Good wine sells itself

This is the theme of many of the bottles I found in the heap of boxes which had accumulated in my hall over the summer break. Stacked several high and forming a significant trip hazard, I decided to rummage through the pile hoping for some gems at bargain prices. Instead I got worthy causes and a few crazy ideas.

First out of the boxes came Khulu Sky, a range of three South African wines which are packaged in plastic bottles. Generally I don't like plastic because the wine seems to deteriorate more quickly and once they are opened, they wobble like a milk carton, and take away some of the pleasure of pouring a glass of wine.

But I like these bottles. They are clear and bright and look very much like glass. Made from PET, they are fairly rigid and because this is a multilayered PET they actually keep the wine in good condition. If you buy a bottle, drink the contents and then take a pair of scissors to the bottle, you can separate the layers and expose the central part which forms a perfect barrier to oxygen. By chance in early summer I visited the bottling plant in France where these bottles are filled and I was impressed by the sheer quality of production.

The advantage of these bottles is that they require less energy to manufacture than glass and they are 100 per cent recyclable. They are also lighter to transport and so consume less energy en route. The wine is shipped in bulk to France, filled into the bottles and distributed from there. Even with that diversion via France, the energy savings are significant. The advantage to the drinker is that the bottles are unbreakable and are perfect for taking on picnics, or to the increasing number of events where glass is not allowed.

As for the wine inside the bottles – it is a shame that the producers did not pay as much attention to the quality of the wine as they did to its ecological credentials. Khulu means "wonderful", but only the Chenin Blanc 2010 is actually worth buying. Its crisp, citrusy fruit is refreshing and light. But the Pinotage Ros lacks flavour and fruit while the Shiraz has a cindery bitter character. At 5.69 a bottle you would be better putting 1 in a wildlife charity box and buying something else to drink with the change.

On to the next worthy cause and this time Banrock Station in Australia, a winery with impeccable ecological credentials, has packaged a special edition of its wines with a bee on the label to highlight its support of the Co-op's Plan Bee. This concerns the British bee population which has been falling and the Co-op has a plan to try to help reverse the trend by encouraging urban bee-keeping, giving away flower seeds and banning some pesticides. Banrock Station will give 5p towards Plan Bee for every bottle of Banrock Station sold between now and October 19.

Once again I am more interested in the liquid inside the bottle rather than the gimmick outside and I can recommend the Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2009 for its soft pineapple fruit and easy drinking style and the Cabernet Sauvignon 23009 for its deep mulberry fruit and soft tannins. Avoid the ros which is far

too sweet. Banrock Station is available at Co-op stores at 4.60.

Via Ventisquero in Chile has reduced its carbon footprint to almost nothing with a series of ecological practices and support of natural wetlands in Chile and the UK. The new vintage of Yali Winemaker's Selection Merlot 2009 comes in lightweight bottles to maximise its eco-credentials.

But the refreshing thing about this wine is that it tastes good with rich deep raspberry and blackberry fruit, a good balance of acidity and terrific length. It goes really well with pasta, cheese and chicken dishes. Currently this costs 6.49 in Tesco, although this brand occasionally goes on offer so look out for it.

The next set of good ideas came with Tagus Creek, a range of Portuguese wines which I have enjoyed for several years. The brand has been revamped with a new label which carries Braille dots

on the front and a strange pattern of black squares, known as a QR code on the back.

The idea of the QR code is that you can scan the code with your phone and a free downloadable app will tell you about the wine. Alternatively, you could just read the back label. I still like these wines, despite the gimmick, in particular the fresh zippy flavours of Arinto & Ferno Pires 2009 and the ripe, juicy, raspberry fruit of the Shiraz & Touriga Nacional Ros 2009. Tagus Creek is widely available in Tesco, Morrisons and Booths at around 5.99.

It was an absolute delight to open the final box and find a bottle of wine that had no gimmicks, eco-credentials or downloadable apps. Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2010 is the first of the new vintage New Zealand wines I have tasted and it is showing terrific herbaceous fruit, zesty bright acidity with a crunchy minerally finish.

It has all the fruit and character of good New Zealand Sauvignon, in balance and harmony and without hard edges which can sometimes make it rather tiring.

The 2010 vintage was smaller than the previous two vintages and certainly this wine seems to have a touch more concentration than 2009 versions.

Many New Zealand 2009 wines are going on offer now to clear space for the new vintage, so enjoy the bargains while you can but switch to 2010 for a more flavourful experience.

Villa Maria 2010 will gradually work its way into shops such as Waitrose, Tesco and others and it generally retails at around 8.99.

YP MAG 11/9/10