Wine Box: Supermarket stars

Is it possible to make a complete plonker of yourself when choosing wine? Well, not really. Most supermarket wines are of above-average quality these days. Yet many of us fear picking a wine in case we get it wrong. When we've run out of time and zoom round the aisles like a demented Dale Winton, it's tough to be selective with hundreds of bottles on the shelves.

The trick is to find something you like - say, a Sauvignon Blanc - then, on subsequent forays, try the same grape from different countries and made by different producers. That way you will quickly be able to focus on the wines you really like. The world of wine, although vast, isn't really that complicated - get to know the major grapes, a few producers and some good vintages so you can consistently buy wines you like and leave the jargon to wine snobs. Here are some to try:

Le Midi Merlot 2000 (Sainsbury's, £3.99). Soft, mellow with plenty of red-fruit flavours, this southern French red is a good example of the improving quality in what was the engine room of cheap French plonk. Good with chicken, red meat and cheese. Elegant for the price.

Baraka Private Reserve Cabernet Merlot 1999 (Sainsbury's, £4.99). You probably wouldn't guess that this characterful, lively red comes from Morocco. It has good dried fruit and spice flavours with more than a hint of elegant sandalwood. Mouthwateringly good for the price and ideal with couscous.

Muscat Riquewihr 1998/99, Bott-Geyl (Majestic, £7.99, buy two save £2). This fresh, ripe, dry white has wonderful floral and tropical fruit flavours and is a perfect advert for Alsace wines. A great first glass of the evening - and still not bad on the sixth.

Merlot, Vin de Pays de la Cit? de Carcassone 2000, Caroline de Beaulieu (Sainsbury's, £3.99). The soft, meaty texture of this new-style, fruity French red gives it an edge over many humdrum Vin de Pays. Lots of plum, spice and blackcurrant make for a wine with a vibrant personality. Terrific value, easy-drinking superplonk.

Greg Norman Estates Yarra Valley Chardonnay 1999/2000 (Waitrose, £9.99). OK, so golfer Greg Norman didn't actually make it - Wolf Blass did. And you might expect to pay over the top to have his name on the label. Not so, you get a lot of Oz sophistication for a tenner. Good balance, subtle oak and barrowloads of melon, lime and peach make it the kind of white with enough drive to make any party go with a swing.