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cranks up the stereo with Led Zeppelin, Mahler or Bruckner when caterwauling carol singers knock at the Ray mansion. His Christmas recommendations include: Lindauer Ros NV (8.99; Threshers); Piper-Heidsieck Brut Champagne NV (14.66; Co-op); 2005 Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon (20 per jeroboam; Asda); Le Petit Caboche, Vin de Pays de Vaucluse (5.95; Yapp Bros); 2005 Simmonet-Fbvre Chablis (6.99; Waitrose); 2003 Exhibition Haut-Mdoc (9.95; The Wine Society); and 2004 Saint-Julien Private Reserve (9.95; Lea and Sandeman).
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TIM ATKIN MW, in giving his pick of 2006, detects a number of trends. He feels that alcohol levels may be falling in response to consumer demand and that oak levels are reducing. His wine country of the year is Spain, most improved is Chile and country to watch is Argentina. His grape variety of the year is Garnacha/Grenache; top winery, Peter Lehmann; winemaker, Aurelio Montes; wine region, Loire; supermarket, Waitrose; off-licence chain, Threshers/Wine Rack; by-the-case merchant, Majestic; mail order, The Wine Society; and independent merchant, Berry Bros & Rudd.
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Victoria Moore drinks her way through the day, starting with 1999 Bloomsbury RidgeView, Cuve Merret (16.99; Waitrose); 2005 Taste the Difference Chablis Cuve Ste Celine, Brocard (7.99; Sainsbury's); and 2005 Domaine de la Tourmaline Muscadet de Svre et Maine Sur Lie (4.99; Majestic) for breakfast. She finishes the day with the 2004 Matetic EQ Syrah from Chile's San Antonio Valley (13.59, when you buy two from Majestic; 16, The Wine Society).
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Who is the best wine producer in the world?' TIM ATKIN MW has his work cut out for him after this opening line, but he manages to whittle the possibilities down to six: Chteau Margaux in Bordeaux, Leroy in Burgundy, Chave in the Rhne, Gaja in Piedmont, JJ Prm in Germany and Kracher in Austria. No one from the New World gets a look in with this first line-up, but the tables are turned when the subject switches to dependable brands. Atkin's favourites for quantity, quality and consistency are: Jacob's Creek (Australia), Concha y Toro (Chile), Peter Lehmann (Australia), Montana (New Zealand), Torres (Spain) and Dourthe (France). Readers are urged to put this theory to the test and try a bottle of Peter Lehmann Shiraz, Barossa (7.99; Waitrose).
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Sweet wines are the subject of JANCIS ROBINSON MW's column. Among her recommendations are 2004Tesco Finest Botrytis Semillon (5.49 for 37.5cl); 2005 Casa de la Ermita, Dulce Viognier (6.99; Bibendum); 2002 ChteauHaut-Bergeron Sauternes (9.56 for 37.5cl; Asda); 2004 Alvear Pedro Ximnez Aada, Montilla-Moriles (8.96 for 50cl; Genesis); and 2004 Domaine de Montesquiou, Grappa d'Or, Juranon (12.30; Leon Stolarski, www.lsfinewines.co.uk).
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New Zealand Sauvignons and Chardonnays are delicious, but don't overlook the reds, says SUSY ATKINS. Her Try These' are 2005 Marks & Spencer Clocktower Pinot Noir from Marlborough (9.99); 2004 Craggy Range Gimlett Gravels Merlot, Hawke's Bay (14.99; Waitrose); and 2004 Villa Maria Cellar Selection Pinot Noir, Marlborough (from 11.99; Threshers, Booths, Fresh & Wild, www.everywine.co.uk).
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ANDREW NEATHER's white wines for Christmas include: Inycon Chardonnay (4.49; Tesco, Waitrose); 2005 Omrah Chardonnay from Western Australia (7.99; Oddbins); 2005 Sancerre Cuve des Anges, Domaine Foussier (6.66; Waitrose); 2004 Marquesa Valserrano Rioja Blanco (8.75; Stone Vin and Sun); and 2005 Te Mania Riesling from New Zealand's Nelson region (8.95; Swig). He also appears to have a 2004 Sainsbury's Chardonnay from California available from Majestic - surely a mistake...
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Ten favourite tipples from Jamie Goode include 2005 Gran Tempranillo from Spain (2.99; Sainsbury's) as his budget red and 2005 Vielle Fontaine Blanc from Gascony (2.99; Tesco) as his budget white.
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MATTHEW JUKES challenge this week is to come up with some perfect wine matches to accompany fish recipes from Jamie Oliver. He pairs squid with black pudding stuffing and sticky tomato sauce with 2005 Foncaussade Ros, Les Parcelles, Bergerac (3.99, down from 5.25 until 1 November; Waitrose). This week's WoW is 2005 Anakena Single Vineyard Viognier, Rapel Valley, Chile (8.49 or 5.66 with the three for two deal; Thresher).
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JANE MACQUITTY picks out a 'classy tipple' or two for Christmas, and majors on Burgundy. Her star white is the 2004 Saint-Aubin, La Prince from Hubert Lamy (15.95; Berry Bros & Rudd) which is 'overflowing with sweet, ripe, smoky, hazelnut-charged fruit'. Her top red is the 2004 Rully, En Guesnes from Vincent Dureuil-Janthial (16.99; Wimbledon Wine) - 'Blow your socks off with this gorgeous Burgundy from a hugely talented young producer,' she says. Other recommendations include 2004 Howard Park Chardonnay, Western Australia, (14.15; Bibendum) and the 'delectable, fine, floral and faintly marzipan-redolent' 1996 Quinta do Crasto Vintage Port, Portugal (19.99; Sainsbury's).
