For serious and wannabe wine aficionados, London looks like the place to be for two top-class, weekend wine events this month and next. However, you'll need to get your skates on for the Wine Show which rolls into town at the Business Design Centre in Islington from Thursday.

The first Wine Show only took place last year, but still attracted no lack of thirsty visitors and no lack of well-known wine producers, eager to uncork and pour their best bottles. This year's four-day extravaganza appears to be even bigger and better, with famous names such as Villa Maria Katnook Estate, Louis Jadot and Sandeman Port all in attendance.

Meanwhile, stands have also been taken by Wine Australia, Wines of Chile, Wines of South Africa, the Wine Institute of California, Wines from Spain and Sopexa which is representing the mighty France. So there's lots going on to keep you and your taste buds occupied throughout.

In addition, the Wine Show has come up with several interactive ideas to whet your palates including Wine Tasting Theatre, Sainsbury's Perfectly Matched Food and Wine Zone, and Thresher's Ten-Minute Tasting School.

In my view though, the best attractions for novice or expert alike are the personalised wine tours which you can sign up to with some of the UK's leading experts. These include Oz Clarke, Matt Skinner, Tim Atkin, Suzy Atkins, Anthony Rose, Robert Joseph and Charles Metcalfe, all of whom are available to lead themed Wine Walks around the show.

Each walk is limited to a small number of people so you get lots of personal attention. Tickets for these cost £10 and are limited so it's advisable to book in advance.

However, if you can't get to the London Wine Show don't despair because on November 18 and 19 you can join more than 100 of the world's most famous wine producers at Decanter Magazine's 10th annual Fine Wine Encounter at the Landmark Hotel in West London.

As ever, this event involves a lot more than just enjoying 600 or so fine wines from the likes of Ridge, Cloudy Bay, Veuve Clicquot and Chateau Talbot. Best of all though, it's also a rare opportunity to meet and talk to the people who actually make these great wines. Moreover, if you book early, you may also be able to secure a place at one or more of several Masterclasses featuring Jancis Robinson, Chateau Margaux and Raymond Blanc.

  • 2006 Decanter Fine Wine Encounter, November 18 and 19, The Landmark Hotel, London NW1. Single tickets cost £45. Doubles cost £80. Call 020 7471 2000. Buy online: www.decanter.com/events.
  • The Wine Show, Thursday to Sunday, October 29, Business Design Centre, Islington, London N1. Tickets cost from £15-£25. Call 0970 8900094. Buy online: www.wineshow.co.uk
  • For this week's offer, I've come up with just two exciting and very keenly priced wines made from two of the world's most famous grape varieties - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. These varieties are the mainstay of great Burgundy. A problem with Burgundy though is that it is often frighteningly expensive and not necessarily always that great.

But I can assure you that these wines are absolutely terrific and a real steal.

One reason why they are well priced is because they come not from the Cote d'Or but from the South of France.

Even so, quite how winemaker Jean d'Alibert gets so much quality into this Pinot Nor for just over a fiver, is nothing short of a miracle.

The second wine is just a beautifully balanced and beguilingly flavourful Chardonnay from the Pays d'Oc region.

You might be surprised to know that this is the very first Chardonnay featured in The Oxford Times Wine Club. But when you taste it, I think you'll understand why I just had to include it.

For more details on the wines and to order this week's offer, click here.