Targus Creek Shiraz and Trincadeira 2011 (Portugal)

Nose:  There's quite a bit of oak in there - S smells nothing but 'pencil crayon.'  Almost no berries whatsoever.

Taste:  Very smooth, with some berry-like properties, but relatively light overall.  Spicy?

Finish:  Has a bit of a buzziness at the end, maybe pepper.  Almost semi-sweet, with moderate tannins.

What we say:  V - 'The nose is really unusual.' S - 'Is there pepper in the nose?  I don't know - I could just be making this up.  There has to be something other than oak right?  I mean, at the end of the day it's based on grapes...'  'Even thought I can't really pinpoint many of the flavours, it's still really nice - quite subtle, perhaps.  Like the quiet one in the room.  Still waters run deep.  Something about books and covers.'  'It's not like explosions in your mouth, but it's very good - I like it in its simplicity.'  'A decent wine to bring to someone if you don't know their preferences (unless they're wine snobs)'

What they say:  Medium body that combines red fruit characters with pleasant spiciness.

Rating: 7 

Price:  £5.99

Castillo de Anna Gran Reserva Valencia 2005 (Spain)

Nose: Strong and oaky. Red berries underneath, maybe blackcurrant or dark cherry. Dry. Pleasant.

Taste: A bit sweet at first. A little bit sweeter than expected, but follows through on the oakiness.  Well-balanced

Finish: A bit tart with medium tannins.

What we say: V - 'The oak is driving this in a big way in the nose.' S - 'There's some sort of berry in the taste. A purple berry? Not a blackberry, but like a cherry but not. A gooseberry? Maybe I'm making it up.' V - 'I think the tannins give it that one step up from what would otherwise be normal wine.  Otherwise it's not particularly remarkable.  It's solid though.'

What they say: Fruity and vanilla aromas. Supple and pleasant texture (raaar!).

Rate: 6.5 (V - 6; S - 7)

Cost: £8.99

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