Star buy White

2005 Mâcon-Charnay, Cuvée Claude, Domaine Manciat-Poncet, France, The Wine Society (01438 740222), £7.95.

A miracle: two brilliant white burgundy vintages in a row, and although the richer, fatter 2006 vintage has the long-distance edge, the more mature 2005s often look a tad more seductive currently. This starry Mâconnais illustrates the point, so tuck into this gorgeous, ripe ’05, with lots of superb, sweet, verdant, cabbagey fruit.

Star buy Red

2006 Marcillac, Lo Sang del Pais, Domaine du Cros, Philippe Teulier, France, Cave de Pyrène (01483 554750), £6.39.

Made from the hardy fer servadou grape that even Francophiles won’t have heard of, marcillac is one of those secret wines of France that holidaymakers never experience. I loved the untamed quality of this magnificent, seductive, spicy, peppery red with a velvety, raspberry-charged palate and a grassy finish. A taste of the real France.

Whites

2006 Sancerre Les Ruettes, CVS Sancerre, France, Marks & Spencer, £9.99, down to £7.99 from December 4.
Some sancerre producers rate 2006 as their best ever vintage, claiming that concentration and freshness are hand-in-glove this year. Judge for yourself with this terrific, zesty, verdant, classic Loire sauvignon blanc, spiked with the sort of steely, zesty fruit that sauvignon fans worship and a whiz with peppy salads, including rocket and parmesan.

2006 Château Puy-Servain, Terrement, Montravel Blanc, D. Hecquet, France, Jeroboams (020-7730 8108), £6.48.
Sauvignon gris is weightier than sauvignon blanc, with a distinctive verdant perfume of its own. It is increasingly prized in the Loire, Bordeaux, and Bergerac home to Montravel. This blend of predominantly sauvignon gris with ten per cent semillon delivers the wonderful rich, smoky, white currant and greengage-layered flavours you find here.

2006 Creyssels, Picpoul de Pinet, Coteaux du Languedoc, Julie Benau, France, Stone Vine & Sun (01962 712351), £6.25.
The unusual picpoul de pinet grape, one of the Languedoc’s little-known white-wine jewels, makes an invigorating and unusual winter aperitif and seafood white. Julie Benau’s version is one of the best I have tasted, so perk up your palate with this delicious blast of spicy, greeny-gold, crystallised citrus fruit with its lively, long, lemon-sherbet finish.

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