Portugal – White – 2009 – 11%

Producer: Sogrape Viahos

Label: Quinta de Azevedo

Grapes: Loureiro, Pederña

Very pale, almost clear, with tiny bubbles.  Slightly sweet citrus aromas, some writers say bay leaf as well and this is detectable.  Fairly dry with a firm acidity yet somehow refreshing. Good length and finish with lemon and lime flavours over a background of apricot.  Makes for a lovely afternoon tipple and reasonable value.

Waitrose  £6.35

Spain – Red – 2005 – 14%

Region: Rioja

Producer: Vinedos de Aldeanueva

Grape: Graciano

Dark purple to brick red in colour.  Earthy aromas of red fruit and spice.  Full bodied with fairly sharp acidity and dense flavours of black berries, chocolate and licorice.  Was somewhat disappointed at the hard edge of this wine, not the typically floral and smooth drinking rioja I’m so fond of.

Marks and Spencer  £9.99

Australia – White – 2008 – 11.5%

Region: Barossa Valley

Producer: St. Hallett

Label: Poacher’s Blend

Grapes: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling

Light yellow in the glass.  Complex and enjoyable aromas of peach, grass and vanilla.  Well balanced with soft acidity and smooth citrus flavours making for a well-blended refreshing wine.  Went beautifully with pan-fried scallops, chorizo, minted peas and a watercress salad.  A good value wine.

Waitrose  £7.99

Australia – Red – 2008 – 13.5%

Region: South Australia

Producer: Yaldara Estate

Grape: Shiraz

Brown to red in colour.  Aromas of ripe plum and vanilla. Fairly full-bodied with slightly matt tannins.  Flavours of ripe red fruit jams with hints of licorice and chocolate.  Obviously a mass produced wine, this bottle was purchased on offer for £5.00 which was good value but for the regular price of £8.99 the lack of complexity would be disappointing.

Tesco  £8.99

Austria – White – 2009 – 12%

Producer: Domaine Wachau

Label: Terraces

Grape: Gruner Veltliner

Very light, nearly translucent gold colour.  Aromas of honey, pepper and meadow flowers.  Lovely balance of sweetness v. acidity and fairly long finish with fresh flavours of apple, pear, pepper and citrus.  Went brilliantly with a meal of smoked cod roe, fennel and caper pasta.  Refreshing and interesting wine, will definitely buy again.

Waitrose  £7.99

Italy – Red – 2008 – 12%

Region: Emilia-Romagna

Producer: Caviro Soc. Coop Agricola

Label: Dino

Grape: Sangiovese

Ruby red with aromas of cherry and bubble gum (perhaps a result of carbonic maceration?).  Medium bodied with fair acidity and smooth tannins, slightly sharp at first but mellows after breathing.  Good straightforward cherry flavours.  Enjoyed this with lunchtime antipasti, not the recommended food match but went very nicely.  This is a mass produced wine with little complexity but is well-balanced and good value at the offer price of £4.00, however at the full price one could probably do better with another choice.

Tesco  £8.99

Australia – Sparkling Rosé – 12.5%

Region: Tasmania

Producer: Bay of Fires

Label: Tigress

Grapes: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay

An attractive light salmon-pink colour and a fresh earthy nose.  Plenty of bubbles in the mouth, slightly sharp on the tongue; medium dry with refreshing complex flavours of strawberry, rasp[berry and a mineral background.  Loved this wine and bought several cases of it which did great service through last summer but now on the last case and looking for more, although the chances of getting it at this fantastic bin-end price are slight.

Majestic  £4.95

Australia – Red – 2009 – 13%

Region: South Eastern Australia

Grape: Shiraz

Cherry red in colour with full aromas of currant, blackberry, roses and a hint of wood smoke.  Medium bodied wine with smooth texture.  Flavours of red and black berry fruits, licorice and tar.  Fairly impressed with this wine, would buy it again.

M&S  £4.99

France – Red – 2008 – 13%

Region: Languedoc

Producer: Thierry Beaudinaud

Label: Les Montgolfiers

Grape: Shiraz

Dark purple-red wine.  Not terribly complex aromas of red berry fruit and shoe polish.  Medium to full bodied with slight acidity and a velvety texture; no great length or finish.  Flavours of blackberry,vanilla and pepper.  This is clearly a mass-produced wine but good value at the offer price of £4.99.  Wouldn’t be quite as happy to have paid the regular price, though…

Tesco  £6.99

France – White – 2006 – 12.5%

Region: Bordeaux

Producer: Maison Sichel

Label: Chateau D’Argadens

Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc 55%, Semillon 45%

Lovely yellow-gold colour.  Faint aroma of apple; soft acidity, not much length or finish.  Flavours of grass, toffee, apple and calvados with a mineral background.  This wine should have been drunk younger, hence the bargain price of £3.99 and it probably would have been very pleasant.  This taste was a lesson in drinking a wine past its time and I’ll look forward to another white Bordeaux that hasn’t aged too far.

Secret Cellar  £3.99 Bin End