When buying a bottle of wine, it’s worth thinking about the occasion and who will be drinking it. If the wine is a present for a friend or relative, don’t assume that they'll like the same wines as you. Why waste your money buying the most expensive bottle of Bordeaux that you can find, only to discover that they don’t like classic, oaky style red wines? Always find out in advance what style of wines they enjoy.

 

If you're treating yourself, think too about what you're might be eating with that glass. If you enjoy drinking a light crisp Pinot Grigio, don’t try serving it with a heavy red meat like steak or lamb, as the textures in the meat will be far too overpowering for the wine. A full-bodied red wine would be a far better option.

 

If you're unsure of what wine to take for a dinner party, here are a couple of good all-rounders which will work with a multitude of dishes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Brambly, intense, spicy and delicious

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Crisp orchard fruit flavours and a touch of honey.

 

Exchange rate fluctuations and changes in supply have a massive effect on the price of wine, so if you're looking for a decent tasting bottle of wine that's not going to break the bank, you might want to take these factors into consideration. At the current time, several countries outside the Eurozone - South Africa in particular - are on the up and are producing bottles of wine offering excellent value for money. 

 

 

 

 

Try The Flyboat Old Bush Vine Pinotage Shiraz 2007 (£6.99). Pinotage is now recognised as South Africa’s signature grape. This one is velvety, intense and spicy with berry flavours, and blended with Shiraz for the best of both worlds.

If you decide to buy a bottle of wine from a famous region such as Bordeaux, Burgundy or Marlborough, you’ll be getting a premium quality wine from a world famous winemaking region. However, you’ll end up paying a premium for it. If you want more of the same great taste but want to save on your pocket, try picking a similar wine from a neighbouring region or an up and coming country. An unoaked Chilean Chardonnay is a great alternative to a classic French Chablis for example. 

 

 

 

 

 

Try the Chilean Osadia Casablanca Chardonnay 07/08 (£6.99)

 

- This is like a super-fresh Burgundy, but at a fraction of the price - so you can’t go wrong!

 

When making your choice, it’s important not to get bogged down by the wine label or any fancy advertising about the wine. While a trendy label or clever words may catch your eye, they may also have little bearing on the wine within! We recommend picking a bottle of wine from a small winemaker rather than a big brand producer. Why? Well, the key concern for many mass producers is to maximise their profits, whereas winemakers at small estates are far more likely to indulge in their passion for making great tasting bottles of wine, meaning top quality and cost savings for you.

 

 

Virgin Wines pride themselves on sourcing all their wines from independent winemakers who really care about the quality of their wines.

 

The perfect example is their Les Arbousiers Coteaux du Languedoc 2007 (£7.49). Full-bodied and complex, this elegant blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre is an outstanding companion for grilled red meat or roast turkey.

 

All featured wines can be purchased from Virgin Wines, subject to availability. Prices are correct at time of publication. Go to www.virginwines.com for more details.