I'll confess that Lidl wouldn't be my first port of call when looking to stock up on wines. I actually implement something of an embargo when it comes to buying wines from supermarkets, save for an odd trip to Waitrose. I think this is partly due to an element of snobbery on my part combined with a suspicion that lots of supermarket wines are made to hit a certain price point and not to satisfy the winemaker's passion for winemaking. However, as a wine blogger it's no use just blogging about niche wines from your favourite indie wine merchants that most of your readers will never come across, hence I was happy to accept these samples from Lidl.

The reds I was sent were the Fleurie 2011, the Saxa Loquuntur Rioja 2010 and the Chianti Riserva 2009. Clearly Lidl are committed to having the classics covered in their range and whilst I didn't sample anything beyond these three they also have a St Emilion, CdP and a Medoc in the range. Like I say, the basics are covered! A great thing about these wines of course (ignoring the actual quality for a minute) is that they allow a newcomer to wine to explore different wine styles at low cost in order to find his or her preference.

First up there was the Fleurie at a price of only £6.49. I should really declare at this point that the wines of Beaujolais do very little for me and I don't tend to get particularly excited about them. This though isn't bad at all. There's a slight spice to the light raspberry notes and it's a quite moreish wine. The finish isn't particularly long but as a summer glugger this is pretty decent.

Next up was the Chianti at a retail price of £5.99. The nose is immediately impressive with sweet red fruit notes leaping from the glass. The wine has a slightly sweet initial character with the expected red fruit notes and a slightly herbal finish. I like the soft texture and its acidity is just what you need to cut through food. I only wish Lidl had sent me a pack of salami to go with this...... A pretty decent wine all round though possibly lacking slightly in impact.

I finished with the 2010 Rioja which will set you back the princely sum of £6.99. This is a really fruity smile inducing wine! I like the really lively strawberry and raspberry notes and the freshness of the wine. This is very refreshing for a red and particularly drinkable. The oak notes are subtle but pleasant. This is my pick of the bunch.

Whilst I'm unlikely to be making Lidl my wine merchant of choice I've been impressed with the quality of these three wines. Not only are they great for establishing an awareness of the basic key wines they're also excellent party fodder where value is crucial and people just want something fun to drink.

With 4 Masters of Wine (including Richard Bampfield) helping to shape the Lidl range they are clearly a retailer to watch for decent wine on a budget....