Star white

2005 Bourgogne, Cuvée Oligocène, Patrick Javillier, France, LAY & WHEELER (0845 3301855), £14.50.

What every white burgundy devotee is dreaming of this Christmas: an utterly gorgeous, smoky Côte d’Oresque offering, whose rich, creamy, faintly honeyed chardonnay palate closes on an elegant, racy finish. Terrific quality for a humble bourgogne, this mini-meursault spent 18 months in oak, hence the dreamy, hazelnutty flavours here.

Star red

2005 Ladoix 1er Cru, Le Clou d’Orge, Domaine Chevalier Père et Fils, France, MAJESTIC, £14.99.

No surprise to see two delicious burgundies walk off with the stars in this section, as the 2005 vintage was outstanding there. Last week, Domaine Chevalier’s straight white burgundy was the star white, and this week it is the turn of the superior, premier cru-level red, whose delicious, beefy scent and gamey, creosote and sandalwood-spiked palate is a joy.

Whites

2004 Le Soula, Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes, Gérard Gauby, France, A&B Vintners (01892 724977), £18.70; BERRY BROS & RUDD (01256 340182), £19.75 by the unmixed case.
Anyone brave enough to spend £20 on this humble vin de pays will be rewarded with a sumptuous, spicy, pineapple and sweet hazelnut-oak scented wine – a triumphant blend of low-yielding, principally grenache blanc and sauvignon blanc grapes from steeply elevated sun-trap vineyards.

2000 Silberberg de Rorschwihr Riesling, Rolly Gassmann, Alsace, France, THE WINE SOCIETY (01438 740222), £16.
Alsace wines make wonderful food bottles, and the riesling grape with its thrilling fruit and racy acidity is one of the region’s best. The mouthwateringly intense, mature, spritzy, floral spice and verdant flavours of this ripe, juicy riesling will make a happy bedfellow with festive dishes as diverse as smoked salmon, potted prawns and creamy fish.

2004 Auxey-Duresses, Vieilles Vignes, Pascal Prunier-Bonheur, France, O. W. LOEB (020-7234 0385), £18.12, cases only.
The combination of a good but not great vintage and a good but not well-known producer has kept the price of this delicious white burgundy down. I loved its seductive, violet-scented bouquet and fat, ripe, spicy, cabbagey palate – a useful festive-food white with a leafy salad or, for a seasonal alternative, a simply grilled fillet of salmon.

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