Caves des Hautes Côtes Hautes Côtes de Nuits Rouge 1999: A very pale, cherry-red wine. Simple chery fruit on the nose. There's little of interest here. 12/20 (£5.49, buy two save £1 at £4.99)

Louis Max Côte Chalonnaise Rouge 1999: This wine has just a little more colour, still with a cherry-red hue. Thankfully more fruit on the nose, which seems quite promising, with aromas of red and black summer berry fruits. The palate, however, fails to live up to expectations. Hollow through the midpalate, with just a little dried up fruit. Lacks style. 12/20 (£8.99, buy two save £2 at £7.99)

Catherine et Claude Marechal Chorey-les-Beaunes 1999: A vibrant red colour, with a fair depth of fruit on the nose. Quite a pleasant texture on entry, with some smooth fruit. Soft, chalky tannins and somewhat sharp acidity. Lacks class. 13/20 (£9.99, limited availability)

Catherine et Claude Marechal Ladoix les Chaillots 1999: This wine has a similar colour, with slightly confected red fruit and herbaceous aromas. Again a smooth texture, but a harsh edge from the tannins and overly sharp acidity. 13/20 (£9.99, limited availability)

Rossignol-Jeanniard Aloxe-Corton 2000: This has an appealing colour, with a summer fruit nose. Peppery fruit on the palate, with moderate acidity. A harsh, somewhat coarse texture. 13/20 (£13.99)

Albert Morot Beaune 1er Cru Bressandes 1986: The age of this wine is apparent from the tawny red hue. Lots of secondary character on the nose, with game, animal fur and undergrowth aromas. A surprising streak of red fruits through the midpalate, kept fresh by the slightly obvious acidity. Dried out on the finish. Past its best, but still has interest. 14.5/20 (£14.99, limited availability)

Marc Roy Gevrey Chambertin Clos Prieur 1999: A more impressive nose here. Crushed berry fruits with a lick of oak. Quite fat and round on the palate, with some overly sweet fruit mixed with spice and charred wood. Pleasing tannins and correct acidity. Has balance and reasonable structure. 15/20 (£15.99)

Alain Michelot Nuits-Saint-Georges 1999: Good fruit but less power. Dry and soft on the palate, with fine acidity, but lacking in tannic structure. This just shows through on the finish. 15/20 (£17.99)

Jaboulet Côtes du Ventoux Les Trois Mas 1999: Sweet and perhaps a touch confected on the nose. Grenache dominated raspberry fruit. Fairly simple on the palate, with sweet fruits and a low level of somewhat chalky tannins. 14.5/20 (£4.99)

Jaboulet Côtes du Rhône Mule Noire 1999: Another nose with some pleasant fruit. More interest on the palate. Smooth black fruits, less confected, with soft tannins and correct acidity. 14.5/20 (£5.99)

Domaine Chomel Crozes Hermitage 1999: This wine was quite closed on the day of tasting. Some suggestions of black fruits and roasted herbs. Summer fruits on the palate, with herb-sprinkled meat. Balanced acidity. 15.5+/20 (£6.99, buy two save £2 at £5.99)

Les Grandes Serres Châteauneuf-du-Pape 1999: Fairly pale colour for this appellation. Simple fruit on the nose, with crushed, chewy berries. Sweet Grenache fruit and soft tannins on the palate. 15+/20 (£8.49)

Domaine des Chenes Blancs Gigondas 1999: A good depth of sweet raspberry fruit on the palate, with a crisp, crunchy berry-leaf feshness. Plenty of flavour on the palate, with soft tannins and low acidity. Good for drinking now. 15/20 (£8.99)

Chateau La Fleur Plaisance (St Emilion) 1999: Lovely colour. Lots of sweet oak and black fruits on the nose. There's a great depth of flavour on the palate, with Morello and black cherries, underpinned by spicy, mouth-coating tannins. 16+/20 (£9.99)

Chateau La Vieille Croix (Fronsac) 1998: An appealing red-purple colour. Spicy fruitcake and chocolate aromas with plenty of fruit. Good structure evidient on the palate, with firm tannis and acidity supporting more spicy fruit. 15.5+/20 (£10.99)

Royal Tokay 5 Puttonyos 1996: A deep and burnished golden-orange colour. Plenty of sweet, honeyed, botrytis and quince aromas, together with some prominent volatile acidity, a feature of the 1995 from this producer also. On the palate, orange marmalade sits with all the other flavours, wrapped in a hedonistic texture with sufficient acidity. There's a harsh note related to that VA. 14.5+/20 (£13.99 per 50cl)

The Pioneers Raisined Muscat 2001: A lovely and expressive sweet Muscat nose. On the palate, its apparent that this is a fairly light weight wine, although there is some richness to the texture, together with raisined fruit and spice. Sufficient acidity. Great value. 15/20 (£4.49, buy two bottles save £2 at £3.49, per 375ml)

Brown Brothers Liqueur Muscat NV: A nutty brown wine, with a richly aromatic nose of nuts dripping toffee. Wondeful texture, with creamy toffee smothering a layer of chopped hazelnuts, and quite prominent acidity. 15/20 (£7.99 per 375ml)

Mission Hill Family Estate Vidal Icewine Reserve VQA Okanagan 1998: Powerful honey and marmalade aromas on the nose. No surprises with the palate, as this is richly laden with beeswax, marmalade, honey, quince, and fresh fruit flavours, all wrapped up in an unctuous texture. Incredible power, cut through with almost brutal acidity. I think this wine could really go the distance. 16.5+/20 (£19.99 per 375 ml)

Taylor's First Estate NV: A leathery and molasses nose. Soft and warm on the palate, with black fruits and sweet molasses again. A touch angular, but has a nice fatness to the texture. 15/20 (£7.49)

Taylor's Late Bottled Vintage 1996: A more austere and restrained nose here. A good balance has been achieved on the palate, with correct tannins and acidity underlying good fruit, with some leather and spice complexity. Very easy to drink. 15.5/20 (£8.99)

Fonseca Late Bottled Vintage 1996: A very darkly coloured wine. Class on the nose, with charred, toasty aromas lying at ease with plenty of molasses and black fruit. The palate is big and round, well structured with correct tannins and acidity, a sweet edge to the fruit and an almost creamy texture. 15.5/20 (£9.99, buy two save £2 at £8.99)

Graham's Crusted Port NV: Another impressive colour here. Sweet black fruit on the nose. Surprisingly rich texture on the palate, with plenty of fruit, but no great complexity. Good structure though. 15.5/20 (£12.99)

Warre's Quinta da Cavadinha 1987: More subdued fruit on the nose here. The palate combines a soft, smooth, mature feel with balanced although drying tannins, alcohol and acidity. Some earthy, undergrowth complexity, although the fruit maintains a good sweetness. 17+/20 (£19.99)