Vigna Senza Moscato d'Asti 2000; San Michele all'Adige Trentino Pinot Grigio 2005 and La Bombarde: Cannonau 2004
Vigna Senza Moscato d'Asti 2000, Braida, 5.5%, €15.95 Braida's top red wines may be awesome, but this lithe, low-alcohol, appley, frothy off-dry folly, equally at home at the start or end of a meal, is also a delight. From www.jnwine.com.
San Michele all'Adige Trentino Pinot Grigio 2005, 13%, €16.75 From the people at the Instituto Agrario who earlier this year announced the "discovery" of the "life code" of the Pinot Noir grape comes this fresh, straw-coloured, sharply defined wine of orchard fruit, oily texture and brisk acidity. Lip-smacking. From Cheers, Delgany, Co Wicklow; Wine and Dine, Monaghan; Handmade Wines, Lismore, Co Waterford; Blessings, Main Street, Cavan; Gibneys, Malahide, Co Dublin; Red Island Wines, Skerries, Co Dublin; Drinkstore, Manor Street, D7; Redmonds, Ranelagh, D6.
La Bombarde: Cannonau 2004, Cantina de Santa Maria, 13%, €13.99 Cannonau is actually Grenache, and this is an intriguing light-bodied version of it made by a leading co-op in Sardinia. Soft black fruit, caramel notes and a mellow texture. From Kelly's, Vernon Avenue, D3; Bennett's, Howth, Co Dublin; The Yacht, Clontarf Road, D3; McHugh's, Malahide Road, D5; Deveney's, Upper Rathmines Road, D6; Fallon & Byrne, Exchequer Street, D2; Redmonds, Ranelagh, D6.