Bottles Of The Week

The marriage of old world grape-growing and New World wine-making has produced two real crowd-pleasers which still have their own, distinctive personality - a rare enough thing in these days of homogenised blandness. Fox Mountain Cuvee Lisette Vin de Pays d'Oc 1996 (Wines Direct, details above, £5.75) has all the freshness of Sauvignon and the full, pineappley flavours of sun-ripened Chardonnay. You could start drinking it as an aperitif and just keep going. Fox Wood Old Bush Vine Syrah 1996 (Wines Direct, details above, £6.25) is a warm, spicy red - not too austere to drink on its own and juicily succulent with food. If your guests get on as well together, the big August bash will be a wow.