Fine wine with fantastic value for money

The Stoics represented one of the ancient world’s most influential schools of philosophy, helping their toga-wearing Greek and Roman countrymen to understand the ‘art of living’. Great thinkers such as Seneca, Epictetus and, most famous of all, Emperor Marcus Aurelius deliberately pursued a modest lifestyle, looking for beauty in simplicity and discarding luxury to celebrate the humbler things in life.

Anyone familiar with my Instagram feed could be forgiven for presuming our taste to be somewhat hedonistic, but we regularly take great enjoyment from wine’s simpler pleasures. With these virtues in mind, here we present The Stoic’s Guide to Fine Wine, a collection of 20 bottles that represent fantastic value for money, and punch well above their weight, all which can you can buy online. Advocating concepts such as existing in harmony with nature (terroir-driven wines must’ve been the order of the day); not worrying about the things in life we can’t control (ditch the vintage-chart mentality); and valuing what we already have rather than yearning for more (ignore that 100-pointer the critics are raving about but you can’t afford), these are wines that would put a massive grin on even the most modest Stoic’s face. And all of which can be found in Vivino's wine online, one of the biggest online wine retailers. Enjoy!

What could be more ‘in the way’ than an erupting volcano? While walking the vineyards with Frank Cornellisen Noble Rot, the wine magazine, got a feel for the difficulties Mount Etna’s unique microclimate brings - every surface was covered in fresh ash - yet the winemakers perched up to 1000m on its slopes have turned nature’s curse into a blessing, crafting singular wines out of Nerello Mascalese and other indigenous grapes. Pietradolce's silky Etna Rosso (circa £14 online at Vivino) is a great introduction to this most exciting of wine regions.

Working the vertiginous vineyards of Ribeira Sacra must be the most arduous viticultural task in the world. When Laura Lorenzo of Daterra Viticultores could finally afford to hire a vineyard worker, “he lasted just a couple of days and then disappeared. Working vines in Ribeira Sacra is hard." While that may be, what comes from the struggle are some of Spain’s most elegant reds, particularly those from producers like Envinate, Fedellos do Couto and Dominio do Bibei. All produce exceptional wines, but their neighbour Guimaro's entry-level Mencia (circa £10) is ridiculous i value considering that ' backbreaking labour.

Working hard without reward is the humble winemaker’s lot, and wine doesn’t get any humbler than Muscadet. This speciality of the Western Loire Valley has long been a passport to bankruptcy for those that produce it but, I thankfully, a handful of hardy, terroir-obsessed souls have kept the faith. While it may be too early to suggest Muscadet has undergone a renaissance, producers such Jo Landron, Domaine de l’Ecu and Terre de Gneiss are transforming perceptions. Our pick is Domaine de la Pépiére's 'Clos des Briords' (circa £15), a briny masterclass in dry white wine that is built for shellfish. When you buy wine online this almost never recommended, which is a shame.

Considering the time and skill that goes in to producing the wines of Jerez, it’s incredible that they fell so far out of favour with modern drinkers. Does their distinctiveness jar too violently with the bland tastes of the herd, or perhaps its position in Granny’s drinks cabinet turned off any would-be admirers under the age of 80? Either way, the lack of demand has led to prices that are hard to beat. While I Equipo Navazos undoubtedly releases some of Jerez’s most exciting Sherries, a more frugal Stoic might plump for Maestro Sierra's Fino (£15), a raspingly refreshing apéritif that whisks the palate to Andalusia and is the perfect foil to a plate of anchovies.

Made from the Xinomavro grape, a Nebbiolo-esque variety that has the structure to age for decades, the best examples of Naoussa are absolute bargains. What makes Xinomavro so seductive is its ability to marry the sweetness of phim and strawberry with deep savoury flavours like black olive and sun-dried tomato. In the hands of the old guard this still manifests itself as ‘rustic charm’, but there is no doubting the class of wines from Karydas, Thymiopoulos and - most impressively - Dalamara. Their organically farmed, single-vineyard ‘Paliokalias’ (£20) is among Greece’s most impressive reds.

Back in 300BC, when the original Stoics were peddling their ideas around Athens, the wines of the Greek islands were the most famous in the world. Nowadays they are largely unsung, though the value and quality to be found on Crete, Samos and Kefalonia make them ideal for those seeking something a bit different. Of all the islands, the most exciting is Santorini, where Argyros make their 'Estate' Assyrtiko (£18) from 150-year-old vines. Winemaker Stefanos Georgas thinks that Assyrtiko “has all the elements to be considered one of the world’s best grape varieties” and this thrilling example combines the intensity of the island’s salty sea air and volcanic soil with lush citrus fruit.

From Austria and Alsace to South Australia and New Zealand, Riesling is a success all over the world. And yet, all roads still lead back to its German homeland. Their off-dry and sweet wines have always been world class, but now dry German Rieslings, so long regarded as an afterthought by many producers, have come of age and rank among the world’s most accomplished whites. Schofer-Frohlich's laser-like ‘Vulkangensfein’ (£15) is a favourite at Rotter HQ, with a price tag that puts most of its international rivals to shame.

