Trivento Malbec Reserve 2013, £8, Spar

This silver award-winning South American red from a maker voted the country’s best is a good value buy from a retailer with a growing reputation in wine selection. Malbec from Argentina’s Mendoza region is deep crimson and full of plums and raspberries. It is a big 14% alcohol and will go with all kinds of meat dishes. Hand

Selected Gavi 2012, £7.50, Spar

Hand Selected is the branding of Spar’s own-label wines and this is a lovely example of the fresh, zingy, lemon-flavoured white that the Piemonte hills in the most North Westerly part of Italy have made famous. It isn’t complex but it is a refreshing change from all those Sauvignon Blancs and the alcohol level is just 11.5%.