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Something For The Weekend?

The Boulders Viognier; 2002 Bourgogne Pinot Noir; 2001 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Sinards

Saturday 20 December 2003 01:00 GMT
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Under a fiver: 2002 The Boulders Viognier, £3.99, Co-op

An affordable, screwcapped, Californian example of the northern Rhône's viognier grape, reduced from its normal £4.99 list price until 4 January. A blend of mostly viognier with a smattering of muscat and chardonnay, it's an opulently peachy, everyday dry white from the Central and San Joaquin Valleys.

Under a tenner: 2002 Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Les Senteurs, Nicolas Potel, £6.99, Marks & Spencer

This youthfully fresh red Burgundy from Nicolas Potel displays the fragrant raspberryish perfume of typical pinot noir with a delicate fruitiness that belies its affordable price tag. My advice is to go out and grab this. It'll come into its own with simple roasts and game dishes.

Splash out: 2001 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Sinards, Perrin, £15, Waitrose

With a proportion of grapes coming from Château de Beaucastel, no wonder this spicy, southern Rhône blend of grenache, syrah and mourvèdre is a blockbuster. With such opulently concentrated, liquid blackberry fruit, it's tough not to uncork it even if it is still in short trousers. Will stand up to the turkey.

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