Fresh from her valiant performance on University Challenge, JANCIS ROBINSON MW picks her favourite supermarket wines under 5. She was informed that one can find 'some terribly good wines for under 5' by an 'unlikely source': Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, 66th on last year's Sunday Times Rich List. Robinson's choices include 2004 The Naked Grape Riesling (down from 5.99 to 3.49; Sainsbury's); 2004 Domaine de Planterieu Vin de Pays des Ctes de Gascogne (3.99; Waitrose); Louis Chatel Vin de Pays d'Oc (2.99; Booths); and 2004 Isla Negra Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon (down from 5.99 to 3.99; Tesco).
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A warm Harpers welcome to JAMIE GOODE, who opens his Sunday Express account with his favourite wines to drink with tapas. 'Most Spanish wines used to be cheap and nasty, but now they're cheap and nice,' he says. He opts for 2003 Palacio de Bornos Verdejo (5.99; Waitrose), which has 'an appealing, rich, grassy/herb nose, leading to a rich, rounded palate with lovely fruit and a deliciously savoury finish'; 2003 Muruve Roble (5.99; Sainsbury's) has a 'vivid red colour with warm, sweet, spicy fruit and hints of vanilla and tar'; while Hidalgo Manzanilla La Gitana (5.99; Majestic, Waitrose) 'matches brilliantly with tapas', with its 'fresh, slightly salty, nutty character'.
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VICTORIA MOORE is obsessed with putting together a perfect tasting. At her wine group, the host provides 'extensive maps, tasting charts, translation phrase sheets and even appropriate food and music'. Wine group evenings can take many forms: 'It might be a sweep of Loire. You could begin with a sparkling Vouvray, ideally from Huet, move to a Muscadet made near the mouth of the river and a good match for a seafood starter, then dart upstream for a flinty Sancerre to compare with a Sauvignon de Touraine, sip a tremulous Bourgueil so as to have a red with the main course and end with a sweet Coteaux du Layon, made, like the Vouvray, from Chenin Blanc.'
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As a judge of the Vins de Pays Top 100 competition, ANTHONY ROSE admits that such wines 'offer the sort of interesting variety of styles that French wine so badly needs at the moment'. His recommendations include the 'ripe, peachy' La Baume Viognier (4.99; Waitrose), and the, er, 'ripe and peachy' 2004 Grande Rserve Viognier (7.99; Threshers). Gascony featured in three of the six white-wine trophies this year, including 2004 Vin de Pays du Comt Tolosan, Rive Haute Sauvignon (5.95; The Wine Society), and 2004 Domaine de Pujalet (3.99; Waitrose). Best Sauvignon Blanc went to 2004 French Connection Sauvignon Blanc (5.99, reduced to 3.99 until 7 June; Tesco), 'which stood out for its clean, aromatic expression of the variety', while the white blend trophy was won by 2004 Vin de Pays de Gascogne (3.99; Booths).
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TIM ATKIN MW's selection of wines for cellaring, includes: 2002 Casa Rivas Reserva Merlot (6.99; Oddbins); 2003 Tim Adams Shiraz (9.99; Tesco); and 2002 Scharzhofberger Riesling Sptlese, Von Hovel (9.99; Waitrose).
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With just a few weeks before Harpers contributor Jamie Goode takes the reins, JONATHAN BRACEY-GIBBON manages to squeeze in another food match. This week it's wines that work well with pasta. For meaty pasta dishes he recommends 2001 Corte Pavone Rosso di Montalcino (11.95; Great Western Wine). He also picks 2004 San Angelo Pinot Grigio (7.99; Majestic): PG can be a footballer's wife of a wine: fancy name, a hint of the exotic, but little to get excited about.' His final choice is 2001 Marques di Concordia (4.99; Sainsbury's): Concordia is a recent arrival on the scene and has an awful lot of complex, berry-fuelled Crianza class for the money. The fact that Sainsbury's is now offering it for under a fiver is the bottle deal of the year.'
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After the weekend's heatwave, JONATHAN RAY recommends wines for 'outdoor events'. For 'large gatherings' he chooses 2004 Tanguero Unoaked Chardonnay (4.29; Unwins); for 'grand days out' he selects Chapel Down Century Bottle Fermented Extra Dry NV (11.99; Sainsbury's); while for the curiously monikered 'romantic antics' he suggests Jean Moutardier Ros NV Champagne (17.95; Great Western Wine, Revelstoke Wines, Vincent Gasnier Wine Library).
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GILES KIME has no such doubts, and recommends a host of his favourite ross, including Ros d'Anjou (2.86; Asda); 2004 Domaine de Pellehaut Ros (5.15; Waitrose); and Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon Ros (5.85; Majestic).
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ANTHONY ROSE's selection includes 2004 Pujalet, Vin de Pays du Gers (3.99; Waitrose); 2004 Zilzie Viognier (7.98; Asda); and 2002 Albert Belle Crozes-Hermitage, Les Pierrelles (11.39; Oddbins).
