3 Best wines from the High Street

2021 Aprimondo Appassimento Sangiovese £7 – instead of £8 until September 5 – at Tesco

Appassimento is a (largely Italian) technique that dries harvested grapes to increase the concentration of the resulting wine. Here it produces red wine with rounded tannin and acidity, bramble aromas, prune and raisin flavours and suggestions of vanilla, herbs and figs. All that richness nicely moderates its 14.5% alcohol.

2021 Blueprint Romanian Pinot Noir £5.99 at Waitrose

Waitrose’s Blueprint range is designed to provide “outstanding, great-value examples of classic wines” – a goal it comfortably achieves with this kindly priced Romanian pinot noir. Light in colour with typical pinot aromas, it features bright cherry, raspberry and blaeberry flavours partnered by soft tannins, moderate acidity, just a trace of sweetness and a whiff of smokiness. Nothing overly complicated, but red wine that responds well to being slightly chilled.

2021 This Is… Fresh & Fruity Chenin Blanc £5 at M&S

For me, this mouth-watering South African white is the pick of M&S’s budget “This Is…” wine range, offering fantastic value for money. Fresh with orchard blossom aromas, it brings us baked apple, melon and grapefruit marmalade flavours neatly combined with lively lime acidity and a savoury (slightly pithy) finish.

ON-WINE SHOPPING 2021 Touraine Sauvignon Blanc £9.99 at www. adnams.co.uk

Although New Zealand sauvignon blanc retains a massive following, never underestimate those delightful but usually more restrained versions from the grape’s original homeland (France,). This one, from the Middle Loire, is less “shouty” than Marlborough equivalents but also less minerally than, say, expensive Sancerre. Textured with a herbal bouquet, it delivers gooseberry, apple and peach flavours supported by firm grapefruit acidity, other citrus elements and attractive hints of lavender.