McGuigan "Bin no. 736"

Shiraz Viognier, 2011, Australia
Full Price: £10 ish
With: cold tapassy things
3.75/5, gently dry, then clove spices, then nothing.

Blaxland "Estate"

Cabernet Merlot, 2012, SE Australia
Full Price: £10 ish
With: haggis, neeps and tatties
3/5, nicely dry, little bit of spice, passes into bland fairy quicky

Ariki "Reserva"

Cabernet Syrah, 2010, Chile
Full Price: £10 ish
With: carrot soup / alone
3.5 / 5 (a bit cold, not necessarily a fair score).
Pleasant acidity, red-fruity, but not a lot to it.

Banrock Station "Shiraz Mataro"

Shiraz Mataro, 2011, Australia

Full Price: £6 ish

With: Roast pork belly 

3.5/5, bitter after taste that rapidly fades, though pleasant.

Tesco's Finest "Côtes Catalans"

Grenache, 2011, France
Full Price: £7 ish
With: Jamie Oliver's Chilli
5/5, nice. Spicy kick, beautifully balanced.

Sainsbury's "House"

Cabernet Sauvignon, year unknown, Australia
Full Price: £12 (3-bottle box)
With: Cottage Pie
almost 3/5, mostly inoffensive

Wolf Blass "Red Label"

Shiraz Cabernet, 2011, South Eastern Australia
Full Price: £9ish
With: creme caramel and on its own
4/5, perfectly drinkable and very smooth (but lacking in defining characteristics other than having a yeasty smell)

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