Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages AOC Combe Aux Jacques 2011 (France)

Nose:  Light and definitely fruity, almost no oakiness.  Dry berries - maybe cranberry.

Taste:  Dry and cranberry-like.  A little tart but not in an unpleasant way.  Quite light overall.

Finish:  Very few tannins - somewhat tart.

What we say:  V- 'It smells like an upscale version of Crangrape.'  S - 'I hate when I almost sniff it up my nose.'  S - 'Is there something nutty about it?  Maybe I'm just hungry.'  'It's not bad, I enjoy it for what it is.'  V - 'My only problem with this is that it's so light that it's a little reminiscent of that terrible British wine we had.  But the more I drink it, the more I like it.'  'Whoa, it really doesn't go with garlic.'

What they say:  Succulent fruits with soft tannins and real depth.

Rating:  6.5 (S - 6; V - 7)

Cost:  £10.49

Calvet Roc Saint-Gilles Montagne Saint-Émilion 2011 (France)

Nose:  Reasonably light, but with noticeable oakiness with red berries, particularly cherry.

Taste:  A little watery at first, nothing really strong.

Finish:  Sour cherry, but not tart.  Definite tannins.  S - 'It kind of hangs out on the front of your tongue.'

What we say:  V - 'It smell a little bit like cough syrup, right?'  S - 'Yeah, a heavy berrish scent, but not uber-sweet'  V- 'the more I smell it, the more I lose the oakiness.'  S - 'yeah, but there's still a bit of wood-chips there.'  'It might be good with a dollop of cream, maybe ice cream.'

What they say:  Powerful nose with red fruits, black currents, strawberries and blackberries.  Long aromatic finish.

Rating:  4

Cost:  £12.99

Boschendal Lanoy Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (South Africa)

Nose:  A bit sharp; definitely on the fruity side. Dark berries. A bit oaky.

Taste: Starts off fruity, with spicy notes.

Finish: Medium tannin. Maybe pepper?

What we say: V - 'Smells a little bit like alcoholic fruit roll-up.' S - 'I love the smell of butter [as an aside].  I always think it's fish, but I realise that's just the state' V - 'I think it's ok over all. It's not spectacular, but you know...it's drinkable.'

What they say: Aromas of red berry, fruit and spice. Long finish. Excellent integration of wood and fruit with smooth tannins.

Rating: 6

Cost:  £8.99

Pérez Cruz Winemaker's Selection 2010 (Chile)

Nose:  Fairly light oakyness, not particularly sweet - a bit spicy, maybe pepper?  Reasonably pleasant.

Taste:  Pretty dry, somewhat tart.  Maybe a bit of pepper.

Finish:  The finish 'goes on and on and on....'

What we say:  S - "Wow, there was something really familiar about that"  V - "I think the finish is the majority of what you're getting out of this wine"

What they say: Well balanced, complex and elegant.

Rating:  6.5 (S - 6; V - 7)

Grenache Vermentino Pays des cotes de Thau 2011 (France)

Nose: citrusy; grapefruit; vanilla

Taste: floral, quite tangy. Fruity, but not in a sweet way.

Finish: Pretty dry - it sticks on your tongue in the sour spot. Almost a bit bitter at the end.

What we say: S - 'It tickles.'  SS - A bit grapefruity-floralness. Maybe it's grapefruit blossom. It has a bite to the end of it that makes it not quite easy drinking.'

What they say: Nuttin'


Rate:  6.5 (V=6, S=7, SS= 6.5)

Mezquiriz La Mancha Tempranillo 2008 (Spain)

Nose: Strong and oaky, with a slight fruitiness.

Taste: Woody/oaky flavour, with a little bit of sweetness. Reasonably high in tannins.

Finish: Really light in comparison with the initial taste.

What we say: S - 'It reminds me of church. Definitely pencil-crayon.'

What they say: Strong and fruity bouquet.

Rate: 4

Marquis de St. Vincent Médoc Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (France)

Nose: Oak; dark red berries

Taste: Smooth; dry

Finish: Bitter - the tannins really bloom in the finish. Peppery. The finish really lingers.

What we say: It's so middle of the road, we have no comment.

What they say: Aromas of red fruit and cores. Well-balanced. Structured and fruity. Will seduce you (!).

Rate: 4