Agustinos Estate Pinot Noir Reserva 2006; Cono Sur Pinot Noir 2006, Central Valley; Santa Rita Floresta Leyda Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Agustinos Estate Pinot Noir Reserva 2006, Bio Bio Valley, 14%, €9.99(€7.49 from May 23rd) A meaty nose with herbal notes; rich and dense with a little alcohol burn to keep you awake; and a clean finish. From Superquinn.
Cono Sur Pinot Noir 2006, Central Valley, 14%, €7.99This vintage of a consistently good-value performer has an earthy nose with tinges of strawberry; it's rich and full in the mouth; and it has an almost silky finish. Puts many more expensive bottles in the shade. Tesco, Costcutter, Molloys, O'Briens, O'Donovans, Supervalu, Centra.
Santa Rita Floresta Leyda Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Leyda, 14%, €19.99If the price seems unusually high, it is because this is an unusually classy Sauvignon: rich, concentrated and full of crisp green fruit and clean acidity. It's a zingy, refreshing antidote to dullness. From WineWorld, Dungarvan; Cellars, Naas Road, D12; Eldons, Clonmel; the Comet, Santry, D9.