Fine Wines

White

White

1998 Sancerre Blanc, Domaine Naudet, £7.99, Waitrose

As sancerre prices creep up, it's still possible to get your hands on the occasional delicious and relatively affordable example of the Loire Valley's sauvignon blanc grape. Like this unoaked dry white from Domaine Naudet which combines typically nettley, herbaceous aromas with a pure, minerally fruit character tinged with gooseberry fruit flavours.

Red

1996 Fabre Monmayou Malbec, £6.99, Oddbins

From the Andean vineyards of Domaine Vistalba, this is made by Frenchman, Hervé Joyaux, who decamped to Mendoza in the firm belief that Argentinian malbec is superior to the French version. With its gentle undertones of oak, spice and pepper, it is a supple, brambly red with a fine clarity of plummy fruit.