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SCMP Reporter

Less than $100

Marques de Monistrol $32

'Try this,' said a friend, pouring a glass of icy sparkling wine. We were sitting on an island in Mirs Bay attacking some crabs. The frothy, dry, mouth-tingling bubbly was delicious. Then he told me the price: at $32 a bottle, it suddenly became even more delicious. It's a classic Spanish cava with all the verve and energy of Barcelona erupting in the glass. Serve this delightful, joyous wine with anything, anytime. Or just sip it to celebrate the festive season.

Wellcome: 2299 3838

Less than $200

Skalli Reserve $131

The bottle of this 1997 chardonnay is weird: a crazy artist has stuck plastic grapes on the label and virtually no information. What there is comes in hard-to-read script. However, the wine is pretty good. It's fermented for a year in oak, then matured in a range of obscure barrels. The result is a wine of compelling flavour - almonds and pears - and a taste sensation that is exciting. It's elegant but with plenty of strength. Enjoy with roast chicken.

Remy Fine Wines: 2523 5904

More than $200

Ravenswood $259

This burly, strutting 1997 merlot is a seriously good New-World wine made in Old-World style. Vines a century old grow without irrigation on Sonoma slopes; the berries are small and bursting with rich sugars. After crushing, the wine ferments in open-topped wooden vats and stainless steel tanks. The yeasts are wild. Aged in small French barrels, the wine retains a gutsy yet modulated taste. It's a big, powerful wine with excellent balance.

Ficofi: 2404 3895



Wine On