Some American gems

Although the US is now one of the three most successful exporters of wine to the UK, thanks chiefly to the extraordinary success of brands such as Blossom Hill and Gallo, It's not that easy for us Brits to find inspiring American wines. That's why I am particularly heartened by this collection of reds from California and Washington state (with a handful of very respectable Canadian reds) that have come our way by a variety of routes.

The great majority of these 83 wines were tasted by me on 11 Nov 2008 at British Airways in response to a tender...