Wine Box: Be a label Mabel

Do you love wearing beautiful clothes with designer labels - Gucci, Prada or Versace? How much do you treasure the labels? Admit it, you might only have a few designer items in the wardrobe, but you're as proud of the labels as you are of the clothes. Put it another way - you buy underwear from M&S but the classy stuff is worn on the outside so that others can see it.

Buying wine can be the same. We are all influenced by label design - I know several people who don't give a stuff what's in the bottle as long as the label looks good. Others (me included) may buy a decent wine with a does-what-it-says label for drinking at home but will look for better wines, made by good producers, and which have more glamorous, 'classy' labels, to take along to a special dinner party. Pretentious but true.

In recent years, winemakers and retailers have done a great deal to simplify the language of the label. Country of origin, grape variety and clear descriptions of what's inside the bottle are now commonplace. Retail research shows that labels that are easily understood, yet have artistic or design merit, sell best. What's more, these bottles are often the keenest value on the shelves. The message: simple often means good. Try these off-the-peg examples:

French Connection 2000, Grenache-Sauvignon Blanc, Vin de Pays de Vaucluse (Tesco, £3.99). A seemingly odd mix of grapes produces an unusual style of white - fresh, melon-scented and tropical-fruit flavoured - that is a great-value, easy-drinking match for white meats, vegetable dishes or just a huge bowl of fresh salad. And the label is simplicity itself.

Tesco also stocks a ros? with the most obvious label of all - Seriously Fruity Ros? (£4.99). This is one of the most full-fruited, intense, palate-throbbing ros?s around - understandable as it's made from Syrah grapes by the same Argentinian winemakers who make Santa Julia.

Chardonnay di Puglia 1999, Pasqua (Majestic, £2.99). Way down in the 'heel' of Italy, Puglia was once a region for rough country wines but now makes many balanced and elegant whites like this one. For the price you get a ripe, butterscotch style with good acidity - hallmarks normally found in wines costing twice as much. Beautiful, simple label, too.

Asda Oaked Soave (£3.46). What else do you need to know? This is cheap, well-balanced, juicy Soave which has been in an oak barrel for a few months. Just like it says on the label. Easy, eh?