Something For The Weekend?

Under a Fiver: 2004 Sauvignon Blanc, Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France, £3.49, down from £4.49, until Tuesday, Sainsburys

Under a Fiver: 2004 Sauvignon Blanc, Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France, £3.49, down from £4.49, until Tuesday, Sainsburys

After the torrid summer of 2003 it was back to business as usual for the crisp summery wines of the Loire, in this instance a zingy sauvignon from the Lurton brothers.

Under a Tenner: 2003 Winemaker's Syrah, Llanuras de Camarico Vineyard, £6.99, or buy 2 = £5.94, Majestic

This fragrant, spicy, blackberryish syrah from Chilean giant Concha y Toro is a good example of how the northern Rhône grape variety is really taking off in new viticultural regions of Chile, such as the warm Limari Valley.

Splash Out: 2004 Joostenberg Noble Late Harvest Chenin Blanc, £10.50 / £9.45 bottle / case, Berry Bros & Rudd, London SW1 (0870 900 4300)

Every bit as good as the 2003 vintage, this is a superbly rich, sweet wine from the Cape, whose luscious flavours of crystallised apricots ooze from the glass with delicacy.