Something For The Weekend?

3 Beaujolais Domaine du Vieux Four; 2003 Pegleg Carignan; 1999 Sainsbury's Classic Selection Barolo

Under a fiver: 2003 Beaujolais Domaine du Vieux Four, £3.99, down from £4.99, Waitrose

Under a fiver: 2003 Beaujolais Domaine du Vieux Four, £3.99, down from £4.99, Waitrose

A refreshing, clean, typical example of the juicy, cherryish gamay grape. A good everyday quaffer with a little bit more stuffing than usual thanks to the exceptionally hot 2003 vintage.

Under a tenner: 2003 Pegleg Carignan, £7.99 (buy 2 = £6.79 each), Majestic Wine Warehouses

This vivid Cape red made, unusually for South Africa, from the carignan grape, displays a light touch of oak and behind it a juicy, cherry soft centre with a savoury finish. As refreshing as a food-friendly Italian red.

Splash out: 1999 Sainsbury's Classic Selection Barolo, Ascheri, £12.99, Sainsbury's

Barolo prices may have gone through the roof, but you can usually rely on Ascheri to come up with the goods at an affordable price. Take this example of Piemonte's nebbiolo grape with its spicy aromas and plum and damsony character.