Austerity's soul mate

The answer has to be to grab a bottle of something cheap and cheerful, which will lift the mood and, as is our national duty, keeps spending going through the shops so our town centres don't become charity shop wastelands.

For me, the last two weeks have been dominated by press tastings arranged by the major retailers during which I have sipped and slurped my way through about 1,000 wines without needing any form

of life support nor even a safety harness.

What shone through those tastings is that if you are looking for something that is both cheerful as well as cheap then Asda is the place to go. Asda's buying manager and Master of Wine Philippa Carr has gone through the whole range of Asda own-label wines to make sure they are consistently ahead of the competition and she seems to have done a good job.

With 5 in your pocket to spend on a bottle of wine for a wet Wednesday evening or maybe even for weekend drinking, this is how you should spend it.

Among the whites head for Asda's Marsanne 2009 Vin de Pays d'Oc which gathers up all the classic notes of honeysuckle and apricot, adds a surprising but welcome sprinkle of white pepper on the finish and is just the right thing to team up with a supper of herby grilled chicken breast.

At 3.98, this is both affordable and definitely cheerful.

There is a bigger and better Marsanne from Paul Mas at 7.74, probably standing right next to the Asda wine but frankly you don't need to splash the cash to drink well.

Limbo-ing under the 3.30 price barrier, Asda's own-label Soave 2009 is astonishingly good value with clean, citrusy fruit and a light touch of almonds adding regional character. This wine won a clean sweep of awards from all the major wine competitions this year – only at the Bronze or Commended level, but the fact that they all gave it a medal shows that this is a consistent, well-made wine. Trade up to the Extra Special version at 5.98, especially during their present 25 per cent off period which brings it down to 4.48, but I wouldn't bother for weekday drinking.

There is a similar effect with the Asda's own-label South African Chenin Blanc 2010 which sings with ripe, honeydew melon fruit and at 3.32 makes a very decent wine to drink with a pork casserole or grilled fish while the Extra Special Chenin (normally 5.98, less 25 per cent on offer) from the same supplier musters more fruit, depth and concentration as well as an extra degree of alcohol.

While you are among the white wine shelves check out Asda's Extra Special Chilean Sauvignon Blanc 2010 which comes from up-market producer Errazuriz and provides zesty lemon-fresh flavours with a serious streak of pineapple fruit and plenty of flavour, all for its usual price of 6.38, but it comes down to 4.78 on the Extra Special offer. The 25 per cent off all Extra Special wines offer runs until the end of October so snap them up while you can.

Last year was a great one for Beaujolais and I gave the Asda own-label Beaujolais 2009 (4.47) a good mark for its lively, juicy Gamay fruit. If your experience of Beaujolais stopped with Nouveau a few years ago, you definitely need to experience the 2009s before they all sell though. Sunshine and ripeness of fruit dominated the harvest and the flavours are simply delicious without the rasp of acidity that used to be the main feature of the region.

The Extra Special version, a Villages quality wine, also from the 2009 vintage comes down to the same price on offer but the style is different with more complexity and depth. Both are good but the straight Beaujolais offers rather more instant sunshine while the Villages wine is better suited to food.

While the Asda own-label Merlot Vin de Pays d'Oc (3.84) is good for simple, red fruit flavours and a rounded easy style, it is definitely worth trading up to the Extra Special Merlot 2009 sourced from Jean Claude Mas which normally sells for 6.98 but comes down to 4.50 on the 25 per cent off Extra Special offer. This is one to stock up with for great value autumn drinking.

From the same supplier in the sunny south of France, Extra Special Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 also hits the 4.50 mark until the end of the month and I gave this wine a high mark for its lush, open fruit with that underlying freshness that keeps the whole glassful in balance. Easy enough to drink on its own, but well worth stacking up against grilled lamb or a heart-warming casserole.

For the real scents of autumn in a glass try Asda's Extra Special Barbera d'Asti 2007 which is normally 6.98 but comes down to a bargain 4.50. This wine also gathered up a handful of bronze and commends in various competitions and is not to be missed at this price.

Not all the bargains at the recent tastings came from Asda. Tesco has the clean-tasting Chilean Yali Sauvignon Blanc 2010 which hits the mark exactly at 5. They also have a terrific pair of wines from Gerard Bertrand in southern France under the Winemaker Selection label priced at 4.79. Try the dry floral aromatic Muscat Sec 2009 with a light curry and head to the deep-flavoured, gutsy, bramble flavours of Black Grenache 2009 if there is anything meaty on your plate.

Sainsbury has a good raspberry-scented, own-label Pinotage Ros 2010 at 4.99 under the Fairtrade banner and to keep it company there will soon be a crisp, lively South African Chenin

Blanc 2010 which benefits from a substantial splash of Viognier lifting the aromas and style. Both retail at 4.99.

Not to be left out, Marks and Spencer manages to get under the 5 mark with its Las Falleras pair of wines from Utiel-Requena in Spain at 4.29. Las Falleras Red 2009 is the one to head for with its big open, juicy cherry and blackcurrant flavours. Team this with pasta and pizza for good value, weekday quaffing.

YP MAG 23/10/10