BARGAIN BUYS AT MARKS & SPENCER

Jan 8 2010 by Katharine Everitt, The Journal

MARKS & Spencer's wine sale continues until the end of the month and includes some hot bargains (such as my wine of the week).

Amongst the biggest reductions and best buys are Tupungato Chardonnay 2008 from Argentina (£4.99), which smells of ripe pineapple with a kiss of oak but tastes more of peach and apple and has a fine, lingering, mineral aftertaste.

Silver Tree Chardonnay from South Africa, also half price at £5.99, is richer, with peachy fruit, and is complex, balanced and toasty.

Gérard Bertrand's Cuvée Extrème, Côtes de Roussillon Villages 2006 is outstanding value at just £5.99. It has layers of ripe black fruit, especially blackcurrant and black cherry with a hint of Mediterranean herbs and a big, chewy texture with black olives and licorice.

His bottlings for M&S of Minervois and Corbières are also superb value at the sale price of £4.99.