At the end of my last rather gloomy piece about supermarket claret, I promised to find something inexpensive that I could recommend, rather than warn my readers off.
    Just before Christmas, I went into my local Oddbins in search of something that could be mulled. Personally, I think the smell of mulled wine is delicious, but the taste, from a glass that is inevitably sticky, is usually a let-down. Anyway, I found a bottle called Duc de Rachelle Claret, vintage 1996, on sale for £2.99. It was just about the cheapest wine in the shop, so I bought a case and took it home to give it the clove, cinnamon, nutmeg treatment. The result was passable, but we did not use all 12 bottles, so I started to use what was left as a house plonk. It really was not a bad wine at all. Clearly young, with not much backbone, it had a pleasing amount of fruit, both on the nose and on the palate, and a finish that stayed awhile in the mouth and said “Bordeaux” to a much greater extent than any of the more expensive wines I reviewed last time. The label told me that it came from the mammoth negoçiant Yvon Mau, who is known for his size rather than his quality, but full marks to the Oddbin buyer who found it. Whether it is still available at £2.99 post-Christmas, I doubt; since at the turn of the year, our wonderful chancellor increased duty by 3% - so much for harmonisation! If you can find it, go for it!
    To the other end of the market briefly, you should be considering 1996 burgundies. I went recently to a superb tasting offered by Haynes, Hanson & Clark (no relation), where a mouthwatering selection of white and reds was on offer. Cheap they are not, but you can have faith in burgundy guru Anthony Hanson’s taste. (If in doubt, consult his magnum opus “Burgundy”, Faber & Faber. £20). The 1996s are wines which will age splendidly, and if, God forbid, you need the money, these wines will prove a good investment. The prices for the good 1997s are already coming out between 20 and 50% higher. With this in mind, it is perhaps not so bad to have to pay £8 or £9 for a classy Hautes Cotes de Nuits from the distinguished old house of Champy Pre et cie. However, if you want to get in the deep end, you will not lose by investing in the Clos-de-Vougeot Grand Cru from Domaine Drouhin-Laroze, which, by the time it has been shipped, will have set you back about £32 a bottle.