VICTORIA MOORE is treated to a glass of 1986 Chteau Lafite-Rothschild - her first first growth' - and she's far from disappointed. It had more presence than any other wine I have ever drunk,' she comments and, for those with money to burn, she discovers the wine can be bought at Berry Bros and Rudd for 402 per bottle. Meanwhile down at the other end of the price scale, she recommends a few summer whites for under a fiver, including 2005 Casablanca Sauvignon Blanc (4.99; Marks and Spencer).
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Mid-priced wines are the focus for JANE MacQUITTY this week, and she puts forward her top 25 bottles for under 8. Topping the whites is 2003 Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett, von Kesselstatt, Germany (7.99; selected Co-op, Jeroboams). Her red winners include 2003 Hegarty Chamans, Vin de Table, France (6.99; Oddbins).
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ANTHONY ROSE presents his own take on a summer A-Z of wine and starts off with Albario. 'Rioja might not agree and Catalonia might object, but only the most parochial would challenge Albario's claim to the Spanish white wine crown.' And if anyone is in doubt, he suggests they try a bottle of 2005 Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Albario (5.99). Somewhere in the middle, Grner Veltliner gets a look in, with the 'outstanding' 2005 Gobelsburger Grner Veltliner Kamptal, Austria (6.49; Waitrose). And bringing up the rear is 2005 Casillero del Diablo Viognier, Chile (5.99; Morrisons), 'which displays the full-on, peachy fruitiness of the grape'.
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JONATHAN RAY goes on a visit to Corsica, having been promised a wonderful wine experiece by Jason Yapp of Yapp Brothers. One of the wineries on the itinery is Domaine Saparale, and Ray is 'pleasantly surprised'. The next visit offers up a 2005 Domaine Torraccia Rouge, which is reportedly reminiscent of a 'fox's arse' when young, but luckily becomes 'marvellously juicy and jammy' with a bit of age. Ultimately, says Ray, 'it's Corsica's ross that hit the spot'. Other recommendations of the week include 2004 Da Luca Grillo-Chardonnay, Sicily (5.99; Somerfield).
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JOANNA SIMON takes a moment to consider the French AOC of Lirac and comments: It isn't so much one of France's forgotten wines as one that has never really made an impression.' If you can find these wines on a restaurant list, they're likely to be good value, she continues, or if you'd rather drink at home, try 2003 Chteau d'Aquria, Lirac (7.99; Majestic) or 2003 Domaine du Joncier, Lirac (8.50; Stone, Vine and Sun.
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JANCIS ROBINSON MW says no to both red and white this week, insisting that sometimes only pink will do. 'There is something terribly compelling about ros on a summer's day.' Pink wines might not be taken as seriously as red and white, but there are still several styles to choose between and Robinson strives to make the decision easier. She comes up with six categories: three ros styles and three chilled reds. Ross are divided into 'Pretty Pinks', 'Pink Pinots' and 'Clarete Style', while the chillable reds are Beaujolais, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. One of her 'Pretty Pink' favourites is 2005 Cavalchina Chiaretto Bardolino (5.99 or 4.79 if you buy two; Majestic).
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ANDREW NEATHER eschews summer whites and ross, pointing out that current weather conditions require something a bit more robust'. He advises trying a bottle of 2003 Palestra Tinto, Douro (6.50; Jeroboams).
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Salads are on the menu of the day for JAMIE GOODE and he's not very happy about it. If pushed to compile a "difficult foods to match wines with" list, I think salads would be somewhere near the top.' The only answer, he says, is to go for fruity and flavourful. One example is 2004 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett Mosel Saar Ruwer (11.95; Lay & Wheeler).
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RICHARD EHRLICH is raving about Jamie Goode's book, Wine Science: The Application of Science in Wine Making, this week - in a good way. It surveys authoritatively just about every important area of scientific study in the wine world.' Recommended wines include 2005 Anakena Chardonnay/Viognier (5.99; Co-op).
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Madeira is the order of the day and PETER GROGAN reports on a new campaign for the Portuguese export. Historically, the wine has a rather fuddy-duddy image, which the Madeira Wine Company (now part of the Symington Port dynasty) is keen to change,' he says. The first step in this direction was the launch of Alvada, a smartly packaged blend of five-year-old wines with a shocking pink label', which, according to Grogan, has been a success'. Although, the best thing to come from the island is still the vintage Madeiras, which emerge with all those nutty, coffee and drid-fruit flavours deliciously intensified by the effects of evaporation'. General wines of the week, with a Portuguese theme, include 2002 Quinta de la Rosa (10.95 or 9.85 by the case; Berry Brothers & Rudd) and 2003 Quinta do Crasto (6.99; Adnams).
