Staff Picks

This week we've highlighted a trio of reds, since although it's sunny it's still pretty chilly. We aren't putting away our scarves and gloves just yet. There's a favourite Lebanese and two new additions from subalpine Lombardy and little-known Maule in Chile.

Pedro Parra Pencopolitano 2018 Itata, Chile

Long regarded as the Volvo of the wine world, Chile has had a reputation for being reliable and well-priced but rather dull. All that is changing now the young gun winemakers of Maule and Itata have come onto the scene, working with old vines, unusual soils and low intervention philosophies. This juicy blend of cinsault and pais comes from Pedro Parra, a soil specialist at the forefront of the revival of Chilean wine, and is a bright, primary red with notes of pomegranate and blood orange, with no new oak, tangy freshness and a touch of sage on the finish. A favourite new red for spring.

Oumsiyat Jaspe Rouge 2018, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

We've all heard of Musar, but the ancient Bekaa Valley is home to a number of wineries, and Oumsiyat is one of our favourites. Run by the fourth generation of the Bou Sleiman family, the wines are somewhere between the atavistic Musar style and the more modern wineries in the valley, bringing together both ripe fruit and some more complex spice and herbal elements. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, syrah, carignan and cinsault, this is a Bordeaux blend with a mediterranean twist. Unoaked but spicy, it displays robust dark fruit, black pepper, bay leaf and grainy tannins. It's also a steal for less than £15.

Pietro Selva Costiera delle Cicale Riserva 2014, Valtellina, Lombardy

We recently tasted Pietro's delicious Selvatico on our nebbiolo tasting, which sold out even before we'd gathered around our webcams and proved hugely popular on the night. Here's his Riserva, which is the next step up in his range, but in the same ethereal style and with no shortage of flavour. Finocchiona, mushroom and dried petals mark the nose, which leads in a fresh, complex palate with fine tannins, more of that deeply savoury cured meat character and a peppery freshness that would make a very happy partner to some lamb hot off the grill. This is also very limited, with less than 100 bottles available. You heard it here first.