Choosing wine - the cheat's guide

REDS
Cabernet Sauvignon - A full-bodied wine, best for drinking with food, especially meaty stews, red meats and cheeses.

Merlot - A fruity red that's good for drinking alone or with food. Try it with roasts.

Pinot noir - Often expensive as it's a tricky grape to make into good wine. It ranges from soft and perfumed when young to earthy as it ages.

Shiraz or Syrah - Made using a rich, peppery grape to produce a spicy taste. Good for winter months.

WHITES
Chardonnay - A rich, full-bodied wine that could be too heavy if drunk without food. Some are aged in oak barrels, which adds flavour, others are unoaked or lightly oaked for a lighter flavour.

Sauvignon blanc - Crisp and refreshing. Drink alone or serve with white fish or salads.

Riesling - For refreshing, dry wines look for ‘trocken' (the German word for ‘dry') on the bottle; sweeter wines will have ‘spätlese' on the label. Dry Rieslings are often a good match for Asian foods.

Chenin blanc - Good wines for everyday drinking, especially ones from South Africa.

SPARKLING
Champagne - Only produced in the Champagne region in France. The best are expensive, so try sparkling wines from New Zealand, Australia or California for good-value bottles of bubbly. French sparklers from other regions have ‘crémant' on the label.

Cava - Excellent-value fizz from Spain produced in the same way as true Champagne. It's best if you're planning to mix it with something.

Prosecco - Italian sparkling wine that is similar to cava.

AND HERE'S HOW TO OPEN THE SPARKLY STUFF WITHOUT ENDING UP AT A&E: Hold a chilled bottle pointing away from the body at a 45-degree angle. This increases the surface area for gas to escape. Carefully remove the foil and cage, keeping a thumb on the cork so it doesn't fly out. Hold the cork firmly, and twist the bottle to release the cork gently, letting the ‘ghost' escape. Have glasses ready!