Loire White: Vouvray Bernard Fouquet, 1997 (Oddbins, £7.99). The starting point for a Vouvray appreciation course. Delectable! See Bottle of the Week.
Domaine du Closel Savennieres, Clos du Papillon, 1994 (SuperValu Kilrush, Peggy Starr Kilkee, about £13.50 or direct from Doonbeg Wine Imports, tel 065 55334, fax 065 55410). Please, can our importers bring home more Savennieres from France soon? One of the few here so far, this should be an inspiration. By all accounts the chateau is lovely, too.
Red: Domaine Filliatreau Saumur-Champigny, 1997 (Searsons, DeVine Wines Castleknock, Wine Centre Kilkenny, about £9.95). A super-succulent Saumur-Champigny from the engaging Filliatreau family: don't miss the chance to visit La Grande Vignolle, their astonishing property built right into chalk cliffs.
Other names worth a detour: Domaine des Baumard, Rochefort-sur-Loire - for sublime Savennieres and Quarts-de-Chaume Domaine de Bablut, Brissac-Quince - exciting Anjou reds as well as whites from dynamic Christophe Daviau Le Haut Lieu, Vouvray - HQ of benchmark Vouvray producer Gaston Huet Charles Joguet, Chinon - top-notch old-vines Chinon from a passionate artist-vigneron Domaine Vacheron, Sancerre - an Irish favourite: quality wines from a friendly family of growers
Southern Rhone White: Perrin Reserve , Cotes du Rhone Blanc, 1997 (DeVine Wine Shop Castleknock, Cheers-Gibneys Malahide, Bennetts Howth, McC abes Merrion, some Molloys Liquor Stores, Old Stand Mullingar, Galvins Cork, Fahys Ballina and many other good independent wine merchants, £8.49£8.99). For that heady cocktail of southern white grapes. This smooth peach-and-pear-tinged dry white is the essence of summer - and a pointer to the Perrin brothers of brilliant Chateau de Beaucastel.
Red: Domaine Brusset Cairanne, 1997 (Mitchells Kildare St & Glasthule, £9.95). I haven't tasted many Cairannes to induce a spending spree, but this rich, multi-faceted wine definitely would.
Domaine Raspail-Ay Gigondas 1996 (Jus de Vine Portmarnock, Cheers-Gibneys Malahide, Kellys Artane, Bennetts Howth, On the Grapevine Dalkey, Mortons Ranelagh, Findlaters Harcourt St, Keegans Tullamore, Octavius Sligo, usually about £11.95). Gigondas doesn't come much better than this - full-bodied, packed with fragrant fruit and with a long, absorbing finish.
Other names worth a detour: Clos des Papes, Chateauneuf-du-Pape - excellent wines from the Avril family with close Irish ties Domaine de la Nerthe, Chateauneuf-du-Pape - under new ownership, one of the very best Domaine de la Soumade, Rasteau - where impassioned Andre Romero produces dense, age-worthy reds Domaine de Cabasse, Seguret - Rhone-Villages with attitude from a Swiss couple with a pretty hotel-restaurant Domaine de Durban, Beaumes-de-Venise - an exquisite version of this often tiresome sticky from a hilltop estate