2017 - 2018

Food matching: It is completely delicious by itself but would be a great match for charcuterie, seafood risotto or summer salads.