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Ignoring James Bond's famous line about spotting baddies because they drink red wine with fish, MATTHEW JUKES goes ahead and matches the two. For fish stews and pies, he opts for 2004 M&S Casablanca Valley Pinot Noir (4.99); for 'a majestic sea bass or turbot', he recommends 2002 Mt Difficulty Pinot Noir (17.9920; selected Sainsbury's, Villeneuve of Peebles); and his final selection, which will 'lift and caress your olfactory system', is 2003 Saumur Rouge Les Nivires (3.99, down from 4.99 until 3 July; Waitrose).
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GILES KIME's pick of barbecue wines features 2004 Wontanella Tempranillo (4.98; Asda); 2003 Fairview Peg Leg Carignan (7.99; Majestic); and 2003 Barbera d'Asti 'Il Monello' Braida (7.99; Oddbins).
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JONATHAN BRACEY-GIBBON's weekly selection includes NV Wolf Blass Sparkling Brut Chardonnay/Pinot Noir (5.49; widely available); 2002 The Tower Shiraz (4.99, Sainsbury's); and 2004 Goiya Cabernet Sauvignon (4.99; Tesco).
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Continuing her Top 100 Summer Wines round-up, JANE MACQUITTY's Star White this week is 2002 Chassagne- Montrachet Les Charrires, Ren Lequin-Colin (18.50; Stone, Vine & Sun); her Star Red is 2000 La Rserve de Loville- Barton (17.9019.99; Laytons, Tanners, Majestic); and her favoured sweet wines are 2001 Domaine Castera Juranon, Cuve Privilge, P&C Lihour (12.9913.95, D Byrne, Great Western) and 2003 Hochheimer Kirchenstck Riesling Sptlese (1315.99; Justerini & Brooks, Waitrose).
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MATTHEW JUKES's Wine of the Week is 2003 Poliziano Rosso di Montelpulciano (8.99; Booths). Boasting 'evocative, dreamy, red-cherry and chocolate flavours', Jukes says that this wine is capable of 'transforming the traditional English rainy barbecue'
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Flying to Sydney for a blind tasting, JANCIS ROBINSON MW assesses Cabernets from Coonawarra and Margaret River in Australia and Hawkes Bay in New Zealand: 'The only two wines which seemed to me to have dangerously low levels of acidity came from New Zealand. And I would reproach quite a number of the Australian examples for having obtrusive levels of acidity which were, furthermore, not integrated into the wine very much an add-on.' She says that the Coonawarra Cabs tended to 'jump out of the glass', while other wines displayed 'unappetisingly overripe notes and a lack of freshness'. Generally, however, she was pleased by the overall quality, although she noted the tendency of Australian winemakers to opt for 'rasping' tannins in favour of 'gentler, riper' ones.
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JOANNA SIMON profiles all the major Champagne houses. She informs us that Canard-Duchne makes a good present for 'Pinot Grigio drinkers, and anyone who won't serve it the next time you call round'; Heidsieck Monopole should be drunk only 'with your hand over the label'; Lanson fans should opt for the Gold Label Vintage or Nobel Cuve 'if you're not a footballer's wife'; and the days are now gone, apparently, 'when Mumm Cordon Rouge was one of the cheapest non-vintages; so, too, is the era when it tasted of boiled cabbage and sour cream'.
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ANTHONY ROSE wonders why Australian wine has conquered the high street, but has so far failed to 'storm the last bastion of French wine, the restaurant'. He is unsure whether it's because French wine works better with food, or whether it's 'part of a conspiracy by the sommelier to retain for the restaurant a part of the market that is forever France'. Rose speaks to Grard Basset MW, a co-founder of the Hotel du Vin chain, who tells him that 'For me, there's no difference between Giaconda and a top white Burgundy. New World wines even go better with some dishes.'
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PETER GROGAN heads for the Napa Valley 'the Monaco of the wine world'. Grogan learns that the average bottle price at the Groezinger wine merchant in Yountville is 39, and enjoys a 140-a-head meal at The French Laundry. He says: 'The best of the big names Ridge Montebello, Dominus and Shafer Hillside Select are made in the image of modern claret. Even at today's exchange rate, however, Bordeaux offers better value.' Recommendations include 2003 De Loach Pinot Noir (6.95; The Wine Society); 2003 Avila Pinot Noir (9.99; Oddbins); and 2002 Wente Chardonnay (5.59; Waitrose).
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RICHARD EHRLICH believes that South Africa is well placed to make it big in the 515 market, and is confident that its wines, in the higher price ranges at least, 'will pose a serious threat to Europe'. He says: 'Spending 10 here will often get you more than 10 in Europe and often much more than in Chile, the US and especially Australia.'
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In a new column, (Food Monthly) LYNN BARBER recalls the not-so-golden era of boozing Britain: 'In the early Sixties... the only reason for buying wine was to make the bottles into table lamps.' She remembers that her parents never had wine at home, 'apart from one bottle of British VP wine, which was for medicinal purposes only (it tasted like Vegemite)'. And while at Oxford, the choice amounted to 'Pimm's, Champagne, punch, and of course the dreaded Sherry, which was always served at tutorials'. Fast forward to the late Seventies, 'the big breakthrough period when we started developing a proper, unselfconscious attitude to wine this was no thanks to English wine writers, who still banged on about chteaux and cellarage and the arcane art of decanting.' Nowadays, Barber is 'wary' of Australian wines, and sticks to France, Chile and South Africa.
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