Madame was the queen of very fine Champagne

Jan 1 2010 by Helen Savage, The Journal

Bargain buys for New Year

IF you feel that you need to rein in the purse strings after Christmas, I recommend a pair of Chilean wines at Morrisons that shouldn't break the bank: the dryish white Mas o Menos Chardonnay 2009 has juicy pineapple fruit with lemon, pineapple and peachy acidity and the red Mas o Menos Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 is deep-coloured, ripe and also very fruity, with blackcurrant, black cherry and a whiff of nettles and white pepper. It's a nice, satisfying, uncomplicated little wine. Both cost just £3.99.

Another star buy at Sainsbury's is their Gran Reserva Monastrell 2003 from Alicante at £4.99. A huge red, with bags of figgy fruit, it's soft, ripe, round and very satisfying – just the thing for a cold January night.