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First is a Tuscan red that brings distinction to a sometimes humdrum name

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First is a Tuscan red that brings distinction to a sometimes humdrum name. Boscarelli Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 1998 (Bat & Bottle, 01785 284 495, £14.50) is a very good example from a not particularly distinguished vintage. Little of the sometimes astringent austerity found in these highly variable wines, lots of approachable fruit, but the potential to improve for five years. Second is Esprit de Combelle Chardonnay 2000, Vin de Pays des C?ux de l'Ardeche.

You wouldn't think of a wine from this area as a cellar-hero, but this one has generous oak that knits well with lively Chardonnay citrus flavours, lifted by zippy acidity Really delicious stuff for drinking over the next few years. From Laithwaites, 0870 444 8383, for £7.15.The final wine is the real surprise. Supermarkets aren't thought of as places to shop for cellaring, but Booths sells a Macon-Montbellet 1999, Domaine Goyard, that nearly stopped me in my tracks. Fresh acidity, wonderful mineral flavours, an utterly shocking level of quality for Macon. Note: the domaine has been sold to someone else, who will be making the wine (in a different style) from 2001. And note: I am advised on good authority that these wines age well for decades Snap it up at £9.99 It sure beats the stock market..

The NHS is paying out millions of pounds a year on private treatment for mentally ill tourists who are not eligible for free healthcare in Britain. The Independent on Sunday is campaigning for better treatment for mental health patients.The problem is compounded by the shortage of NHS beds, which means tourists from countries such as Japan and Australia are sent to private clinics if they are considered a risk to themselves and the community.At £350 a night for a private bed, NHS trusts are being faced with crippling bills. The worst affected are those that cover London's major tourist areas including Chelsea, Westminster and Kensington.A report from the Brent, Kensington Chelsea Mental Health Trust shows it spent £1.2m treating patients from abroad and this figure is expected to rise to more than £2m next year.The trust covers six hospitals which admitted 172 patients between 2001 and 2002, of which 155 were treated privately. In the previous year only 64 patients were admitted and 29 sent to private clinics. In principle NHS trusts can claim the money back from the Government, but in reality many have to wait more than two years to be reimbursed.The average stay for a mental patient in an NHS bed is three weeks, compared with several months for foreign visitors to Britain.In some cases, hospitals have been forced to pay for patients to be flown home with nurse escorts because this is cheaper than paying for private treatment.Statistics from the Department of Health show that as many as 1,000 foreign visitors a year receive medical treatment in this country.

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