When Noble Rot spoke to Maria-José Lopez de Heredia on her sensational whites, she said, “we’ve received congratulations from all over the world for our white wine, but it was like sherry - everybody said how marvellous it is, but hardly anyone drinks it!” Nevertheless, Lopez de Heredia kept on making uber-traditional wines during Rioja’s decades of homogenising modernism. Although all of Lopez de Heredia’s range is worthy of every wine- lover’s attention, the waxy and nutty 'Gravonia' Rioja Blanco is one of the wine world’s true bargains. Could you find as complex a wine for around the £20 mark?

We all know drinkers who pluck the same bottle of tepid Pinot Grigio from the supermarket shelf, or obediently take whatever happens to be on ‘offer’ that week. But breaking free of‘wretched habit’ can lead to amazing discoveries, such as the off-the-beaten-track wines of Jurancon in South West France. These beauties come in various shades of dry to sweet, and while the unctuous dessert wines ofDagueneau, de Souch and Cauhapé have justifiably attracted a niche following, Noble Rot is even more enthusiastic about the textured, crisp, apricot and citrus-fruited dry whites, like Domaine Lapeyre's Jurancon Sec (£14).

Despite the efforts of top producers like Coche-Dury and Roulot, it’s amazing how many people still turn their noses up at these razor-sharp, green apple- infused wines. Californian winemaker Jim Clendenen enjoyed drinking them so much during his years in Burgundy (“I grew to love it!”), that he planted it back in his native Santa Barbara long before drinkers gave it any credit at all. Those still in doubt should get hold of Aubert de Villaine's Bouzeron(£15),a wine with as much class and breeding as the man himself.

In the early 00s, wines masquerading as motor oil powered Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Priorat into the limelight and made Grenache/Garnacha synonymous with vinous excess. Around the same time, Dani Landi set up in the Sierra de Gredos - somewhere even Spanish wine nerds would’ve been hard pressed to find on a map - and refused to tow the fashionable line. His groundbreaking Garnachas, 

silky-smooth but high in acid and full of energy, were way ahead of their time despite being resolutely traditional in spirit. Dani also makes wine with Fernando Garcia under the Commando G label, and their 'Mataborricos' Garnacha (£17) illustrates why Gredos is so exciting.

Alsace has been unfashionable for years, but at Rotter HQ we often wonder why. The region is home to arguably the best Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris in the world, exceptional sweet wines and dry Rieslings that expertly balance textural richness and freshness. Examples from the likes of Dirler-Cadé, Pierre Frick and Josmeyer more than rival wines from the region’s more famous names for value, complexity and longevity. Albert Mann is another top-drawer producer, and the extent to which his Riesling "Tradition" (£15) over-delivers makes it a regular on the wine lists of London’s best restaurants.

From the Cote Måconnais in southern Burgundy, drinkers often cast longing glances northwards to the hallowed vineyards of the Cote d’Or. In the past, this might’ve been justified, but today the Måconnais produces delicious Chardonnay for a fraction of the price of its more illustrious cousins in the Cote de Beaune. Dominique Lafon (ironically one of Meursault’s most famous winemakers) proves this time and time again with his Héretiéres de Comte Lafon Måcon-Milly-Lamartine (£14), an absolute steal that expertly balances ripeness and mineral tension, especially in great vintages like 2014.

With village wines from good domaines now priced well into luxury territory, to buy wine online it would be easy for Burgundy lovers to give up hope, but that would be to ignore the superb wines being made under the humble Bourgogne appellation. While they may lack the earth-shaking complexity of their more exalted stablemates, Burgundy’s best producers take these so-called ‘generics’ very seriously and the results are better value for money than their new world counterparts. The honeysuckle-scented Chavy- Chouet Bourgogne Blanc 'Les Femelottes' (£18), made from a single vineyard inside the commune of Puligny-Montrachet, is a case in point.

When Noble Rot visited Jean-Paul Jamet in the Northern Rhone, we were treated to a succession of mature vintages of his celebrated Cöte-Rötie. Then a mystery bottle appeared, redolent with aromas of roasted meat, blood, cloves and spice. It was sublime. We guessed it was a lofty Cöte-Rötie ’85, but the grin on Jean-Paul’s face should’ve warned us that a surprise was coming; the bottle was 1998 JP Jamet Cotes-du- Rhöne (current vintage £18 to buy). In their youth these wines are vibrant, full of dark berries, olives and black pepper, but like the Cötes-du-Rhöne of Clape or Rayas, a few years in the cellar brings ample reward.

Craving something from the ‘vintage of the century’? Desperate to drink a 100-point Pétrus, or one of the 38 bottles produced by Le Pin this year? Not many places bring on wine envy like Bordeaux, so it may come as a surprise to hear that it can be among the most affordable fine wine regions in the world, if you know where to look. We’re fans of Chateau Poujeaux (numerous vintages circa £20 online), an elegant left-bank Claret that ages effortlessly, but keep an eye out for the excellent value Haut-Médoc of Clos du Jaugueyron or Moulin de Tricot.

It’s easy to ignore an exception to any rule; much more difficult to overlook a whole generation of young winemakers that have shattered perceptions in just a few years. Following in the footsteps of Eben Sadie, the likes of Craig Hawkins, Adi Badenhorst and Chris and Andrea Mullineux have shown South Africa to be a diverse land of old vineyards and characterful terroirs, capable of producing top-drawer wines at very accessible prices. Mick and Jeanine Craven of Stellenbosch exemplify this and their Craven Pinot Noir (£20) is a top Rot pick from a superb range including delicious Clairette, Chenin and Syrah.