Rustenberg, Brampton Shiraz, South Africa 2004

Very fresh red colour, no brown edge, rather pink. Smell is of strong alcohol, brambles, cherries and pepper. On the palate there is oak, berries, hints of cedarwood, vanilla, plums, and a smooth finish. Yeah, that's it. It is brilliant. Very smooth, full of fresh fruit and enough depth to keep you entertained all night. This bottle was given to me as a gift, and what better could I have asked for than an International Trophy Winner from South Africa (Decanter awards). Perfect choice. Highly recommended and not even on the expensive side (under 10 quid).

Cape Mentelle - Cabernet Merlot 2004

Rasberry. Dark red cherry colour. Very nice overall complexity. This is a great Australian red that is a bit more on the pricey side. But did I spend the money? No! Went to a Decanter/Waitrose winetasting the other day and managed to sneak this little fella out at the end of it (it was already open after all). Great, I don't blame it for getting a bronze medal at the Decanter world wine awards.