Service includedWHAT’S ON THE WINE LISTRichard Ehrlich’s selectionYou can’t compare Eurostar first class with an airline’s

Service includedWHAT’S ON THE WINE LISTRichard Ehrlich’s selectionYou can’t compare Eurostar first class with an airline’s first class, at least as far as drinking is concerned. It offers four wines, all in little bottles and all of sound but totally unexceptional quality from big commercial houses which can deliver large volumes. If you want something exciting on your journey, bring it yourself. I WAS pepped up to find Monsooned Malabar coffee at Budgens in Midhurst, West Sussex. The fragrant Indian beans – this column’s official 1999 caffeinated substance – are stored for lengthy periods in damp conditions to soften the acidity of the resulting brew.

What’s more, the Budgens version is pretty decent for supermarket coffee. Not as good as the one I usually drink, and certainly not as good as a specimen I received recently from an enterprising mail-order outfit in Belfast called FifthSense (01846 628666, www.fifthsense ). But then, at pounds 2.79 for 227g, it’s also half the cost.
This is something that supermarkets are good at: sourcing an exalted product in a way that enables them to sell it for much less money and in much larger quantities. The real version will usually be much better, but there will be much less of it. It’s a trade-off: ultimate quality for quantity and affordability.The principle sometimes applies with wine, too But not always. When it comes to wine, supermarkets can use their enormous wads of money to travel the globe, seeking (and sometimes developing) unusual and even moderately rare additions to their range. And no supermarket has more buying power than Tesco.One of its latest initiatives is aimed at making the subject of wine more approachable.

Perhaps taking a cue from restaurant wine lists, its new “Style Range” of two whites and two reds is described by adjective rather than by nation or region: Crisp Elegant White, Smooth Voluptuous White, Huge Juicy Red, and Monster Spicy Red (all pounds 4.99). This approach looks too much like dumbing down for my taste, but maybe I’m just lapsing into winesnobbian, a language I try hard not to speak.More seriously, I wasn’t that crazy about the wines themselves, apart from Chateau Huge ‘n’ Juicy, an attractive glugger comprising 100 per cent Garnacha from old vines in the Catalayud region of northern Spain. Decide for yourself.The purchases made for Tesco’s May Wine Festival, which began on Wednesday, are more uniformly successful and interesting. Pride of place belongs to Milton Estate Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 1998 (pounds 7.99), from the admirable bio-dynamic producer in New Zealand. I sometimes think that I’m becoming an unpaid spokesman for this grape, but that doesn’t make me hesitate in recommending the wine: flowery accents in steely, mineral-laden fruit with beautifully integrated oak, big acidity, huge finish. Drink it now or keep it (as long as you like), but please buy some.

It’s in 80 stores only, so seek it out (for stockists call 0800 505555).Some Tesco wines lower down the scale are just as appealing, if not quite so distinguished, such as the Australian McWilliams Sunstone White and McWilliams Sunstone Red (both pounds 4.99). The white is an unusual blend of Rhine Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Chardonnay with aromatic zip and mouth- filling roundness. The red is Shiraz-based, with very ripe flavours and a hint of oak softening the spiciness. Both are great for food, and I only wish they (like the Milton) were available in more than 80 stores.I have the same complaint (and it’s the only one) about Thandi Pinot Noir 1998 (pounds 6.99), a distinguished South African. The property is co- operatively owned and run, and the area, in the cool-climate Walkers Bay region, has been spotted as fertile ground for this temperamental grape.

If the Thandi wine is anything to go by, the spotters are right. This is a lusciously complex basket of berries with generous but not excessive oak. Instantly appealing: I love it.Tesco also has a “Four Corners” range of five wines made by talented Australian John Worontchak with local wine-makers in four different countries. This guy ought to receive an MFW (Master of Flying Winemaking), for which I will nominate him if he promises me 25 per cent of his air miles Two Uruguayans grabbed my attention. Four Corners Tannat/Merlot 1998 is a slightly tart concoction with lots of ripe, plummy fruit and some spicy notes. Lovers of grapefruit and melon-laden Sauvignon Blanc should head for Four Corners Sauvignon Blanc 1998. Both cost pounds 4.99 and are available in 200 stores, and I will drink them happily.