Superquinn's annual French wine sale, starts on Monday. Among the 40 wines I have sampled are some real winners. The deal is that Superquinn teams up with the leading French supermarket group Casino on a buying spree which brings keen prices. (It also accounts for rather bizarre prices, such as £6.52 or £8.86 - precise conversions from French francs.) As in previous years, I liked the red wines much better than the whites. While some, including the Bottle of the Week, were Superquinn French sale stars in earlier vintages, others bring new excitement to this year's event.
Among the newcomers, I liked the juicy Saumur Rouge, Domaine de la Sicardiere 1997 (£7.59 down to £5.84); a grippy Bordeaux Superieur, Clos Daubiac 1997 (£7.29 down to £4.29); Chateau La Fleur Vauzelle, Lalande de Pomerol 1997 (£11.55 down to £9.47), still maybe a touch young but full of interest; and a glorious sweet Vouvray, Clos de Nouys 1996 (£13.75 down to £10.89).
Familiar labels which come up trumps again include Chateau Le Mayne Bordeaux Superieur 1997 (£8.21 down to £5.93), Bottle of the Week; the gutsy Faugeres Domaine des Marbrieres 1997 (£7.76 down to £5.59); harmonious Chateau Teys sier Puisseguin St Emilion 1997 (£9.98 down to £7.99 - the 1998 is also on offer, but you wouldn't want to drink it yet); and the stylish and engaging Chateau Verdignan Cru Bourgeois Haut Medoc 1996 (£18.09 down to £15.46). I also loved the second wine of Chateau Kirwan, Les Charmes de Kirwan, Margaux, 1996 (£22.57 down to £15.87) - perfumed and beautifully round. In case you can't contain your thirst until next week, Superquinn promises that all the wines just mentioned will be available from today at sale prices.
Big spenders will find bigger treats dotted around the premier stores, including some very grand clarets from the highly rated 1995 and 1996 vintages - things such as Chateau Citran 1995, Chateau Chasse-Spleen 1995, Chateau Ferriere 1995 and Chateau La Gurgue 1996. There's also Chateau d'Yquem 1990 if you have £279.85 to spare.