Wines of the week: Château de Sabazan, Côtes de Saint-Mont 2005/2006; Leasingham Magnus Riesling 2009; Tagus Creek Rosé 2009

Terry Kirby selects the best bottles to buy

Saturday 23 April 2011 19:00 EDT
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Sunday lunch

Château de Sabazan, Côtes de Saint-Mont 2005/2006

If you are planning duck today, this is pretty much the perfect wine. Made largely from the reputedly heart-friendly Tannat grape deep in Gascony, where consumption of all things canard is more or less compulsory, this is a big, earthy, richly intense wine which lingers long and spicily on the palate. But do not duck out of buying this if you are having lamb for Easter – it goes brilliantly with any roast red meats or game. £12.50, thewinesociety.com (2005); £15.50, Nicolas (2006)

Weekday supper

Leasingham Magnus Riesling 2009

Forget the Aussie reputation for unsubtle, over-oaked Chardonnay – this is about as elegant and refined a wine as you will find for this kind of price from what was once the dominant grape down under. What is characteristic is the New World take on a German staple – fruity, floral richness replaced by bone-dry, fresh, palate-cleansing citrus flavours – which makes it perfect to cut through oily fish such as salmon or to wash down some shellfish. £8.29, ocado.com; £8.99, Sainsbury's

Bargain basement

Tagus Creek Rosé 2009

If the weather this weekend and next allows, its doubtless going to be a big time for both Royalist and republican barbecues, a perfect excuse for the first ice-cold rosé of the year. This dry, raspberry-scented Portugese rosé is made from one of the principal port grapes, Touriga Nacional, which gives the wine decent structure, and Syrah, which adds some edge, so it can stand up to most grilled foods. But some fish with a nice aioli would be the ideal marriage. £5.99, Waitrose; £6.20, Asda.

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