By the Glass Trophies

Our By The Glass Trophies go to the best-priced and most versatile wines on our Gold List. These are the ones that perform from the word go. Equally at home in the fridge of a gastropub, a metropolitan bar, or at the beginning of a neighbourhood restaurant wine list, they work as well with a variety of dishes as they do solo. We kick off with four that are ideally suited to the pub setting, both in terms of price and appeal, before moving on to the By The Glass wines. As ever, we have a balance of Old and New World wines, plus a range of styles, names and countries, from a terrific prosecco to a stylish Spanish Malbec and – for the first time – a sweet wine from Chile. So dive in. There’s something for everyone!

Perfect Pub Quartet

Santa Carolina, Vistana Chardonnay 2014, Central Valley, Chile

£4.70 @ Ehrmanns

Minerals, texture and a depth way beyond its price tag. Herbaceous notes on the nose alongside hints of tangerine peel lead to a fresh palate, more than capable of holding its own alongside quite punchy dishes. Think ‘monkfish with tomato, olives, anchovy and a touch of chilli’, said Peter Bagatti of Bagatti’s.

Larchargo, Valle de Orón, Verdejo 2013, Rueda, Spain

£5.60 @ Greene King

‘Delicious and incredible value for money,’ said Athila Roos of The Arts Club, summarising why this aromatic, herbaceous Verdejo came out on top. With aromas of citrus oil, tangerine, clementine and yellow plum, the palate is dry and fresh, with stone fruit flavours and a long finish. Very versatile on the food front.

Adria Vini, Ancora, Monferrato Chiaretto 2014, Piedmont, Italy

£4.60 @ Boutinot

A gentle crowd-pleaser from this joint winemaking venture between Boutinot and Piedmont’s leading co-op, this shows light red fruits on the nose alongside floral and citrus notes. ‘The palate is very elegant and textured, with good balance, great acids and a long length,’ said Vincent Pastorello of Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester.

Cosecheros y Criadores, Casa Bonita Malbec 2013, La Mancha, Spain

£5.55 @ Berkmann Wine Cellars

Friendly yet stylish, this Malbec is deep purple in colour, with plenty of plums, cherries and dark red fruit notes on the nose. ‘Lovely integrated oak, and a long, complex spicy palate,’ said consultant Michael Harrison. Sufficient texture and dusky tannins to match many dishes, including the likes of linguine gambrini with white wine and chilli.

By The Glass Trophies

Riondo, Prosecco Spumante Extra Dry NV, Veneto, Italy

£8.35 @ Moreno Wines, Try Wines

Remarkably refreshing, this has a delightfully dry palate, with zippy notes of lemon candy and orange zest. Matteo Malquori of Hakkasan Hanway Place picked out this wine’s ‘green apples, elegant mousse, refreshing acidity and long balanced finish’, while team leader Laura Rhys MS appreciated its ‘nice elegance’.

Finca Las Moras, Pacha Mama, Torrontés 2014, San Juan, Argentina

£5.21 @ Bibendum Wine

Wonderful aromatics coupled with a flavour-packed, light-to-medium palate led to a dry, crisp, lip-smacking finish. While floral notes and a variety of citrus fruit begin the journey, Morgan VanderKamer of Stanley’s Dublin said: ‘With its balance, purity and long finish, this would be great with food. Excellent.’

Colombo & Fille, Cotes du Rhône Blanc 2014, France

£6.24 @ Hatch Mansfield

Intense Mediterranean character with great freshness and precision from Colombo & Fille’s delightful white Rhône. ‘Intense, focused and concentrated nose of beautiful melon, ripe peach and pear fruit with delicate blossom notes,’ said Stuart Skea of Champany Inn & Wine Cellars, suggesting a match with swordfish and crevettes.

Cavit, Principato Pinot Grigio Blush 2014, Veneto, Italy

5.00 @ Molson Coors

Once more, a spot on the By The Glass list for Cavit, this time with its pale, elegant rosé. ‘Ideal as an aperitif, pleasant and great value,’ said Paolo Pivato of Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa. Floral aromas, with red berries alongside a core of apple flavours, a touch of minerality and a long finish.

Pamukkale, Senfoni Red 2013, Agean, Turkey

£5.00 @ Anatolian Foods

Typically stylish red with a soft tannin structure, packed with juicy black and red berry fruit, from this third-generation winery, established more than 50 years ago. With its long finish, good fruit and hint of spice, there’s much food-matching potential, including duck confit, according to team leader, Annette Scarfe MW.

Boutinot, Haute Marone, Le Torrent du Trignon, Sablet, Côtes du Rhône Villages 2012, France

£7.25 @ Boutinot

Balance, integration, structure, concentration, length – no wonder Haute Marone struck Gold with its Sablet. Leather, cigar box and spicy fruit mix on the nose with floral elements, while the palate is ‘vibrant, spicy, very approachable but big enough to impress’, according to Sandro Lyhs of Oxo Tower Bar.

Santa Rita, Gran Hacienda, Reserva Cabernet 2011, Maipo Valley, Chile

£7.33 @ Berkmann Wine Cellars

Witness the perfect cohesion between oak notes, the concentration of fruit flavours, the structure and balance in this Cabernet from Chile. ‘Blackcurrant and violets on the nose, this has nice fine tannins and a bitter coffee finish,’ said Maxwell Allwood of Alimentum, suggesting venison haunch as a food match.

Errazuriz, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2013, Casablanca, Chile

£5.93/37.5cl @ Hatch Mansfield

Second year in a row for Errazuriz on our By The Glass list, this offers a delightfully intense bouquet of stone fruits, citrus zest, plus ‘honey, lemons and rich, ripe apricots’, according to Jonathan Kleeman of The Ritz Hotel. Perfect solo, it has enough oomph to match desserts as flavourful as passion fruit cheesecake.