Here comes the sun

It sounds like a splendid way to spend a few days, but believe me, when you are faced with your third line-up of 150 wines in a week the excitement begins to wear and the teeth start to hurt.

Even so, I have battled through them all, from the three-for-a-tenner specials to top-flight champagnes, and have selected a baker's dozen from just two of those retailers, to keep thirst at bay and the tastebuds intrigued as the weather ricochets between spring, summer and winter, all in one day.

Marks & Spencer was fairly swift to show its wares this springtime, although it always takes a few weeks for their new lines to reach the furthest outposts of their empire. I was particularly impressed by the Traditional Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2009 (9.99) which comes from Villiera in South Africa.

If you saw BBC4's series about wine last year you will have seen owner Jeff Grier and his Villiera winery, since he has been helping neighbour, Oupa Rangaka and his family establish the first black-owned vineyard in South Africa.

This Chenin Blanc wine I tasted has nothing to do with the M'hudi wines that Oupa produces, but the winemaking skills that Jeff has generously shared with Oupa shine out in the wine's fresh, crisp apple fruit and weighty, honeyed style.

The wine is dry, and despite the oak used for fermentation, the wood is totally integrated, just adding texture to the finish.

This is a great wine to enjoy with a summer lunch, alongside honey roast ham, Thai-spiced chicken or grilled fish. The M'hudi wines are also available at Marks & Spencer, and of the pair, both priced at 7.99, I particularly like the soft fruity style of the Merlot.

The bright, zesty fruit of Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon 2008 (7.99) struck me as being rather good. This comes from coastal Western Australia where the Indian Ocean rolls onto long stretches of white beaches, bringing cooling breezes that keep freshness in the grapes.

Sauvignon Semillon is a particularly good blend from this part of the world, and it provides a zesty form of citrus, lime and green apples backed by coffee-bean and stone notes that give the wine serious

food-friendly qualities.

Also food-friendly but capable of accompanying nothing more challenging than a few olives is the new vintage of La Prendina Estate Pinot Grigio (7.99).

There are many boring, flaccid PGs on the shelves these days, but this version is good and the wine has ripe pears with a touch of quince in the flavour, backed by a refreshing zesty finish.

Sauvignon Gris is generally thought of as an inferior version of Sauvignon Blanc, but Altos del Condor Sauvignon Gris 2009 from Argentina shows clear, zippy green-edged fruit with a delicious aromatic quality adding almost a touch of Turkish delight to the aroma. This is one to drink on its own in sunshine.

Among the reds at M&S, I was particularly impressed by a new wine from Charles Back of Fairview Estate. Barbera is a grape variety normally found in the fog-strewn hills of Piedmont in Italy, but he has some growing in his South African vineyards, giving spiced sour-cherry flavours with just a touch of raisined fruitcake and herbs. This is distinct Barbera and it will go perfectly with a pasta supper or grilled sausages.

Also growing a long way from its usual Mediterranean haunts is Mourvdre from Bonny Doon 2008 (11.99) although these are old vines, probably brought over to California by European settlers during the Gold Rush.

Randall Grahm is the original Californian Rhne Ranger and he packs layer upon layer of flavour into his wines. This one starts off with raspberry fruit, dives through a layer of undergrowth and earthy tones, ending up in chocolate and spice. It needs substantial food to cope but it is a real rollercoaster of a wine.

Waitrose is always the marathon of the tasting season and they did not disappoint, even though they had cut their tasting sheet to a mere 261 wines. It took all day but I got through them, and their range will come under a bigger spotlight in a few weeks, however I really enjoyed the crisp clean fruit of Champteloup Muscadet Svre et Maine 2009 (5.99).

Muscadet has gone through a transformation in recent years, ditching the over-sulphured, dull styles and emerging as it was two decades ago, a source of refreshing, minerally-tinged crisp dry whites. This one hits all the right flavour notes and is great value.

Further up the Loire Valley, the vineyards of Cheverny are relatively unknown, making wines mainly from Sauvignon Blanc with just a splash of Chardonnay adding weight and texture. Le Petit Salvard 2009 (7.99) is a single estate wine which gathers its minerally character from the slopes that surround the historic Chteau de Cheverny.

It has crunchy, vibrant lime-soaked fruit but is softened by the Chardonnay making it suitable to accompany salmon and other weighty fish dishes.

For a supermarket which gives the impression of catering for the more affluent, I was particularly pleased to find great drinking in Cuve Pcheur 2009 (3.99), a Vin de Pays from Comt Tolosan, a large area in South West France. Made from Ugni Blanc and Colombard it is fresh, lively and great value. Keep a bottle in the fridge for emergencies.

At the same price, a red Vin de Pays, Cuve Chasseur 2009, offers lively, easy-glugging fruit that has enough weight to accompany supper but is just as good when chilled down and quaffed on a Sunday afternoon.

Outstanding among the new reds is the bright, lively Paul Mas Grenache Syrah 2009 from the Languedoc, which normally sells at 6.99 but is reduced to just 4.99 until next Tuesday.

Moving up the price scale, I enjoyed Arco do Esporo 2008 (9.99) for its huge concentration of savoury fruit, packed with meaty, spicy notes without becoming unbalanced.

I also had the chance to re-taste Katnook Founder's Block Cabernet sauvignon 2007 which is currently on offer down from 9.99 to 7.49 until next Tuesday.

I have flagged this wine recently, but if you haven't already stocked your cellar you should dash there now.

The elegant, ripe cassis fruit is wrapped around a fine structure of tannin which will mature and develop for the next couple of years.

It is good enough for any dinner party, but at this price can be quaffed with enthusiasm.

YP MAG 5/6/10