There are some wines that get us very excited here at Baythorne Wines, and the Passo Antico is certainly one of them. Few wines combine such vibrant flavours, rich texture and exception value for money.

Here are the headlines: Appassimento method, 100 year old vines, full bodied, flavoursome, fresh and a rare Sardinian wine at this price.

The wine is one of the growing number of Italian wines made in the appassimento style, whereby at least a portion of the grapes are air-dried following harvest to intensify the flavour and sugars. This ensures a depth of flavour, but what is so appealing about the Passo Antico is that it hasn't reduced the freshness and vibrancy, and neither has it resulted in either excessive sweetness or high alcohol levels that can happen. What we have here is something of a Sardinian masterpiece.

The dominant grape is Cannonau (the Sardinian name for Grenache) blended with Carignan and Barbera Sarda (only found on Sardinia). It's made by Cantina Bortolato Emanuela, a mainland Italian producer based in Veneto, but working with wineries dotted around the country and islands. They produce exceptional wines and this one shows an intense aroma of stewed autumnal fruits, and on the palate it's fairly full bodied, with an intense flavour of damson and fresh summer fruit notes in the background.

This is a wine that should be in everyone's wine rack.

Château de Domazan was built in the 14th century in the middle of Côte du Rhône vineyard, nearby Avignon.

The ground is covered with large pebbles that were rolled and rounded on the old Rhône bed. These pebbles that can weigh up to 30 kg are very beneficial to the grapes because they provide excellent conditions for ripening. They store up the heat from the sun during the day and release it slowly through the mild summer nights.

This is an excellent value Cotes du Rhone with a floral and spicy aroma. On the palate it is nicely rounded with a concentrated red berry flavour.

Intense deep purple colour with ruby red tints. At first spices and blackberry, the second nose develops wood and cocoa aromas finishing on toasted oak notes. Full-bodied rich and mellow with velvety tannins. Complex flavours on the middle palate, liquorice flavours on the finish. Long lasting.

Jean-Claude Mas has significantly grown and enhanced Domaines Paul Mas with the acquisition of several carefully selected properties throughout the Languedoc. His portfolio of estates now accounts for over 440 acres of premium vineyards, planted with 25 different varieties, including Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Viognier and Chardonnay. Above all else, his vineyards are maintained at the utmost quality so as to yield the highest calibre grapes.

La Forge Estate wines symbolize the fusion of the old and the new worlds of wine, as well as the fusion between carefully selected grapes from the best South of France vineyards and an expressive, round and aromatic style, brightened up by a subtle dose of oak barrel ageing.

This wonderfully rich and intense red is right up there with the very best of the Languedoc. La Liviniere is one of the few vineyards in the Languedoc with 'Cru' status, and it's clear to see why with this wine. It has some vivid cherry and blackberry fruit on the palate with some immense coffee and dark chocolate notes alongside. There is some definite ageing potential, but it offers some serious drinking pleasure right now.

Maury may be an appellation more famed for its sweet red wines, but this dry red is an absolute triumph. Maury's key variety is Grenache, and that makes up the bulk of the blend here, with a little Carignan added to add additional layers of flavour. On the nose there is a slightly floral note of violets alongside more fruity tones, however on the palate it is layers of dark autumnal fruit with a hint of sweeter raspberry that dominate. It is full bodied and richly textured and on the finish there a gentle spiciness that just adds to the appeal.

This is an exceptional red that should appeal to lovers of classic southern Rhone reds as well as those from Roussillon.

No added sulfites wine.

This exceptionally well priced red from Chateau des Jaume (one of the famous estates of the Roussillon region) is a delight. It's brimming with ripe autumnal hedgerow fruit, with a hint of roasted herbs in the background. The wine is a blend of three grape varieties (Syrah, Grenache and Carignan) and is made without the addition of sulfites.

Deep ruby appearance. The nose shows incredible richness despite still being fairly closed. Ripe fruits like blueberries and red plums against a background of cedar and tobacco-leaf notes from the oak. Well-structured with lively acidity, grippy high quality tannins, salinity and smoothing alcohol, ending in a long finish in which oak and fruit continue in excellent balance.