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JANE MacQUITTY introduces the first instalment of her Top 100 Summer Wines, and France is flying, with half of today's field made up of French wines, and just a quarter coming from the New World, the reverse of what happened 12 months ago'.
Macquitty's top 25 wines for under a fiver include 2004 Tariquet, Vin de Pays des Ctes de Gascogne, Famille Grassa (4.99; Somerfield) and 2005 Vin de Pays de l'Ardche Gamay, Cave de Saint Dsirat (3.49; Marks and Spencer).
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Pinot Noir is supposed to be the most romantic of grapes', says VICTORIA MOORE, yet she feels that people are often disappointed with the results from the Sideways favourite. For a Burgundy to remember, she suggests trying 2002 Savigny-les-Beaune, Bouchard Pre et Fils (12.99; Waitrose).
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Pink is the colour of this week's Wow' from MATTHEW JUKES, and it's the most vibrant ros of the year so far': 2005 Cousio-Macul Cabernet Sauvignon Ros, Maipo (5.99; Selfridges, Taurus Wines of Guildford, Castang of Cornwall, Corks Out of Warrington).
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TIM ATKIN MW has toppled over to the dark side and declared himself to be a believer. That is to say, he's beginning to think that wines, just like people, have good and bad days' and he is thus prepared to put faith in the biodynamic idea of root', fruit' and flower' days.
He's not the only one who feels so inclined, and a chat with Marks and Spencer's wine buyer, Jo Ahearne, reveals that the retailer is hugely guided by lunar cycles and never holds press tastings on root days any more'. Some of the best from M&S included 2004 Lone Range Pinot Noir, Martinborough (14.99).
Atkin is joined by REBECCA SEAL for an in-depth look at cool summer drinking, and ros continues its winning streak, with top examples including 2004 Tariquet Ros, Vin de Pays des Ctes de Gascogne (5.99; Somerfield). Seal turns her attention to spirts and introduces the results of a blind tasting, which aimed to discover if it's worth paying more for a designer brand. Tanqueray 10 came out well on the gin front, but Bombay Sapphire did not. Reshnoff was the winning vodka.
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'For most hosts, the main criterion for wines for large numbers is price,' says JANCIS ROBINSON MW. With the Christmas season in full swing, she recommends the best buys for under 6. Good-value whites include 2005 Casablanca Sauvignon Blanc (4.99; Marks & Spencer), and a red counterpart is 2004 La Serrana Tempranillo, Castilla y Leon (2.99; Majestic).
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JANCIS ROBINSON MW has chosen to concentrate on the human element of the wine trade this week, with a column dedicated almost entirely to Steven Spurrier. According to Robinson, Spurrier is not only an under-celebrated' member of the trade, but also a rather unprofitable one: He has had all manner of brilliant wine ideas that other people, never him, have managed to spin into gold.'
This hasn't dampened her admiration of him however. He has enriched the wine world considerably and played a key part in the wine education of such luminaries as Michel Bettane.' The particular reason for this focus on Spurrier is the recent trouncing of France by California at a blind tasting event he organised, but it's the general life decisions made by the wine writer that interest Robinson overall.
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France is playing the New World at its own game, reports ANTHONY ROSE, and it's not doing such a bad job either. Animal labels are currently all the rage, and France is in the thick of it: At Morrisons' spring tasting, I came across four French bottles with, respectively, a cat, a hedgehog, a sandpiper and a butterfly on the label.'
Rose isn't convinced of the need for all this wildlife, but he's happy to see it come with the growing use of grape varieties on the label to help us through the maze of wine styles.' Rose's favourites among the new-style Frenchies include 2004 Blason de Bourgogne Chardonnay (5.99; Morrisons).
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Over-rated and over-priced, or a great vintage and great value?' This is the question concerning JONATHAN RAY in his analysis of the mighty 2005 offering from Bordeaux. High prices are sure to exclude the modest buyers from the top end of the market, but this is by no means the end of the world.
Look beyond the properties that you usually buy, either to wines from the cheaper end or to the second wines of the big names, ensuring some fine, slightly-better-than-everyday drinking for years to come.' Recommended cheaper options include Chteau Patache d'Aux and Chteau Cissac.
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MATTHEW JUKES cruises through G to L in his 'Modern A-Z of Wine' and I is for Italy with a suggestion to try the 'sensational, top-flight' 2000 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Ca'del Pipa, Veneto (15.99; Majestic). Wow of the Week falls in L's favour and Jukes goes for a liqueur: De Bortoli Show Liqueur Muscat South-Eastern Australia (9.99; Majestic).
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Picnics are the meal of choice for JAMIE GOODE this week, and he's keen for his readers to chuck a few good bottles into the basket with the food.
After all, If you've taken time and trouble over the food, why skimp on the quality of your wine.'
Potential picnic-goers include 2005 Tesco Finest Beaujolais Villages, France (4.99; Tesco).
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