Esprit de Combelle Chardonnay 2006 £8.39
For those of us who love a glass of big, lusciously mouthfilling Chardonnay, it's hard to beat such a distinguished, golden wine. This Grand Cru style of Chardonnay is lavished with the utmost care from the vineyard to lengthy barrel-fermentation. Only the ripest hand-picked grapes are used, from old vines that grow on the glacial gravel slopes, close to the Valvigneres cellar. The area's deep gorges once made Valvigneres, France's lost 'Valley of the Vines', a haven for La Resistance. These secret vineyards in the sleepy Ardeche still thwart all but the most intrepid merchants. ''You're in a different league with Esprit ...'' wrote The Independent. ''Not just lovely wine but a notable bargain. Really delicious stuff.'' Shining gold with a wonderful vanilla-oak scent and layers of elegant butter and ripe peach flavours. Open a bottle with elegant fish and white meat dishes: salmon en croute, roast monkfish, chicken with tarragon butter.