Traditional wine producing countries

Portugal

The best known wines of Portugal are port and Vinho Verde. From the north, Vinho Verde, or 'green wine' is dry, crisp and slightly spritzy because of its youth, making it an ever popular choice for anytime drinking. On the other hand, port wines from the Douro Valley are rich and sweet, perfect as an after-dinner sip. The styles include fruity young ruby port, smooth dry tawny and the intensely flavoured Late Bottled Vintage or the superlative Vintage Ports.

Other regions include Dao, which makes full-bodied firm reds, and Bairrada to the west, where the red wines are peppery, spicy and berry flavoured. In the south, Altentejo is making its mark with affordable lively fruity reds with the help of big French Château names and Australian winemakers. The best Portuguese rosé wines come from the north and are well-known worldwide, often in their familiar flagon-shaped bottles.

Spain

The 1980s saw a winemaking revolution in Spain. This started in the Rioja region in the north when new-style wine-making techniques began producing lighter, less oaky wines, which still retain their essential Spanishness. The region also gave birth to a new generation of crisp, lemony dry white wines.

Navarra is best known for its dry rosados, but today produces top quality reds as well. Penedès in the north east led the planting of French grape varieties and now makes dry white wine and well-flavoured reds with these and traditional grapes.

Penedès is also the home of the Cava sparkling wine industry. This world-renowned alternative fizz is made using the Champagne method with Spanish grapes.

Valencia is proud of its clean, fresh modern reds, whites and rosados and La Mancha makes everyday quaffing reds and whites. Valdepenas is noted for its earthy good value reds and rosados.

The 'sherry triangle' in the south makes unique wines - from fresh crisp manzanillas and finos, nutty amontillados and dry rich olorosos to sweet, grapey cream sherries. Nearby Montilla makes wines of similar character.

France

Traditionally the high-quality wines of France have been regarded as classic examples for the rest of the world to follow. Champagne, the world's most famous bubbly, is revered and imitated in all wine-making countries. Burgundy produces the finest Chardonnay wines, and legendary reds from Pinot Noir.

Bordeaux must be the most revered wine region in the world with its classic reds, dry white wines blended from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, and the luscious dessert wines of Sauternes.

In northern France, the Loire contributes fresh tasting Muscadets, stony Sancerre and smoky Pouilly Fumé.

From the Rhône come hefty peppery reds from the Syrah grape. And Alsace produces varietal whites from the aromatic Gewurztraminer grape and crisp, dry Rieslings.

Modern winemaking techniques have revitalised the role of Vins de Pays (country wines) which are affordable, delicious and widely available.

Italy

Italy is the world's largest producer of wine. In the last decade the wine industry has seen dramatic changes. Wine-makers have gone back to their roots to produce quality native Italian varieties like the red Sangiovese of Chianti and the Nebbiolo of truffly Barolo and Barbaresco. But classic French varieties like Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir have been introduced, especially in Tuscany and Piedmont.

Old favourites include the lighter Bardolino and Valpolicellla - good served lightly chilled, even though they are reds. Popular whites include Soave from Veneto and Frascati from the hills around Rome.

The delicately fruity Asti Spumante from Piedmont is a light and fragrant celebration fizz.

Germany

The first sip of white wine you are likely to have tasted was probably German. Though they range in style from bone dry to gloriously sweet, the majority of them are delightful everyday drinking wines, usually low in alcohol, medium dry and pleasing on the palate. Some wine drinkers will move on to try wines from other parts of the world - but if it's delicious, uncomplicated, refreshingly satisfying light wines you like, then stay with Germany.

German wines are also food friendly. Served lightly chilled, they are a good match for the exotic flavours of the Orient - see Somerfield's new Oriental Range in the chill cabinet. But they also make excellent partners to homely root vegetable soups - especially if there is a touch of sweetness in the vegetable, such as parsnip or squash.

Eastern Europe

The wines of Eastern Europe are amongst the best sellers at Somerfield. Whilst New World wines have been enjoying huge popularity over the last few years, their Eastern European counterparts now rival them in terms of appeal, quality and most importantly - price.

Bulgaria sets the trend, successfully producing varietal wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Pinot Noir.

Hungary, once only famous for the tannic and sturdy Bull's Blood red wine, now produces some excellent whites, while Romania makes bouncy reds from Pinot Noir.

'New World' wine producing countries

North America

The sunshine state of California is well known for its elegant and rich Chardonnays, fruity Cabernet Sauvignons and full-bodied reds made from the indigenous Zinfandel grape.

South Africa

Look for South Africa's own grape, Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault which gives a distinctive peppery, spicy berry fruit wine.

Also planted are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and Cinsault for the reds and Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Colombard or Sauvignon Blanc which produce brisk, breezy and eminently acceptable whites.

Australia

A wine-lover's paradise, Australia is the wine success story of the century. Since the 60s when the first bag-in-box wines appeared here, the wines of Australia have improved beyond belief and now rate as some of the world's top wines.

Almost every grape variety thrives in Australia's perfect climate. Modern techniques mean that most wines are ready to be drunk and enjoyed as soon as they are bought. And the sparkling wines rival Champagne - especially on price.

Whites range from crisp and elegant to rich and buttery. Reds are packed with fruit, spice, deliciousness and sunshine.

Dessert wines are made from grapes affected with botrytis, which give an unbeatable rich honeyed sweetness. For after-dinner drinking, the raisiny fortified Liqueur Muscats have a unique, international appeal.

New Zealand

New Zealand wine has sprung to world-wide prominence through its fresh, grassy Sauvignon Blancs which have proved more than a match for their classic Old World counterparts. Now this country also has some lovely light Chardonnays along with dry reds made from Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chile

The Chilean wine industry has made remarkable strides in the last ten years, and offers some of the best value-for-money wines around today. Cabernet Sauvignon produces fresh, blackcurranty smooth wines which are irresistibly appealing. Sauvignon Blancs are light, fresh and zesty and soft Chardonnays are wonderful.

Argentina

Argentina is producing exciting red wines using many European varieties such as Tempranillo (Spain), Sangiovese (Italy), Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah (France). Whites are dry and refreshingly zesty.