So now after two and a half days of drinking $$$$ of very fine champagne ( as a guest! I am back in New York and looking for something slightly more affordable for Christmas. LOVED this champagne. it was a pure beam of clean fruit with a delicate mousse that dissolved like a cloud in your mouth. Jacques Lassaigne is a 4.7 Age of Vines: 35 Years. MORE >>

Marlborough, NZ does some nice things with Sauvignon Blancs and here's proof at a good price. Super fresh and crisp with waves of lemon drops and tropical fruits, pineapple, and guava, with grapefruit rind and summer fruits on the palate. SRP around $11. Appealing for its smooth texture and crisp acidity. Drink now. 41,000 cases imported. MORE >>

Here is a Chianti DOCG that is a blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot and 5% Ciliegiolo. This everyday Chianti is an absolute value for the $8.95 pricetag. Nicely balanced, bright, fruity, supple and very easy to drink besides being a good food wine. MORE >>

This Christmas day I broke out a bottle I've been saving since receiving it as a birthday present a few years ago. Released sometime in 2007, this Brunello Riserva is just setting out on its path to maturity but will have probably reached its peak at the end of this decade. It's always so difficult to be patient when aging a good bottle of wine. MORE >>

Today in his column Andrew Jefford tells the story of a woman from a small village who said some Canadian importers were interested in carrying her wine, yet wanted to know if they had been "scored" by any North American critics. Jefford asks a brilliant question: are scores actually necessary to get into today's market? Is it right? MORE >>