wines to meet a stranger . to choose wines or cordials for food ranging from moussaka to mangoes and artichokes to uglies poses something of a problem . on the other hand , the dishes built upon these unusual fruits and vegetables have a common characteristic . the main course dishes are strongly flavoured and the fruits have a pleasant astringency behind their sweetness . this means that one should avoid choosing wines that are very dry or of delicate flavour . sparkling wines do not really fit into this picture , but strong , virile wines do . a full-bodied wine for the main course , and a sweet wine for the fruits would be a good general rule . one would do well to consider the wines of Greece to match the moussaka . the special one , of course , is retsina , a white wine matured in resinated casks . I came to love it from drinking it in the war years , but the fact must be faced , it is an acquired taste . my wife contends that it tastes of ping-pong balls . it might be a good thing to have a bottle or two for the initiated , and stick to a white dry Samos for the majority . the price of both is about 8 s 6 d to 9 s per bottle . they should be served cold but not over-chilled . a good red alternative comes from Hungary - Egri Bikaver - the dark wine from Eger known as bull &apos;s blood . it costs about 10 s 6 d per bottle . if you want something really strong , with a high alcoholic content , Yugoslavia produces Dinjac , but it is not a wine for weak heads ! it costs about 8 s 9 d per bottle . there are also Spanish and Portuguese wines that go well with strongly flavoured foods . the robust Spanish Chablis , the Rioja Burgundy , and the Portuguese Vila Real Tinto are examples , all costing about 7 s 6 d per bottle . Russian wines are now on the market , and the red Mukuzani no 4 would fit this menu well . it costs about the same as the Spanish wines . now for the wines to go with the fruit dishes . for those who like a really sweet wine there is what is often called the Sauterne of the Perigord : Monbazillac , costing from 8 s to 10 s per bottle . visitors to Vienna will perhaps remember the ancient cellars at Gumpoldskirchner - the home of the fine Rotgipfler Auslese . this costs about 15 s 6 d per bottle . or to return to Greece , there is the famous Mavrodaphne - the Italians drink a lot of it , and you may have met it in Vienna . an alternative is to leave the straight wines out of the planning and go for some kind of a cup . pride of Oporto is a pleasant and simple one . to produce about thirty glasses take one bottle of tawny port , half a gill of orange Cura&amp;ccedil;ao , one lemon , and a siphon of soda . squeeze the juice of the lemon into a bowl , adding the port and Cura&amp;ccedil;ao , then slicing the lemon into it . let it stand for about 20 minutes and then serve the glasses about two-thirds full of the mixture , topping up with iced soda water . it is always a good thing to have a jug of non-alcoholic cup about the place . a simple and pleasant one can be made by mixing lemon and orange cordial in the ratio of two of lemon to one of orange . before adding water , a slice of lemon and orange and a lump or two of ice , put in a couple of teaspoonfuls of Ribena . the colour combination is delightful and it enhances the flavour . finally , there is the ap&amp;eacute;ritif , if one is needed . if you want to give your friends something out of the ordinary , costing less than 20 s per bottle , there is Pineau Imperial des Charentes , from the Cognac region . alternatively , there is the more expensive - about 40 s per bottle - plum brandy from Yugoslavia and Hungary - Slivovitz . even quite a small glass makes a party go . and if there is any left it is equally good as a liqueur . if by any chance you have difficulty in finding the drinks I have mentioned , write to woman &apos;s journal who will tell you where they may be bought . John Baker White . wines worth singing for . there has never been a time when wines from so many different countries were available in Britain . this means that there is a tremendous field for experiment , and having a lot of fun without spending too much . so , in choosing wines for the four suppers , I have tried to be original and , except for the supper party wines , inexpensive , despite recent increases in price . supper party . here perhaps one can spread one &apos;s wings a little and forget the family budget . as an ap&amp;eacute;ritif serve , chilled , a wonderful wine that comes from the Jura - namely the 1949 Ch&amp;acirc;teau-Chalon . it is the rarest wine in France , and is matured for seven years before bottling . a bottle will cost you about 35 s but it will be a wonderful experience for your guests . with the food I think a Portuguese Mateus Ros&amp;eacute; , the pale pink wine with natural sparkle , would be fun . it must , of course , be chilled , and costs about 13 s to 14 s a flask . a very pleasant alternative would be a Franconian Steinwein , also in flasks known as Boxbeutels , and costing about 17 s 6 d . it is a fairly safe bet that one of the guests will want to take the empty flask home ; they make delightful lamp bases . if you feel that the Ch&amp;acirc;teau-Chalon is beyond your pocket you could cut out the ap&amp;eacute;ritif and serve a glass of light non-vintage port with the Boston cream pie ; or perhaps even better , an inexpensive dessert wine from Cyprus called Commandaria . it has been made since the crusades . family sit-down supper . the mackerel is a splendid fish that deserves good treatment , and I would be inclined to accentuate the Italian accent of the main course , serving before dinner an Italian ap&amp;eacute;ritif that has only just come on to the