On the grapevine

A thimbleful of nectar-sweet wine is perfect with or instead of a dessert. In recent tastings these came out top.

Specially Selected Sauternes 2016, Aldi, £7.49 for 37.5cl: From a top-class Bordeaux château, this has aromatic apricot and candied orange notes, with honey balanced by fresh, bright acidity. You could team this with a pud, but it is a dessert all on its own.

The Best Botrytis Semillon 2017, Australia, 37.5cl, Morrisons, down from £7.25 to £6 until January 1: Flavours of orange marmalade, apricot and lemon rind, balanced by clean, zesty acidity. It goes well with all kinds of desserts, particularly apricot and mango-based puds.

Ramsay bottled: Gordon Ramsay, inset, has joined Kylie Minogue, Ian Botham and Gary Barlow with his own range of wine, and he enlisted the help of worldclass winemaker Alberto Antonini to help create the flavours he loves. Ramsay has sourced them from two regions in Italy, Abruzzo and Tuscany, and has overcome the problems of blending wines from different regions by labelling them as Wine of Italy. The Vibrante White 2020 is bright and juicy with apple and white peach flavours. The Elegante Rosato 2020 is soft and floral, with cherry and strawberry fruit while the Intenso

Rosso 2020 has dark cherry and blackberry fruit. Available at Tesco, priced £10, with the Rosato at just £8 until January 1 for Clubcard holders.

Win a trip to the vineyards: Tasting wine in the place where it is made is one of the most memorable wine experiences you can get. Martinez Wines in Ilkley and Bingley is offering that chance to a customer who buys a six-pack case of Rhône wines (£88.95). For that you get six terrific wines, all sourced from Boutinot. Your name will go into the Martinez ice-bucket and one person will win a trip, for two people, to the vineyards. Flights, transport and accommodation are included, hangover cures are not. Full details from Martinez, on their website (www. martinez.co.uk) or in the shops.

Fine wines for a tenner:

Starting on Wednesday, Waitrose will slash the price on ten wines to just

£10. Top choices include Bird in Hand Sparkling, a pale, delicious fizz from the Adelaide Hills, normally £15.99. PouillyFumé Les Clos du Matin 2020 from the Loire (normally £15.99) is a must-buy for its bright, crisp flavours and crunchy minerally finish. And don’t miss the intense, dark fruit of Domaine Bousquet Gaia Malbec 2019 from Argentina, normally £16.99.