2006 Cuvée Chasseur, Vin de Pays de l’Hérault, France, Waitrose, £2.99.
Go to Waitrose for bargain basement wines plus pricier fare as this tasty French red proves. It is primarily a mix of carignan and grenache and delivers a fiver’s worth of fat, juicy, plum and vanilla-scented fruit.

2006 Chapel Hill Sauvignon Blanc, Balatonboglar, Hungary, Waitrose, down £1.10 to £3.25 until January 29.
A sauvignon blanc mongrel with some delicious but atypical aniseed, white peach and tropical fruit flavours, atop the standard lively sauvignon style. But at this price, who cares?

2006 Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva, Casablanca Valley, Chile, Somerfield, down to £5.59 until February 12.
A cut above the usual Chilean white and red duos, so worth paying a bit extra for. This oozes with mouthwatering, yet delicate verdant fruit that is a lot less strident than the Chapel Hill version.

2005 Veramonte Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva, Colchagua Valley, Chile, Somerfield, down to £5.59 until February 12.
Everyone’s idea of a perfect Chilean cabernet and blessed with lots of rich, ripe, cassis fruit plus a fine oaky finish. A wine for grilled red meats and sausages.

2001 Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru, Michel Bouzereau et Fils, France, Lay & Wheeler, (0845 330 1855) down £6.50 to £19.50.
Utterly gorgeous, 1er cru white burgundy that is best drunk in one go when its terrific creamy, hazelnutty fruit is at its most elegant. After a few hours it’s on its knees.

2004 Barbera d’Alba Superiore, Parusso, Italy, Lay & Wheeler, down £6 to £15.
Brilliant barbera made from the grape of the same name and from a top vintage delivering a smouldering red with all the rich, velvety, floral, perfumed, yet tangy fruit an aficionado could ask for.

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