Wines of the week

Torres Natureo, Spain (£5.69, waitrosewine.com) For those who treat January as a month for abstinence, here is the best alcohol-free (or, at 0.5% ABV, as close to as makes no difference) wine I've tasted. Produced from the muscat grape, it's made like a normal wine before having the alcohol removed by a rotating cone column. The nose is aromatically grapey and peachy, the palate crisp and refreshing, if lacking just a little of a full-strength wine's depth and oomph. La Grille Classic Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc, Anjou, France 2008 (£8.49, down to £6.64 until 25 January, waitrosewine.com) I'm a big fan of chenin blanc from the Loire, and here's a great-value introduction (particularly at the offer price) to its charms from the very reliable La Grille brand. It's like a nicely plump, fresh apple, with great depth of flavour, zippy acidity and just a hint of savoury oak and cream for complexity. Domaine les Yeuses "Les Epices" Syrah, Vins de Pays d'Oc, France (£8.99 or £6.99 if you buy two bottles, Majestic) Another bargain for the straitened financial realities of January, this is an excellent red from the Languedoc that is more than a match for many Rhône wines at several times the price. There's a delicate floral quality, a bit like violets, to the nose, and lip-smacking, black pepper-spice, fruits of the forest and gently grippy tannins on the palate.