14 best red wines, recommended by a vino expert

For such a devilish design, this truly is heaven in a bottle. Being a massive supermarket favourite, the Diablo delivers an intense ruby red syrah. The fruits here are memorably deep, plunging you into a pool of cherry, damson and blackberry before a kiss of mocha takes over, with vanilla and dark chocolate at the tail end. If you like concentrated flavours and surprising complexity around the ?10 mark, this is a winner.

Staying true to its heritage, Félix Solís is admired for remaining family-owned and family-operated despite being one of Spain’s largest wine producers. This easy-drinking blend of tempranillo and syrah paints with incredibly vivid reds, delivering ripe and jammy berries, plums and figs. The big, chewy, and almost creamy texture fills the mouth with a delectable softness, with just the right injection of tartness for harmony. A kiss of vanilla and crack of warm pepper round things off nicely.

This seductive red hails from Tenuta Di Arceno, sitting snugly within the Italian picture-book region of Tuscany. Brimming with an array of red fruits, this divine treat is anchored by the earthy and savoury touch for which the region is so well known. A great acidic backbone is elevated by freshness, minerality and a distinct spice, all of which scream quality sangiovese. With the alcohol being so softly integrated, it’s difficult to not fall in love. This red wine makes for a total dream with any Italian dish (or any dish at all, to be honest).

The Burge family behind Grant Burge wines have been firmly rooted within Australia’s Barossa Valley since 1865. B.Ink is a bold, contemporary, inky red offering a generous smothering of dark chocolate-coated raspberries alongside a gentle, soothing oak. Black forest fruits swirl in the velvety tannins and steal the show, especially if you set it aside to breathe for an hour or two.

Teaming up with the Austrian Lenz Moser winery, serial-award winner ‘purple air’ is proof of China’s phenomenal winemaking abilities. It’s all cabernet sauvignon and it’s all flavour. Dark stewed fruits burst in the mouth, flanked by a gentle waft of tobacco and whiff of oaky baking spice. It straddles Old and New World styles, brimming under the fruity surface with a moreish woody and savoury complexity. Not only is this a fantastic wine, you’re unlikely to find anything like it.

During the 1700s in Britain, there were a number of crimes (19 of them, in fact) that resulted in deportation to Australia’s penal colonies. Those who survived the long and treacherous journey became prisoners. Many of those who lived their sentence also became pioneers. Put simply, the 19 Crimes portfolio tends to deliver substance as well as style and frequently scores top points for its price tag. Its flagship red features a dominance of Australia’s prized shiraz grape, with plenty of vanilla, oak and cedar spice complementing jammy blackcurrants and juicy plums. It’s plush and well-rounded with an indulgently moreish character.

By following the ancient technique of drying nero d’avola grapes before pressing them, the liquid in every bottle of Eghemon passimiento has an elevated concentration of flavour. A kiss of early harvest frappato is tempered within each bottle, to add a beautiful marriage of youthful freshness alongside the red wine’s comforting sweetness. A classic Sicilian with which you can’t help but fall in love.

You won’t find much else smoother than this in the supermarkets. The jammy raspberries are an instant hit, luxuriated with deep chocolate notes, for extra depth. The blend is nicely rounded with zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and syrah, each filled with ripe crowd-pleasing flavours from the California sun. Described as the milk chocolate of wine, it’s so alluring and accessible, that you just can’t wait to get home to it.

Near Florence, the historic Frescobaldi family are deeply rooted in Tuscan wine production and own one of the highest vineyards in the region. This blend of sangiovese and merlot pours a mesmerising ruby red and, from the nose alone, you know you’re in safe hands. The sweetly spiced ripe black fruits are self-assured, unfolding into a structured, precisely balanced palate. Silky tannins draw out mellow blackberry, oaky vanilla and leather and so much is experienced before the lingering finish echoes around the mouth.

Daring to push the limits, Terrazas de los Andes embarked on a pioneering mission to plant some of the highest-altitude wines in the world. Settling into the steep foothills of the Andes has given its vino a distinct edge. Earthy cherries and warm earth hit you on the nose, with tobacco and creamy leather. Take a sip and a splash of rich black cherries, plum crumble and gentle spice wrap around your taste buds. It has all the flavour you expect from Mendoza malbec but with a refined elegance.

Putting Burgundy to the test, this New Zealand pinot noir grabs your attention from the get-go. A seductive intensity of flavour holds your hand through forests of strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. A waft of spice is followed by violets and a savoury nuttiness. It truly tastes just as good as it smells. Don’t be fooled, some of the best pinot in the world comes from Bannockburn and this bottle is yet another reminder of that fact.

Every now and again, you come across a winery that blows your mind. Bodega Chacra is a case in point. Argentina’s Patagonia is known as a clothing brand and a picturesque haven for scenery but few are aware of just how incredible its wines are. Organic and biodynamic (and not just as a gimmick), these wines are unoaked and fermented/matured in concrete. While all that may sound like waffle, it translates to an epic wine. The fruit is in the driving seat here – think a complex palate of blueberry, mulberry, zesty lemon, and shades of green with subtle olive and thyme. Absolutely stunning.

Thanks to its repeatedly brilliant vintages and winemaking genius, at the hands of Michael Silacci, Opus One has earned its spot as one of the most iconic wineries in the world. The ratios change ever so slightly each year, resulting in the best possible taste, with the 2018 vintage showcasing 84 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 6 per cent petit verdot, 5 per cent merlot, 4 per cent cabernet franc and 1 per cent malbec, aged for 17 months in new French oak. The result of all of that is a delicately but perfectly poised harmony, consisting of gently mulled currants and cherries, punchy bittersweet plum and savoury thyme and tobacco. Incredible elegance, bright youth, and velvety tannins combined – and it’ll only get more special over time.

From highly regarded cooperative Plaimont comes this big, powerful red – an icon of the Saint Mont appellation in France. A blend of tannat, cabernet sauvignon and pinenc is brought to life with vibrant tannins. Within the dark purple liquid core sits a richness of spiced blackberries and blackcurrants. A strong, smoky backbone holds everything together, making this the perfect wine to indulge in throughout the evening with that special someone. Fun fact: the wooden label donning each bottle pays tribute to an old practice whereby a single plank would identify the grape variety planted within the soil.