Bottles Of The Week

Whether you're eating out, ordering a takeaway or thinking of setting to work with your wok this weekend, you'll want heat-resistant wines that are easy to track down and easy to drink. This white and red duo is pretty hard to beat: zesty Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 1999 (quite widely available, £8.99£9.49; also in many restaurants), with a generous helping of tropical fruit flavours offset by zippy acidity, and supple Santa Rita Merlot Reserva, Maipo 1998 (widely available, usually £8.99; also in many restaurants), which glides down beautifully, leaving its own trail of warm spice.