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ANTHONY ROSE divides his Christmas picks into wines 'for the budget conscious' and '12 more worth splashing out on'. The 2005 Vineyard X Garnacha from Campo de Borja (4.49; Thresher, Wine Rack or 2.99 when you buy two get three) 'punches way above its weight for the fresh, vibrant, gluggy fruit quality on display'. Higher spenders should try 2004 Schfer Frhlich Riesling Trocken Vom Porphyr, which 'has been gaining recognition for its invigorating freshness' (11.25; The Wine Keller).
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Some of the best-value wines around the 5 mark are coming out of Chile,' says VICTORIA MOORE. Hence, her 'everyday winter reds' include two from the South American country: 2005 Doa Dominga Carmenere/Shiraz, Colchagua Valley (5.59; Waitrose until 3 December) and 2005 Errazuriz Merlot (5.99; Tesco). 'I like cheap Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon with old-fashioned food such as stews made with root vegetables.'
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Mendocino County in northern California is more than just a neighbour of Napa Valley, it's home to a group of enlightened and innovative winemakers who embrace the organic/biodynamic philosophy more warmly than, perhaps, anywhere else in the world,' says JONATHAN RAY. He is shown around Fetzer's, Bonterra Vineyards by winemaker Bob Blue and discovers that it's the largest grower and producer of organic wine in the world'. Among Mendocino's other mentioned producers are Handley Cellars and Golden Vineyards.
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Many "mulls" turn out all wrong,' says SUSY ATKINS. 'They're either cloyingly sticky, or rendered almost medicinal by too many pungent cloves.' Then there's the wine: frequently 'cheap and nasty plonk'. For a good mulled wine base she picks 2005 Namaqua Shiraz/Merlot, South Africa (3.69; Tesco), 2005 La Diffrence Carignan, Vin de Pays des Ctes Catalans, France, (4.99; Sainsbury's) andMarks & Spencer Red Mulled Wine (5.99).
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'There's nothing like a nip in the air to get you in the mood for mulled wine,' says JAMIE GOODE, who suggests a 'light and fragrant interpretation' from Tesco (2.99) or, for an 'unusual twist, a white version of the time-honoured winter tipple' from M&S - its White Spicy Mulled Wine (3.99).
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This paper is running a new series called 'The Wine Diet' and this first part, written by PROFESSOR ROGER CORDER, focuses on Madiran in south-west France. 'If there was truly a French paradox, then it was here. Gers has double the national average of men aged 90 or more.' Corder's suggested wines with particularly good health-giving properties are 2001 Chteau d'Aydie; 2003 Domaine Berthoumieu Cuve Charles De Batz and 2003 Chteau Bouscass Vieilles Vignes.
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SALVATORE CALABRESE mixes cocktails for Kevin Spacey, Demi Moore, David Schwimmer and Cat Deeley at his Fifty club, 'so I know what makes a party go with a fizz,' he says. Calabrese suggests making The Snowstorm - a mixture of 30ml vodka,15ml limoncello, 15ml white crme de cacao, 10ml orgeat (almond syrup) and 30ml double cream. Or try his Champagne cocktail, a blend of 20ml Cognac, two dashes of Angostura bitters and a sugar cube, topped with Champagne.
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It might be what's inside the bottle that really counts but SUSY ATKINS thinks eye-catching labels are very important too. One modern example that takes her fancy is the scribbly pencil drawing of the spiny rodent' on 2005 Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa (5.99 to 6.49;
Oddbins, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, selected independents).
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A bloke in a smart suite irritates TIM ATKIN MW at the autumn Marks & Spencer tasting. He vaguely recognises him, and when he asks our Tim what he'd recommend, Atkin grudgingly sends him off to quaff the Marks & Sparks Ribera del Duero. Then the pound coin drops and our man at The Obs realises that the bloke is none other than M&S saviour, ber retailer Stuart Rose. He buys a case of Tim's recommendation - not bad from a man who is known for keeping a serious cellar. Atkin notes that M&S wines used to be known for two things: hefty mark-ups and a safety-first policy. The few highlights were: Champagne, Chablis and Sherry. But then things changed and at least a dozen wines wouldn't look out of place on a fine wine merchant's list', although he still regards Marks as weak on Australian and Chilean reds. His top six are: 2005 Darling Estate Drkheimer Michelsberg Riesling (6.99); 2004 Saint Aubin Premier Cru, Domaine du Pimont Les Charmois (14.99); 1996 Cuve Orpale Champagne Brut (29.99); 2005 Domaine de la Meynarde, Plan de Dieu, Ctes du Rhne Villages (5.49); 2004 Nero d'Avola, Sicilia Corte Ibla (9.99); and 2004 Nos Riqueza, Ribera del Duero (9.99). Atkin concludes by saying that he'll probably join Rose in buying a case of the latter.
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PETER MAYLE's feature starts off with a headline: Why I hate wine snobs'. The Provenal author discusses his introduction to winespeak, which sounds suspiciously like it came courtesy of Berry Bros & Rudd or maybe Justerini & Brooks. Does anyone own up to being Michael'? He goes on to discuss the dizzying range of verbal acrobatics: often imaginative, sometimes ludicrous, occasionally elegant ("a wine that should be drunk kneeling, in the position of prayer" - was one of my favourites)'.
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