Oz Clarke: His two top summer wines for under £10

The famous wine taster talks about his theatre career, his love of tea and the best wines of the season

This summer Oz and James May take off on yet another drinking and eating adventure - this time across Britain. Before setting off, Oz talked to Carol Muskoron about how long it took him to get a girlfriend and his fear of flu

Q: Are you looking forward to setting off and filming the new show?
A: Yes! We want to really find out what makes Britain tick - what we drink; what we eat; and what kind of people we are when we drink. I always try to support local producers and the Gulf Stream means that we're going to have fantastic conditions for growing things in the UK Did you know it's so hot in Cornwall, they're growing tea! And in Leeds they're growing grapes - our grapes are pefect for sparkling wine.

Q: Let's take you back a bit now... Not everyone knows this, but you were a very successful actor in your pre-wine days, having theature work in Evita, Sweeney Todd and for the RSC. When did wine take over?
A: It took over when I was three on a family picnic near Cambridge. My brother had fallen in the river and was drowning. My father had gone in after him. My mother was having hysterics. I reached out to a bottle of damson wine and drank the lot. My father later pumped it out of me.

Q: Did your brother survive?
A: Yes.

Q: But aside from this portentous moment, was there another point when wine took over from acting for you?
A: Yes. After four years in the West End theatre, I got bored. It felt like an office job in the end. I wasn't sure why I was doing it. One day outside the stage door I met a bloke I went to Oxford with. Turned out he was a publisher. I told him I wanted to do some wine writing. Things took off from there. I became known as the actor who knew about drink. My big break was when I got on BBC Food and Drink at the end of the Eighties.

Q: It was at university that the talents of your palette first became evident. Why was it that while most students are just interested in getting hammered, you were sipping and winning tasting competitions?
A: a) I was interested in getting hammered and b) I couldn't afford to get hammered. Wine tastings meant I got free wine and I could take a guest, so I'd always ask a girl along. Mind you, none of them ever came on a second date. It took me two years to get a girlfriend. When I realised I was good at flavours, I joined the wine society and recruited lots of girls. That helped.

Q: You're said to have one of the finest palates in the world. Do you worry about it in the way that trumpeters worry about their embouchure and runners worry about their legs?
A: I do try to avoid colds and flu. You can't taste properly for a week after a cold. And flu is dangerous. The virus can strike the chord between the brain and nose and without that cord you can't smell. I know two winemakers who lost their sense of smell after flu. They can't make wine anymore. I take Echinacea a lot.

Q: Does your delicate palate extend to food? Are you especially sensitive and appreciative of food flavours?
A: Yes, I like flavours of every possible sort. Right now I am drinking tea - it's a 2007 second flush muscatel from Poobong. Yestereday I had a 2007 from Thurbo. Quite different. If I had to give up drink, I'd take up tea, it's endlessly flavoursome.

Q: We've just started a Bring Back Afternoon Tea Campaign; got any tips for our users on the best brew to have at 4pm?
A: That's a lovely idea! Afternoon tea is a great social calming down period. I recommend Darjeeling - it's significantly better than any teabag. Twinings do a great one.

Q: Do we all drink more wine these days? And do you ever worry about our drinking culture with young people drinking so irresponsibly?
A: Yes, I do. I worry about being in any way part of it. I like drinking too much at times but I don't want to fall over in the street and be sick. I think wine culture is different; it's about people eating when drink. I'm the first generation of wine drinkers really. My family didn't drink wine at home. Now everyone does.

Q: Go on, give us a best white wine for under a tenner at the moment...
A: Oddbins have a lovely Sauvignon from de Grendel - that's £7.99. Want a red?

Q: Oh, go on then...
A: Zontes Footsteps - they have it at Somerfield. So soft and soothing. Chill it for an our in the fridge before serving.

Q: Anthing for over a tenner?
A: I never go over a tenner.

Q: What has been the best moment of your career to date?
A: Stepping out on the stage at Drury Lane as Sweeney Todd in front of 2,000 people. And then singing in that finale [He bursts into song] - that was hard to beat.

Q: Do you miss acting?
A: I'm still acting really, through my wine work. And I'm often offered theatrical parts. I was asked to play the Child Catcher in Chitty and I'm regularly asked to do the narrator in the Rocky Horror Show. One day I'll take them up on that. I love the theatre but I don't want to be on the stage every night.

Q: Any more burning ambitions?
A: No. I'm delighted to be alive and delighted to grab things and do them. I've been very lucky in my life. No. No more burning ambitions...

Oz Clarke's Pocket Wine Book 2009 is out on 6 September, Pavilion, £9.99 - you can pre-order it on Amazon here