Wine:Buy now to get the best value, writes Joe Breen
When is the best time to buy for Christmas, and what should you buy? The answer is always the same. If you haven't already taken advantage of the November sales and wine fairs, do so now.
The O'Briens chain of off-licences, now spreading outside the Pale, has been at the forefront of offering good deals, with sharp marketing ploys such as its selective weekend promotions, while Wicklow Wine Company is having a sale to mark its selection as importer of the year in The Best of Wine in Ireland 2007, by John Wilson (A & A Farmar, €12.99).
O'Briens has put together an eye-catching mix of Christmas offers, kicking off with the bone-dry citric vivacity of Alsace's Sparr Riesling Reserve 2005 (€9.99, down from €12.99). In the mid-price bracket, one of my favourite Kiwi Sauvignons, Astrolabe 2005, is down from €15.99 to €13.99. The more restrained European Sauvignon is brilliantly represented by Vatan Sancerre (€13.99, down from €17.99) while Chanson Beaune Bastion Blanc 2004 is great value at €19.95 (down from €25).
The classy Chilean Cabernet Los Vascos Grande Reserve 2003 is reduced to €12.99 from €16.99 while the rich, chocolatey southern Rhône Rastau Prestige 2003 is a compelling buy at €11.99, down from €13.99. Staying in the same area, but moving up a notch, Gabriel Liogier Montjoie Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2003 is a very good wine from a difficult year (€19.99, down from €25), while San Felice Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino 2001 is a model for the big splurge (reduced from €35 to €24.95). These offers are valid until December 31st or until stocks run out.
At the end of next week, from Thursday until Saturday, December 2nd, O'Briens also holds its fine-wine sale. Look out for Bordeaux such as Hauts-Bages Averous 1998 (down from €50 to €29.95) or Burgundy, in the shape of Brocard Chablis Grand Cru Bougros 2002 (down from €45 to €29.99).
There is also good value at Wicklow Wine Company (www.wicklowwineco.ie), which will have many of the bottles for tasting in its shop on Main Street, Wicklow, before the sale ends on November 30th. If you get a chance, taste the remarkable Redoma Branco, Niepoort 2005, a Portuguese take on Burgundy (down from €17.95 to €14.95); Plan de Dieu, Domaine Martin 2004, southern Rhône sweet fruit and spice (down from €13.50 to €10.95); or Domaine d'Aupilhac, Montpeyroux 2003, great value at €14.50, down from €17.95. u jbreen@irish-times.ie