An Occasional Tipple: If you're rich, come into the parlour, some wine here just for you

Anyway, now that the peasants have had their fun, we true aficionados can get round to the serious business. Goodbye, little people. I love you very much but it's time to take out the really good stuff, the bottles that only the more affluent among us can afford. Of course, I am aware that in these difficult times even we richies have to be a little more prudent with our slush funds so I haven't gone for anything too exorbitant. Nothing over £20. As an aside, my very dear wealthy friends, the price of wine is almost certain to rise significantly this year as the benefits of Brexit start to really kick in so now's the time to buy in bulk and fill up your cellars.

BEST RED: the very versatile, elegant and flavoursome 2018 Brunello di Montalcino (£19.99, Lidl). Light-bodied and impressively smooth, it's jampacked with damson and dark cherry flavours with hints of cinnamon and peppery spices which will enhance poultry, pork, duck and even meaty seafood such as monkfish. It drinks well now but will mature very nicely if you are the patient, disciplined sort who can happily leave it unopened, winking at you, for a year or five.

BEST WHITE: the intriguing, elegant and deftly spiced 2022 M&S Classics Alsace Gewurztraminer (£11). This off-dry, opulent and vibrantly aromatic white has a hint of Turkish Delight on the nose before a lively palate which is packed with melon, peach and lychee flavours while a hint of ginger perks up its lingering finish. An ideal match to seafood, poultry or mildly spiced vegetable curries.

BEST WINE CLUB: please don't abandon our local wine merchants. A fact of life, however, is that many of us do now mainly order wine from online retailers. Best of the bunch for my money is The Wine Society (www.thewinesociety.com or telephone 01438-741177). Lifetime membership costs £40 and gains you access to a wide variety of both familiar and unusual wines at exceptionally competitive prices, sourced primarily from small growers and supporting sustainable growing practices and fair trade.

As we enter a new year, most likely with a sense of fear and trepidation on account of the cost of living, dire political stagnation, our crumbling ecosystem, not to mention war, war, endless war, it would be easy to turn to the bottle in despair. But fear not, for the last shall be first. That's what the Good Book says and his very poor servant, Raymond Gleug, most cordially agrees. Till next week tipplers, sante!