British market . its name is Riccadonna bitter vermouth , a blend of herbs with fortified wines from Canelli . the bottle should be iced and a twist of lemon put in each glass . we do not drink as much Italian white wine as we might in Britain , so I would choose a Soave Di Verona , or if you have difficulty in finding it , the sweeter Orvieto . both should cost under 10 s per bottle . with the hot souffl&amp;eacute; a glass of that fine but neglected wine Marsala would go admirably . when I was young the royal navy used to drink it before lunch instead of gin but nowadays most people relegate it to the kitchen , which is a pity . I would choose a medium-rich wine like Corona , costing about 12 s per bottle . if you can find a Malaga , then try that . supper round the fire . quite a few people hold to the view that it is a waste of wine to drink it with curry . I do not agree , but obviously as curry is made from spices the wine must be full-blooded to live with it . this meal has a big fruit content , so one must look also for a fruity wine . before supper a glass of Madeira would go well , especially if it is a Verdelho or an old rich Bual . and with the meal itself ? I have mentioned the red wines of Chile before , and I do so again , because I think the Santa Rita or Cabernet would match this food . a good alternative would be one of the Australian Burgundies , which are sound and dependable : after all the Australians have been making wine for over a hundred years and send vine specialists all over the world . none of these wines should cost much over 8 s per bottle , but do n&apos;t roast them in front of the fire . let them breathe for a few hours in the room , taking up its temperature . after-theatre supper . it is a mistake to drink too heavy a wine before going to bed , and anyway the composition of this meal demands both lightness and flavour . a light , young Beaujolais would go well , all the better if it was chilled . in this country we raise our hands in horror at the thought of chilling red wine , but with some it is both justifiable and desirable . a good alternative would be a white Alsatian , such as the Sylvaner costing about 10 s or the drier Riesling , which is a bit dearer . another alternative would be a South African medium dry white Paarl Amber , costing about 8 s . the Cape has been producing wine for a long , long time and this hock is good value , and will not be heavy . if you want a warmer at the end of the meal , what about a glass of cherry brandy ? John Baker White . wines with star attraction . November is the first month of real winter , liable to give us a sharp nip as a reminder of what lies ahead . as it can produce gales , icy winds , frozen roads , and fog we should choose our drinks on the principle of something to keep the cold out . as a winter surprise let me suggest an original cocktail . into a champagne glass put a lump of sugar , an eggspoonful of brandy , and on the sugar literally one drop of angostura bitters . fill up with an iced sparkling white wine from Australia . Gramp &apos;s Barossa dry pearl , costing about 15 s per bottle , or rose pearl , at the same price , do the job jolly well . when you top-up there is no need to put in any more sugar or brandy . before I consider the other dishes I must come on to the crown of lamb , for it is a splendid dish deserving a splendid wine . recently in our own house we gave it to an internationally famous restaurateur , and served it with a 1949 Mouton Cadet . this is pretty hard to come by so look for a 1955 Ch&amp;acirc;teau Beychevelle . this will cost about 17 s 6 d per bottle . if you prefer a Burgundy try a 1955 Charmes Chambertin costing round about &amp;pound;1 . the roast turkey , too , demands special attention , and as it has walnut stuffing a richly flavoured wine would be my choice . the 1955 Louis Jadot Chevalier Montrachet Les Demoiselles is an excellent white Burgundy , and worth all of the 30 s you may have to pay for it . if this looks like putting your party budget out of gear , Bouchard P&amp;egrave;re et Fils 1955 Puligny-Montracet is a fine wine , costing a little over &amp;pound;1 per bottle . for the Caneton aux Cerises , some experts might quarrel with my choice , a Cristal dry sparkling white Burgundy , costing about 16 s 6 d per bottle . that great judge of wines , the late Professor Saintsbury , always had high praise for this wine . should you be averse to sparkling wines I have washed down many a plump duckling from the meadows of the Loire with a Muscadet , costing about 12 s , or a Puilly Blanc-Fum&amp;eacute; , costing perhaps 16 s 6 d . these wines would , in my opinion , go well with the Poulet as well . bacon with brandied peaches seems to demand one of the vintage ciders rather than a wine . the one I know best is the Church Farm cider from Smarden in Kent , costing 6 s 6 d per bottle . I have also enjoyed Bulmers Strongbow , Old Vathouse , which is not so strong and consequently cheaper . it is worth remembering that vintage ciders - Merrydown from Horam is another of them - are stronger than many wines . and a dessert wine to go with the sweets ? if you want to have a bit of fun , follow Commander Anthony Hogg &apos;s advice . decant a bottle of Barone Ricasoli &apos;s 1953 estate-bottled Vin Santo Brolio , and ask your wine-conscious guests to tell you where it comes from . it will cost you about 17 s a bottle . if the night is cold you may feel like giving your guests a hot punch . with me the bishop remains a firm favourite . for 20 people you need : 2 lemons and cloves 1 quart of Australian Gramp &apos;s Orlando Ruby dessert wine , costing 11 s 6 d per bottle 1 pint boiling water mixed spices 2 oz lump sugar . 