Ooh la la! Six bargain French wines to try now

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Everyone loves a bargain, but where to look? Received wisdom holds that places such as Chile, Portugal and South Africa give you the most bang for your buck, but I want to suggest a less expected source. France may produce some of the finest wines in the world, but right now it also offers amazing value for money, just as long as you know where to find it.
You can easily drop £50 on a bottle of champagne but there’s plenty of lively, crowd-pleasing fizz at a fifth of the price. My pick for this bank holiday weekend is Sainsbury’s fruity, citrus-infused Taste the Difference Crémant d’Alsace (down from £11.50 to £10). Similarly, white burgundy can cost a fortune, but explore further south and you’ll find wonderful fridge-door staples such as Tesco’s Finest 2022 Côtes de Gascogne (£7.50), or the light and spritzy 2023 Taste the Difference Picpoul de Pinet all-rounder from the Languedoc (Sainsbury’s, £10). Alternatively, Aldi’s vibrant, tangy 2023 Specially Selected Chassaux et Fils Picpoul de Pinet (£7.49) is just the thing to pair with a summery salad.
The Languedoc and Rhône Valley excel at producing good-value, easy-drinking reds including the spicy Guigal Côtes du Rhône, which is reduced from £13.49 to £9.99 at Waitrose this weekend. But it’s also worth seeking out a decent vin de France, which replaced the vin de table classification and allows the winemaker greater freedom to use grape varieties or blends outside the strict appellation d’origine contrôlée system.
Majestic’s 2023 Le Petit Buisse Pinot Noir (£8.99) is a case in point, imparting an abundance of floral cherry. Another pinot noir perfect for a late-summer barbecue is the soft, medium-bodied 2023 Domaine Mandeville (M&S, £9). Here are six more choices to get your bank holiday weekend off to a wallet-pleasing start.
2023 Black & Wine Blanc de NoirsFrance (11.5%)The Wine Society, £7.95This intriguing white, made from the red grape merlot, has lovely apple on the nose and a fresh, clean finish.
Pont du Fleur Côtes du Rhône BlancFrance (13%)M&S, £8Soft and easy-drinking, this combines floral and citrus notes with a succulent peachy texture. An enticing all-rounder.
2023 Paul Mas Picpoul de PinetFrance (13%)Co-op, £11Picpoul de Pinet makes a perfect summer aperitif and is ideal with seafood. Dry and crisp, this ticks all the boxes.
2022 Les Augustines BandolFrance (13%)Lidl, £9.99Where else but Lidl can you find a pale, dry, full-bodied Provençal rosé from a renowned appellation for under a tenner? Snap it up.
2022 Gabriel Allard Côtes du RhôneFrance (14.5%)Majestic, £9.99Here’s a soft, juicy côtes du rhône full of rich dark fruit with an inviting texture. Ideal for a barbecue.
2022 Oceans Tutiac MerlotFrance (13%)Sainsbury’s, £10Produced entirely from merlot, this delicate summer bordeaux is supple and suave, with hints of violet and vibrant red fruit.
2023 Le Bijou de Sophie ValroseFrance (12.5%)Waitrose, £7.99This is a cracking Languedoc rosé with a bold, dry mouthfeel and plenty of juicy cherry.