Wine lovers unite!

One of the beautiful things about wine is the sheer variety of the stuff available. From country to country, region to region or grape to grape, and even from one vintage to the next, such is the diversity of wine that you could go your whole lifetime and never drink the same bottle twice. Just like wine, its disciples come in varying guises too: some prefer to stick to the larger producers whose wines can be found on every supermarket shelf, whereas others opt for lesser-known winemakers in independent merchants; some prefer to purchase and re-purchase the styles of wine that they know, whereas others are quicker to venture out into the world of more obscure grapes and regions. For what it's worth, I think I'm somewhere in the middle of these descriptors: I know what I like and like what I know, but at the same time I have that adventurous side in me that likes to take a punt on the odd Romanian Pinot Noir or an Argentine Bonarda blend. But for me, for the best chance of satisfying every type of wine lover, there is no better place to buy your bottles than in the supermarkets.

This week, I have chosen a perfect wine to illustrate my point, which is the Tesco Finest Côtes de Gascogne 2013. A blend of the Gros Manseng grape (native to Southwest France) and the ubiquitous Sauvignon Blanc, this is a delicate dry French white, which should have no problem satisfying both those who yearn for grape discoveries and those who appreciate the comforts of familiar Sauvignon. What's more, whether you're an adventurer or more conventional, everyone loves good value, and this Atlantic Coast charmer is a steal at Tesco's current price of £5.99.

Of this vintage, the Times' Jane MacQuitty commented:

" [...] if it's chicken nuggets, herby chicken breasts, or even chicken kiev on the menu, then tuck into Tesco's palate-perking, floral, lemon-zest finished 2013 finest* Côtes de Gascogne - southwest France's gros-manseng-grape-based cracker, with a squirt of zingy Sauvignon Blanc".

I cannot help but agree with MacQuitty's food match with chicken, even if my immediate thought was of a delicate Thai salad. Nevertheless, this is certainly a wine to be served as an accompaniment to food: its mouth-watering acidity and medium bodied-plumpness ensure that it will sit quite happily alongside a range of meals. The wine is a very pale straw gold, with a citrussy nose and a characteristically-Sauvignon gooseberry twang. I'm almost tempted to say that there was something of a coriander whiff on the nose, which I also found in the mouth. On the palate are more citrus fruits and gooseberries: both of which are very shy, but this adds to rather than subtracts from the wine's delicate style. The finish is long and moreish, and urges you to return for another sip. I very much like this wine indeed: it is almost aloof in its restraint, and yet shows just the perfect amount of fruit to be utterly alluring. For my money, with a glass of this glorious Gascony number, Tesco succeed in appealing to both the Sauvignon brigade and the adventure-seekers - no mean feat indeed. Cheers!