As I sat at Lords last Sunday with Mark Hohnen watching England snatch victory at the last minute from India, my thoughts turned to his brother David’s iconic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Cloudy Bay.

According to Tim Atkin, wine correspondent of the Observer, “The World of Fine Wine is by far the best wine magazine in the world. It’s scholarly, opinionated, well written and a delight to read.”

The bleary eyes and hazy heads in the office this morning were not the result of the vicissitudes of London’s public transport but an excess of fine Tuscan wine at Manicomio last night.

Often the proof of the quality of a vintage is not just in the big names at high prices. We have felt right from the first tastings that (as in 2005) there are some exceptional, inexpensive wines to be found in 2008.

James Kinglake needs no introduction to Goedhuis customers. Matthew Jukes first alerted us to his delicious Domaine Begude Limoux chardonnay