Something For The Weekend?

3 Crow's Landing Shiraz; 2004 Secano Estate Pinot Noir; 2003 Montana Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir

Under a fiver: 2003 Crow's Landing Shiraz. £3.99, Co-op

Under a fiver: 2003 Crow's Landing Shiraz. £3.99, Co-op

Aptly pronounced "Crozes", as this is a mini-Crozes Hermitage in style, this comes from California's Central Valley, and its smoky oak and savoury, brambly fruitiness makes for a juicy, soft red, full of winter berry fruits, belying its humble price.

Under a tenner: 2004 Secano Estate Pinot Noir. £5.99, reduced from £6.99, to 30 November, Marks & Spencer

This is an excellent value Chilean pinot noir (all the more so with the current discount), whose loganberry-like, red- berry character gives it a succulently ripe fruit core that's both vivid and spicy.

Splash out: 2003 Montana Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir. £9.99, Waitrose, Majestic (buy 2 = £8.49 a bottle)

This fragrant, Côtes-de-Beaune-style red has a delicious fruit concentration, tinged with lightly toasted oak, that would give any red burgundy at the price a serious run for its euros.