Asda Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon

I’ve been to an insane number of tastings in the last few weeks - May is one of the busiest times in the wine calendar when all the supermarkets show their new ranges - so have had a good chance to check out what's on offer under £6, the level I generally set myself for still wines on this blog.

Several trends emerge, none new - a lot of big brands whose price is pitched for dramatic discounts (this particularly annoys me), good value own brands and oceans and oceans of cheap - and in general not particularly good - rosé as I pointed out in the Guardian last week.

The most popular wines I’d say, judging by the discounts being offered, are New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Rioja: the most reliably good value, South of France, Spain and South America, especially Chile.

A good example is Asda’s own minty Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 whose regular price is - amazingly - £4.06. It’s made by Vina Luis Felipe Edwards a Chilean winery which seems to be making the most consistently reliable cheap Chilean wines. Perfect for a Bank Holiday barbecue - if the weather warms up. Or if it doesn't, with a chilli con carne.

Rating: **/***

Cheap Chilean pinot at the Co-op

The Co-op has got a wine festival on at the moment, as many supermarkets do at this time of year to clear old vintages. It includes a couple of star buys from the excellent Chilean producer Anakena, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Noir. Both, the Co-op claims, are normally £9.99 but I've been able to find the Pinot for less - at £7.99 from Hawkshead Wines and £8.79 from Noel Young Wines. (It does annoy me when supermarkets artificially inflate the selling price like that to make special offers look more substantial. For heavens sake at £3 less than the current retail price it's still a good deal.)

Both are slightly older vintages btw - the Sauvignon is a 2009 and the Pinot Noir a 2008 - but that shouldn't be a problem, particularly with the Pinot which should have benefitted from a couple of years' ageing. You could easily drink it with seared tuna or salmon as well as with grilled chicken and other barbecued food. The Sauvignon would obviously be great with seafood.

Rating: ****

Undurraga Brut: perfect party fizz

If you're one of those who actually doesn't much like champagne or champagne-like sparkling wines snap up the current offer at Majestic on Undurraga Brut from Chile (12.5%) which is selling for a knock-down £4.99 instead of the usual £9.99.

It's peachy rather than citrussy and fruity rather than yeasty which makes it a great party drink for those who find champagne too sharp or acidic. Excellent for Christmas parties.

Rating: ***

A classy Chilean cab from the Co-op

It might seem perverse to write about a wine that’s not on promotion at the moment but sometimes it’s good to know about wines that are always good value. And this elegant 2008 Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon from the Colchagua Valley which is made for the Co-op by the very respectable Luis Felipe Edwards is a case in point. It’s intensely fruity, as you’d expect from a Chilean Cab (with a lick of Carmenère) but has real elegance for a £5.99 wine. You could drink it with roast lamb, or a steak but it would actually be rather good with a chilli con carne too. Or a strong artisanal cheddar.

The only downside is that the label makes it look more like £3.99. Or perhaps I'm being unfair. What do you think?

Rating:***