I am throwing a last minute party and needed to quickly source 4 cases of wine.

I have written in the past about the difficulties of getting the right wine at the right price in bulk. This time I decided Old World would be my preference, with perhaps a splash of the New. I also wanted mixed cases to add some intrigue to the evening (divided up into two cases of red, one of white, one of rose)

I had an average price in mind for the whole 48 bottles which was between £5 and £5.50. Strength was also important to me as I wanted the wine to be quaffable without flooring people after a couple of 14.5%ABV glasses. 11% to 13% ABV range was the aim.

Sounds like a tall order unless you want horrible wine? Well hopefully not if you shop around and have a little knowledge.

I started at local wine merchants, who were very helpful. The problem was that it was near impossible to find drinkable Old World wine at my desired price. The New World 'bargains' were also often 13.5% to 14.5% ABV, too much alcohol.

I tried buying some samples to taste from all over the place, but did not really hit on the right combination. It is also an expensive business getting samples if you want to mix up your wines. You end up with lots of half finished bottles in the house. I did not want a hangover during the working week.

With a lack of time, tasting money and wanting minimum hassle I decided to order the wine 'blind' from the website that offered the best value, the easiest interface, and a local presence. Majestic with their buying power and variety fitted the bill.

This is what I purchased -

1) Red - Beaujolais-Villages 2008 Georges Duboeuf

The light Gamay grape at 12.5%ABV is perfect for a summers evening. I have drunk Georges Duboeuf many times so knew I could not go far wrong. £5.99 a bottle (on offer)

2) Rose - Cuvee des Amandiers Rose 2009 Vin de Pays d'Oc

A bit of a punt. Rose is hard to get right. Most of the ones I have tried either have too much alcohol, or are too sweet and/or intense. I wanted a light dry rose and this one at 12%ABV will hopefully be a good fit. £4.99 (on offer). Rose is a good overlap wine at parties. Both red and white drinkers usually like it, so it can accommodate running out of either.

3) Red - Chateau Mont Milan 2007 Corbieres

The Wine Gang and Decanter Wine awards (gold medal) cannot be wrong...can they? Slightly more full on wine as a counterpoint to the Beaujolais above. The blend of Mourvedre, Syrah and Grenache come in at only 13%ABV, so not too strong. £4.99 (on offer).

4) White - Marlborough Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Marlborough

A compromise. I am not really a huge fan of New World Sauvignon Blanc, especially at the cheaper end. I often find the tropical overtones too much. But some of my guests do like it, so this is for them. A purely selfless act.12.5%ABV and £4.99 (on offer), fingers crossed it will go down well.

5) White - Quinta de Azevedo Vinho Verde 2009

Perhaps the joker in the pack. A light 11%ABV wine from Portugal, often has a slight effervescence. A fun unusual bottle of 'Green Wine' which smacks of summer.Jane MacQuitty reviews it well, so who am I to argure.£4.99 (on offer)

6) White - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi 2008/2009 Monte Schiavo

A less well known Italian grape that is often great value. Again Jane MacQuitty liked it and my experience of cheap verdicchio has been consistently good in the past. Splashing out on this bottle all of £5.59 (on offer). 13%ABV.

7) Red - Domaine Py Merlot 2007 Vin de Pays d'Oc

This red falls between the other two reds I have chosen as it is medium bodied. Two wine journalists recommend it this time - Anthony Rose and Jane MacQuitty. At £4.99 (on offer) let's hope it lives up to expectations. 12.5%ABV unlike some New World ones I have tried which pack a bit too much punch for my party.

8) White Anjou Chenin Blanc 2007 Jacques Arnoult

A shot in the dark. You can find some great value wines in the Loire. I like Chenin Blanc, and I am hoping this one will deliver.£4.99 and 11.5%ABV.

9) White Chenin Blanc La Grille 2008 Anjou

Finally another Chenin, recommended by Tim Atkin.11%ABV and £5.99 (on offer). I am expecting this one to out perform my last choice, but we will see.

So a total of 48 mixed bottles came in at an average price if £5.20 ish per bottle (total £250). I am really happy with my choices, but I will only really know when I crack them open very soon.As you can see I have in some cases relied (maybe stupidly) on recommendations/comments from wine journalists, people that claim to be experts in their field -

Tim Atkin (Observer)

Jane MacQuitty (The Times)

Anthony Rose (The Independent)

The Wine Gang (a collections of wine experts - Tim Atkin,Olly Smith,Anthony Rose,Tom Cannavan,Joanna Simon - reviewing wine in bulk)

I will report back, and let you know where I have either made serious blunders or good choices, if I agree with the experts, and ultimately how Majestic performs at the lower end.

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