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.

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.

Wine of the week: Zarper malbec

I was going to recommend a rosé this week having got the misguided impression from the heatwave last weekend that summer was on its way. But today in my home town of Bristol it’s cold, windy and about to rain so I think malbec is more the order of the day.

This Zarper Malbec from Indomita is one I came across at the Morrisons tasting earlier in the week. It comes from Chile rather than Argentina - which is more common these days than it was a couple of years ago.

It shares the bold spicy character of its neighbour over the Andes with maybe a touch softer, riper fruit. It ain’t subtle but if you’re a fan of big reds it’s a handsome bottle at a decent price - £8 - that would be great with a barbecue or, given the weather, a chilli con carne.

What food to match with malbec

I’ve been assured the 2017 vintage, which is the one I tasted is in stock, so make sure that’s the one you buy.

The sauvignon blanc from the same producer at the same price is decent too.

Wine of the Week: Mas de La Dona Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2017

The spring tasting season has started in earnest and bargains are coming thick and fast but I’ve picked out this appealing Roussillon red from Majestic as it’s on special offer at £7.99 until May 7th if you buy six bottles (after that it will be £9.99 and £11.99 if you buy a single bottle).

It’s not a rosé as the website currently claims but a vibrant juicy red that would make excellent everyday drinking (although watch out for the 15% alcohol!) and go with practically everything from a plate of spaghetti bolognese to a barbecue.

Oddly there’s nothing about the grape varieties on the back label or the Majestic website but given the part of the world it’s from I’m guessing syrah, grenache and maybe a lick of carignan and/or mourvèdre. (Turns out that's right!)

In the same promotion and worth snapping up if you like big chunky reds is the S & R Douro Red, also at £7.99 which is made from the same grape varieties that are used to make port and would be a good wine to drink with a cheeseboard. I wasn't mad though about the two rosés that are in this offer.