Something for the weekend?

3 Excelsior Sauvignon Blanc; 1998 Louis Jadot Beaune; 1998 Louis Jadot Beaune

Under a fiver: 2003 Excelsior Sauvignon Blanc, Reduced from £4.99 to £3.99 until 9 December, Sainsbury's

South Africa is becoming hard to beat in the New World sauvignon blanc stakes as this crisp and aromatic style from the Robertson district demonstrates. A remarkable degree of juicy, grapefruity zing makes it a good dry white to drink on its own or with a fish or cheese starter.

Under a tenner: Torres Gran Sangre de Toro 2000 Penedès, £5.59, down from £7.09, Waitrose, until tomorrow

This good-value red, ideal for pasta or grills, has some of the authentic character and bite of the Penedès region. The addition of a touch of the syrah grape makes it consistently good, with blackberry flavours and a sweet vanilla spice thanks to a proportion of new oak.

Splash out: 1998 Louis Jadot Beaune, 2 for £10 each, normally £15.99, Thresher, Wine Rack to 8 December

A chance to pick up a relatively affordable Côte de Beaune red should be seized with both hands. The Jadot is a weighty, cherry and strawberryish pinot noir whose juiciness will emerge (a) with an hour's advance decanting and (b) served cool and (c) with lamb or beef on the pink side.