Wine of the week: Botham 80 series Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon

I’m not a big fan of celebrity-endorsed wines and am indeed underwhelmed by the two basic wines in the new Botham range which are on sale in both Morrisons and Waitrose but this slightly more expensive Coonawarra Cabernet, which is on offer at £7.99 in Waitrose at the moment, is a really good buy.

It’s a big, suitably beefy 14.5% red with that unmistakeable, cassis and eucalyptus Coonawarra character and would be a great partner for grilled beef and lamb (which Botham has also promoted in the past).

It looks pretty handsome too - a good bottle to give a any cricket fan on their birthday or for Father's Day which is only a few weeks away.

Six of the best pairings for cabernet sauvignon

* if you're wondering what the number 64 means on the bottle, the shot was taken at the Waitrose tasting where it was no. 64 in the line-up.

Sharpham Sparkling Elderflower

I’m not normally a massive fan of elderflower bubbly which I generally find too sweet but I tasted one the other day from Sharpham vineyard that was in a different league.

It was drier than usual with a really delicate, natural elderflower flavour, more like elderflower champagne to which the drink was at one stage referred but perhaps more similar still to a pétillant naturel the gently fizzy wine that’s become so popular in natural wine circles. It even has the crown cap that is commonly used for pet nats.

The only snag is the price - at £14.95 a bottle it’s not cheap but good value for the quality and the perfect way to celebrate St George’s Day - or a summer wedding come to that. (At 5% it's a great low-alcohol option)

You can buy the 2018 vintage direct from their website - along with their delicious cheese - or, better still, pick it up from the vineyard just south-east of Totnes if you’re holidaying in South Devon this week. I suspect they don't have a great deal of it.

7 bottles to buy from Sainsbury’s (updated)

Sainsbury’s has got one of its periodic 25% off 6 bottles deals over the Easter weekend of which you may want to take advantage.

It applies to bottles that are already on promotion but has a fair number of exclusions - bottles under £5, their House range, mini bottles, fortified wines (so no sherry - boooo!) and is not available in Central or Local branches or in Scotland. It ends on April 23rd.

Taste the Difference Azana White 2017 on offer at £6.75, £5.06 on this deal

What’s called a Cape White in South Africa - a smooth full-flavoured blend of chenin blanc, grenache blanc, chardonnay and viognier. Good for an early barbecue.

Taste the Difference Grüner Veltliner 2017 £8.25, £6.25 on this deal

Crisp, fresh versatile white - one of the consistently best wines they do in the TTD range.

Taste the Difference Zweigelt 2017 on offer at £8, £6 a bottle on this deal

Attractively fruity Austrian red you’ll love if you're into Beaujolais and pinot noir. Good for lighter spring meals.

Taste the Difference Saint Chinian 2016 £9, £6.75 a bottle on this deal

Saint Chinian can be quite rustic but the high proportion of syrah makes this really quite elegant despite its 14% alcohol. Good for grilled meat. (Cheaper still if you're looking for everyday drinking is the ever-reliable TTD Languedoc red which is on offer at £6.25 so therefore £4.69 on this deal.)

Taste the Difference Saint-Emilion 2016 on offer at £10, £7.50 on this deal

I’m not a big fan of supermarket Saint Emilion but 2016 was an exceptional vintage and this is a really appealing wine - smooth and ripe with a touch of oak but not overly obtrusive. Would go well with roast beef or lamb

Maison du Cirque on offer at £12, £9 a bottle on this deal

Smartly bottled sparkling wine from Limoux in the Languedoc from the clever Jean-Claude Mas (who also makes the Languedoc red I mention). 100% chardonnay so it's a blanc de blancs. Attractively smooth and creamy. Perfect Easter fizz.

Sainsbury's also has its Taste the Difference Prosecco Conegliano 75cl on promotion at £7.50 a bottle which makes it £5.63 a bottle when you buy 6.

Wine of the week: Château Curton La Perrière Bordeaux 2015

I don’t know about you but I’m instinctively suspicious about emails about amazing wine deals even if I know and trust the merchant they’re coming from. So I probably wouldn’t have dropped by my local wine shop Davis Bell McCraith had I not needed to pop in for something else.

40% of what DBM sells comes from Bordeaux, most of which they buy direct, hence the good prices and for £59.94 a (nicely packaged) wooden box of six (that’s £9.99 for the mathematically challenged) it’s a steal.

It’s really well balanced, medium-bodied (despite its 14%), attractively fruity without being jammy, smooth, structured - everything you want from an everyday - or even special occasion - claret. It would be perfect for Easter lunch if you're eating lamb and for subsequent Sunday lunches.

They've apparently sold half of it since the email went out this morning so I'd get in there quick. If you're in Bristol you can drop into the shop or you can buy it online.