France's Foire aux Vins

Very many thanks to Malcolm Compain of London for reminding me via your turn to remind you that this is prime month for buying wine in France. Over the last few years September has traditionally been the time when France's wine wholesalers empty their warehouses into the country's retail distribution chain – initially the supermarket shelves but now more widely – to make way for the new vintage.

This year there are even better bargains than usual since the world has rather fallen out of love with French fine wine in general and Bordeaux, which always made up the bulk...