Wine Box: The red revival

It's official. Red wine is good for you. In Victorian Britain, hospitals gave patients a small amount of red wine to disinfect the body and aid digestion. More than 100 years later, scientists have turned back the clock and established that red wine also prevents heart disease - the UK's biggest killer.

Apparently, it's all down to substances called polyphenols, found in profusion in red wine but not in white or ros?, which prevent the body from making a protein that promotes heart disease. Given the amount of red wine I've drunk over the years, I'm now certain to get a telegram from the Queen. Here's a decent clutch of reds to try - for medicinal purposes only, of course.

Maxwell Ellen Street Shiraz 1998, McLaren Vale (Safeway Fine Wine stores, £12.99). If any eagle-eyed reader out there has noticed that I recommend quite a few South Australian reds from McLaren Vale, there is good reason. I like them - at least, most of them - even if they can burn a hole in your pocket. This one is blood-thick with dark, rich blackberry fruit and hints of black treacle and chocolate in the mouth. A very well-made wine.

Castello di Fonterutoli Chianti Classico 1998 (Tesco, limited availability, £22.99). If you grew up drinking raffia-covered bottles of Ruffino (as I did), you might gag at the thought of paying this price for a Chianti, albeit Classico. But if drinking one fine bottle instead of guzzling three is your idea of a perfect evening, this ripe, fruity, high-octane red might be the answer. An example of the Sangiovese grape used to its best effect. Great with a few slivers of fresh parmesan.

Fetzer Eagle Peak Merlot 2000 (Threshers, £7.99). This syrup-smooth, sensuous Californian red has plenty of ripe berry flavours, good balance and a gently spicy aftertaste. Perfect to wash down the Sunday roast.