week beginning 08/12/2008

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the Times - Jane MacQuitty

2006 Mar d’Amunt, Cariñena, Jean-Marc Lafage, Bibendum, £8.87

smoky, tarry, rose-scented, earthy, liquorice-like fruit

2006 Churchill Estates Douro, Majestic, £8.99-£9.65, Tanners, Chrs Piper

fine, spicy, herby wine, with lots of savage yet velvety red fruits

2006 Morellino di Scansano 414 Podere, Castelli, Wine Soc, £9.95, Prvte Cllr £10.31

rich, ripe red with morello cherry and dried cranberry-styled fruit

2007 Morgon Côte du Py, Christophe Cordier, Majestic, 2 @ £9.99 each

strawberry and other red fruits-stashed wine

2005 Château du Moulin Noir, Lussac-St-Emilion, Wine Rack £9.99

exotic, spicy, cedary, sandalwood-scented claret

2006 Seven Canoes, Syrah-Viognier, New Zealand, Wine Rack 3 @ £9.99 each

gorgeous, ripe, juicy yet full-bodied, smoky, brambley, violet-scented

2005 Teira Sonoma County Zinfandel, Berry Bros & Rudd, £10.95

delicious, velvety, blackberry fruit

2002 Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Domaine Jean Grivot, Wine Society, £11.50

delicious, smoky, beefy red burgundy is a brilliant example

2006 Burnt Spur Martinborough Pinot Noir, New Zealand, Howard Ripley £11.50

lots of seductive, young, perfumed, crunchy red fruit

2005 Château Magnol, Cru Bourgeois, Haut-Médoc, ,Co-op, £11.99

outstanding, fat, beefy, herbaceous-perfumed palate

2001 Château Calon, Montagne-St Emilion, Majestic, £11.99

rich, Christmassy style, all mature, bloody, beefy spice

2005 Chorey-les-Beaune, Les Beaumonts, Martin-Dufour, Wine Rack, 3 @ £10.66

gorgeous, smouldering, strawberry and faintly leather-scented fruit

the Sunday Times - Joanna Simon

2004 Viña del Encino Rioja, £10.90 Fortnum & Mason

Polished modern Rioja with seductive spicy fruit .

2006 Ra Nui Pinot Noir, £11.25 Stone, Vine & Sun

Exemplary New Zealand pinot: pure, silky, raspberry-scented

2006 Domaine Pinson Chablis, £11.90 Vine Trail

Classic Chablis — nutty, creamy and mineral

the Independent - Anthony Rose

1995 La Rioja Alta Grand Reserva, 2 @ £20 Majestic

traditional, succulently gamey and mature

2000 Château Poujeaux, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, £25 Majestic

classy, succulently textured, aged claret

2004 Frédéric Magnien Morey-St-Denis Blanc, £21.99 Oddbins FW

intense, butterscotch-rich and fruity

2005 Bodegas Palacios Remondo Rioja Propiedad, £22.99 Oddbins FW

impressive, intensely flavoured

the Observer - Tim Atkin

2007 Firriato Wild Cat Catarratto, Sicily (£5.99, Waitrose)

Ginger, spicy, complex Sicilian white that needs food to show at its best.

2007 Coste del Molino Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (£6.29, Booths)

Nutty, herbal, refreshing white with a twist of aniseed on the finish

2008 Cono Sur Reserva Riesling, Bío Bío (£7.99, 13.5%, Tesco)

Floral, off-dry, lime-scented Riesling

2006 Maycas de Limarí Syrah Reserva (£9.99 each for two, Majestic)

a spicy, peppery, blackberryish stunner.

2006 Boschendal Shiraz Reserve (£5.99 for Christmas, The Co-op

At £4 off, this is a bold yet balanced red with attractive clove spice

2007 Knock on Wood Reserve Red, Flagstone (£12.99, Marks & Spencer)

sweetly oaked, blockbuster blend; bags of minty, plummy fruit

2007 Taste the Difference Chenin Blanc (£6.99, Sainsbury's)

Tropical fruity Chenin; a touch of oak for added complexity

2005 Savennières L'Enclos, Eric Morgat (£13.95, Wine Society)

Concentrated, barrel-fermented; honey, apple and vanilla notes

the Telegraph - Jonathan Ray

2008 The Ned Pinot Grigio (New Zealand; £7.99, Majestic)

lychee-coloured; juicily tasty and classy stuff indeed.

2005 Paul Pillot Bourgogne Chardonnay (£11.95, Roberson Wine)

buttery, fruity white burgundy; could easily pass for something much grander

2006 Spookfontein Merlot (£9.50, Stone, Vine & Sun)

soft 'n' silky merlot from the Cape

2004 Morandé Edición Limitada Carignan (£9.99, Marks & Spencer)

inky black, spicy and robust; Chile remains one of the best value wine regions

2007 Dr Loosen Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinett ( £11.99, Waitrose)

petrol on the nose and honeyed sweet apple on the palate

2005 Querciabella Batàr (£39.50, Hdly Wrght, Taurus, Playford Ros, Corks Out)

oak-aged, biodynamic chardonnay/pinot blanc

2004 Les Allées de Cantemerle (£12.95, Jeroboams)

Put it in a decanter and you'd be hard-pressed to tell that it isn't its big brother

2000 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny (£27.50, Fortnum & Mason)

gamey but strikingly elegant

the Guardian - Victoria Moore

Penfolds RWT Shiraz 2005, Australia (£42.75 tesco.com; £45, Majestic)

gorgeous, a beast of a wine that you should decant and eat with rib of beef

Sainsbury's Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi 2007, Italy (£3.99)

Clean, herbaceous and crisp, this is my idea of a multi-purpose wine

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