If like me you are sometimes in a massive rush, and end up grabbing at the nearest bottle in a supermarket, no time for iPhone wine apps or deliberation, then here is a great value wine I found in M&S recently.

Cotes du Gascogne Rouge 2010 is only £5.99 and makes good everyday drinking. A staple for mid-week meals.

It looks rather elegant in a subtle way, sending the message - 'I'm here, but I am not going to make a big song and dance about it'. It is from a region in France called Gascony in the south-west (below Bordeaux), home to other charmers like musketeer d'Artagnan. There is a light mix of Tannat, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat being the local grape.

Tannat is tannic (there is something balanced in that phrase), and is often mellowed by blending with other varietals. It also happens to be a popular grape in South America, especially Uruguay, brought there by the Basque settlers.

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