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Wines of the week: Desroches Champagne NV; Fairhall Cliffs Single Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010; Cellier des Dauphins Cru Côtes Du Rhône Vinsobres 2009

Terry Kirby selects the best bottles to buy

Sunday 03 April 2011 00:00 BST
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Sunday lunch

Desroches Champagne NV

There really is only one way to celebrate Mother's Day, and that is with a glass of fizz. From M&S's reliable champagne selection, this is a refreshing and well-balanced mouthful, soft and creamy on the palate. Perfect to carry on drinking with a smoked-salmon starter. £15 (or £13.50 for minimum six bottles) until 17 April; normally £25, Marks & Spencer

Weekday supper

Fairhall Cliffs Single Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Early spring always means a glass or two of Sauvignon Blanc – its crisp freshness redolent of bright April sunshine. While this time of year in New Zealand may not mean spring, it does mean some of the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world, for which the Marlborough area is celebrated. This is a benchmark Kiwi SB – full of citrusy, zesty, green fruit flavours guaranteed to, er, put a spring in your step. Good with any simple seafoods – or wait for the new asparagus. £7.99 or £5.99 if bought in pairs, majestic.co.uk

Bargain basement

Cellier des Dauphins Cru Côtes Du Rhône Vinsobres 2009

One of the smallest of the Côtes Du Rhône village "crus", Vinosbres is sheltered by mountains from the Mistral wind and therefore its sun-baked Grenache and Mouvèdre grapes produce robust, rich, spicy wines. This well structured wine with great depth of lip-smacking flavour has a complexity that belies its relatively modest price. Great with almost any kind of Mediterranean dish – but beware the high alcohol content of 14.5 per cent. £5.98, Asda

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