WRITING last week's column reminded me about a Masterclass Tasting at a Decanter Fine Wine Encounter which I was lucky enough to attend several years ago.

It was led by the irrepressible Jean-Michel Cazes, who looked a little like Jimmy Tarbuck and was almost as funny (no mean achievement, given that he was speaking in a second language). In those days, of course, Cazes was running the great fifth Growth Chateau Lynch-Bages in Bordeaux. So the wines were a real treat.

So too was Cazes's presentation. Particularly when he got on to the subject of 'wine-speak'.

"Of course, we don't have bad vintages in Bordeaux any more," he said, only half-jokingly. "Instead, they are classified, at the very least, as 'useful' or 'early drinking vintages'. Equally, at the other end of the spectrum, vintages are either great, unparalleled or vintages of the century."

And he's absolutely right. For instance, the rain-affected 2006 Bordeaux vintage is already shaping up as both 'useful' and an 'early drinker' before the wine has even been bottled.

Equally, within the last six years, Bordeaux has already produced three vintages of the century in 2000, 2003 and 2005!

However, as a consumer, it's often useful to be able to read between the lines of what you are being told about a particular wine. Over the last ten years, I've noticed many of the euphemistic embellishments and tricks of the trade, some of which would make a double-glazing salesman blush. So here are some of my favourite phrases to watch out for, together with my tongue-in-cheek interpretation of their underlying meaning.

What they say: "The vintage of the century."

What they mean: Generally, the best and most recent vintage that has had half-decent weather and a good crop. Invariably, it will also be the most expensive.

What they say: "A useful or early drinking vintage."

What they mean: A rain-affected or indifferent vintage producing weak, dilute wines.

What they say:"An investment wine."

What they mean: Over-hyped and over-priced, which you shouldn't touch with a barge-pole.

What they say:"A cult wine."

What they mean: A wine made in tiny quantities with no track record that costs far too much money for the quality on offer and which no-one in their right mind would want to buy.

What they say:"Definitely a Merlot year."

What they mean: The Cabernet Sauvignon was a disaster.

What they say:"Neutral flavour."

What they mean: Not scintilla of flavour.

What they say:"An interesting wine."

What they mean: A wine which has no distinguishing merit whatsoever.

What they say: "Incredible tannic structure."

What they mean: You could stand your spoon in it.

What they say: "A food wine."

What they mean: The wine is undrinkable on its own.

What they say:"A terroir wine."

What they mean: This has every wine-making fault in the book and one or two more besides.

What they say:"Made in the traditional style."

What they mean: Completely oxidised.

For this week, I have picked an all red wine case for the first time. One reason is that some people prefer red. But the main reason is that with the drop in temperature and shorter days, I find myself starting to eat more hearty food, which lends itself to warming reds rather than cooler whites. So here are three delicious reds to fend off winter blues.

The first is the 2005 Merlot from Les Celliers du Prieure from the south of France. This is the 'quaffer' in the case and is probably more of a mid-week kind of wine than a special occasion variety. While I'm not a great fan of the label, I'm a huge fan of what's inside. The second is the Inurrieta Norte 2003, from Navarra in Northern Spain. This is a sibling of the Inurrieta Sur which I featured recently. The difference is in the blend, with this being made up of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. I would drink this with a rich stew or a roast of lamb or beef. Lastly, I've gone for the 2004 Barbera d'Alba from Marco Porello in Piedmont. There's no question that Barbera's popularty and this elegant, distinctive Italian red is bursting with class, character and flavour.

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