Rummaging around wine shops, I'm often puzzled to see so little evidence of the sort of wines that help to lure Irish holidaymakers back to France time and again. It isn't the posh Burgundies and Bordeaux that do it, but affordable southern reds, full of the warm flavours typical of local grapes ripened in the sun. Chateau Gres Saint Paul, Coteaux du Languedoc, 1997 (stockists above, usually about £7.95), a newcomer to the Irish market, is a prime example - a rich, intriguing wine, smooth-textured and sensual, with plenty of grip and a lipsmacking finish. From a family estate within sight of the Mediterranean, it's mainly Syrah with a dash of Grenache and Mourvedre. A pretty good alternative to an air ticket to the Midi.