Running until 12th April is the Spring Wine Festival at Dunnes Stores and included in it is a whole raft of wines at €5 per bottle, with another tranche at €6. Never, however, would the advice to ‘trade up’ be more apt than here, for by spending just another euro some tasty new world wines come onto the radar.

I have an in-built suspicion of ‘half price’ offers but whatever way you look at it €6.99 is an attractive price for Mont Gras wines from Chile and Douglas Green from South Africa. The Mont Gras Sauvignon Blanc 2010 13% €6.99 is tingly with a sherbet freshness, though once that one hit of flavour has passed that’s about all you are going to get. Its sibling, the Mont Gras Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 13% €6.99, is cut from the same cloth, with rich fruit on the nose, plump fruit and soft tannin on the palate and a rather weak finish.

I would favour the pair from Douglas Green, especially the Reserve Selection Shiraz 14% €6.99, with its warm, inviting nose and rounded fruity palate. Mercifully there is no sign of the bitter flavours that plague so many South African reds. This has good succulent fruit and freshness at the finish. The Chardonnay Reserve Selection 2010 14% €6.99 has less character but its pleasant notes of melon and tropical fruit will give it broad appeal.

Tags: Dunnes, Chile, South Africa