John Wilson: A zippy white and a red that’s perfect for dark January evenings

Wines for the Weekend: These two O’Briens bottles are from well-known French regions

This week’s bottles come from two well-known French wine regions. The Sauvignon is from the Loire, home to Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, where the cool climate brings a lovely refreshing element to the wine. Corbières is in Languedoc, close to the Mediterranean. Here the warm summers bring a lovely gutsy ripeness to the red wines. Perfect for dark January evenings.

Châtelain Desjacques Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Vin de France, €10 (down from €14.71) from O'Briens
Fresh and aromatic, with zippy lemon zest and succulent pear fruits. Light enough to drink solo, or pair with mussels, grilled sole or a soft goat's cheese salad.

Caraguilhes Les Jardins Corbières, €12.95 (down from €17.66) from O'Briens
A lovely warming organic wine from the sunny south of France that will banish winter cold. Medium-bodied with plenty of ripe, smooth dark fruits and a rounded finish. Perfect with grilled lamb or beef, or a warming casserole of Mediterranean vegetables.