Normally, I'd be the last person on the planet to advocate supermarkets for major wine purchases at the expense of independent wine merchants. So far, the big stores are pretty hopeless at offering the kind of personal advice that makes your friendly local specialist invaluable - and their prices aren't necessarily much keener. But these are not normal times.
In the last few weeks before Christmas, with time pressure building up like a migraine, it's tempting to stash a heap of bottles in the trolley, along with the mince pies, the Santa wrapping paper and those pillows of tortilla chips.
Bizarre as it may sound, when it comes to buying wine, Irish supermarkets are among the best in the world. Why? Because the market is small enough to enable store buyers to go out hunting for a lot of interesting stuff - much of it from individualistic small to medium-sized producers and avail able only in relatively limited quantities.
The wines on supermarket shelves in Britain, and certainly the US, tend to be blander, simply because the volumes required leave no alternative to mass production; I certainly detect a run-of-the-mill dullness in many of the bottles on offer in British-owned store groups here. The other reason we're lucky is because - unlike shoppers in France, or indeed any other wine-producing country - we have the whole world of wine to plunder and enjoy.
Where to go, and for what? Dunnes Stores is at the top of my supermarket list, head and shoulders above the rest. Over the past few years, this group has completely transformed its wine portfolio by sending their dynamic buying team off to comb just about every key wine region in the world for new gems at every price level - wines which are exclusive to Dunnes.
Although I haven't counted, I'm pretty sure they've had more Bottles of the Week in The Irish Times wine column than any other retailer, just because more well-priced goodies keep coming into stock all the time. Best budget buys include:
Rasteau Les Peyrieres Cotes du Rhone Villages 1997 (£5.99)
Chateau de Gourgazaud Min ervois 1997 (£5.89)
Agramont Old Vines Garnacha 1996 (£5.29)
Santa Isabel Malbec 1997 from Argentina (£5.49)
and the spicy, plum-cakeflavoured Greek red Cava Tsantalis 1994 (£4.49).
For swanky drinking, search the top stores for St Hallett Old Block Shiraz 1995 (£15.99) or McCrae Wood Shiraz 1995 (£14.99) - both terrific with turkey; the oak-aged version of Chateau de Flaugergues Coteaux du Languedoc 1996 (£10.99); or Edgewood Estate Napa Valley Merlot 1995 (£11.99).
Dunnes Stores Millennium Champagne NV (£19) and deliciously ripe Sanxet Millennium 1er Grand Cru Classe Bergerac 1995 (£7.49) are among a clatter of exciting new arrivals.
If you're a francophile - especially one with a penchant for classic wines - make for Superquinn. This group has linked up with the French supermarket giant Casino on a joint buying spree which brings a plethora of autumn bargains.
Although many have sold out, December will see sale prices being reintroduced on good clarets like Chateau Teyssier Puisseguin St Emilion 1997 (£7.99); (the 1998, also in stock, is still too young); Chateau Lafleur Vauzelle La lande de Pomerol 1997 (£9.47) and Chateau Verdignan Cru Bourgeois 1996 (£15.46).
Permanent Superquinn attractions include the Charles Vienot range - modestly priced Burgundies for everyday drinking. But the plums aren't all French. The Wakefield range of well made wines from Australia's Clare Valley is a massive hit.
The Italian section features two superb producers, Allegrini and Pieropan, whom you'll find nowhere else. And from Valde penas in Spain, Vina Albali Gran Reserva 1991 (£6.59) is a brilliant alternative to Rioja at half the price.
Although there's a widespread perception that Tesco is packed with highvolume, low-charm wines, the true picture is more complex than that. I've found a few crackers in Tesco's own-label range - bottles I'd be happy to put on my table at any time, particularly since, in most cases, they bear simple, handsome labels. (Let's be honest: looks count.)
Tesco Chablis 1997 (£8.99) deserves to be a runaway Christmas success, as does Tesco Premier Cru Champagne NV (£17.99); and for that pasta you'll long for by Stephen's Day, you're unlikely to regret Tesco Chianti Classico Riserva 1996 (£7.49).
It's sometimes forgotten that Tesco Ireland still stocks a substantial number of wines that have been best-sellers since the old Quinnsworth days - and long may they have the wisdom to do so.
I'm thinking about claret like Chateau Le Grand Verdus Bordeaux Superieur 1996 (£7.99); Chateau Cap de Haut, Medoc Cru Bourgeois 1996 (£7.99); and delectable Chateau Patache d'Aux, Medoc Cru Bourgeois 1996 (a steal at £10.49).
Supporting the New World, Luis Felipe Edwards from Chile and top Australians like Hardy's Ebenezer and Chateau Reynella are stalwarts you can't go astray with.
Although there's huge variation in the range of wines offered by the different branches of SuperValu and Centra, all have benefited from the beefed-up core selection available through Musgraves' central buying (also visible in Roches Stores).
SuperValu's enthusiastic buyers have identified Spain and Portugal as two key areas where quality wines can still be found at reasonable prices.
The reds are the stars, whether you're in search of an easy quaffer like Santorcal Special Selection 1997 (£6.99), a supper party standby like Neira Crianza, Valdepenas, 1996 (£5.99), or a more sophisticated treat like Tinto da Anfora 1995 (£8.29) from Portugal's emerging treasureland, the Alentejo.
I'd far rather drink this soft, spicy beauty with my turkey than many a tart Bordeaux costing pounds more.
