GRAPEVINE: SUMMER SUPERMARKET BAGAINS

ASDA is a brilliant place to find summer-drinking white vins de pays that way outclass their price. 1994 Sauvignon Domaine St Francois, Vin de Pays d'Oc (pounds 3.29 in most stores) is crisp and tangy, with flavours of gooseberry and honey. Masterminded in former years by English wine guru Hugh Ryman, it is now made in a similar style by the co-operative near Carcasonne where he worked. Just as good from the Loire Valley is the 1994 Chardonnay Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France, Domaine Baud (pounds 2.99), better than many other simple white Burgundies with its soft but crisp honey and pineapple character. Not all Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne is dry, but the Asda Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne (pounds 2.99) is deliciously crisp, honeyed and grassy. Even cheaper, and likewise far better than its price, is the crisp, fruity Vin de Pays du Gers, Le Pigoulet (pounds 2.69).

At similar prices, Italy has plenty of good, fresh whites, but you need to pick carefully to find real character. Australian Kim Milne made the gentle, crisp, honeyed Atesino Chardonnay, Concillio (pounds 2.99 Kwik Save). From near Soave country in north-east Italy, Safeway's light, buttery, almondy 1994 Bianco di Verona, Illasi (pounds 2.79) and the greengagey Sainsbury's Trebbiano Garganega, Vino da Tavola del Veneto (pounds 2.99) are both better than much Soave, and at more modest prices. Sainsbury's has a number of good new wines made in Italy by Australian Geoff Merrill. His 1994 Chardonnay Atesino, Barrique Aged, Geoff Merrill (pounds 4.99) beats the Kwik Save one, but at pounds 2 more. With its toasty, yeasty flavours and pineapple fruit, it beats most southern French Chardonnays, too. The 1994 Bianco di Custoza, Geoff Merrill (pounds 3.45) - lively, very greengage-fruity and nutty - is excellent value at this price.

Snip of Sainsbury's new clutch of southern French reds is a soft, ripely strawberry-fruity 1992 Domaine de Cazal Minervois (pounds 3.45), which would still be good value at pounds 4.99. 1993 Chateau Notre Dame du Quatorze, Coteaux du Languedoc (pounds 3.45) is also lovely for the price, with soft tobacco and raisin flavours and some tannin. There's also a lovely Sainsbury's Crozes- Hermitage (pounds 4.79 selected stores) with the delicious dark, tarry, chocolately flavours of the Syrah of the northern Rhone. In a similar style at Safeway, firm but full of tarry, raspberry flavour, is the new 1994 Chateau La Tour de Beraud, Costieres de Nimes (pounds 3.89), also made from Syrah. Safeway's strawberry-scented, savoury 1993 Domaine Rochevue, Minervois (pounds 3.89) is also especially good. Best of the new southern French red arrivals at Majestic are the 1993 Domaine des Schistes, Cotes du Roussillon-Villages (pounds 3.99), a concentrated, complex wine for this price with ripe fruit and flavours of smoke, raisins and tobacco; and a delicious Syrah, 1992 Monastere de Trignan, Coteaux du Languedoc (pounds 4.29) with wonderful smoky, raspberry and chocolate flavours, quite a lot of tannin but loads of fruit - better than many far more expensive red wines from smart appellations of the northern Rhone. Asda also has some new bargains: 1993 Domaine des Grangeneuve, Coteaux du Tricastin (pounds 4.35) is dark, smoky, plummy and spicy; 1994 Mas Segala, Cotes du Roussillon (pounds 3.99) is also a serious, dark red with attractive raspberry fruit and some tannin; and Asda St Chinian (pounds 2.85) is richly strawberry-fruity with a touch of tannin, and very good indeed for this price.