You’ve heard all about the great bargains to be had from buying wine in France, but if you decide to take the plunge and cross the channel, where exactly do you shop, and how do you choose a good wine from glorified paint stripper?

Ever since the duty rates were changed in 1992, it has made sense to buy wine in France. For a UK-priced £4 bottle of wine, you could save, up to £1.50 – which adds up if you’re buying in bulk. Besides, nipping over the channel for a spot of shopping and a good, cheap lunch makes for a fun day out.

Best of British
You don’t need to wait until you’re on dry ground before opening your wallet. Several of the ferry and hovercraft companies have their own range of wines. Hoverspeed, for example, allows you to buy wine on your outbound journey to collect on the way back.

But once you are there, how on earth do you choose from the staggering range of wines available? First you need to decide where to do your shopping. Many UK retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Oddbins, now have outlets in the channel ports. And while it might sound a bit boring to go to France just to visit a UK supermarket, one thing is for sure – wine buyers for the UK supermarket are far more skilled and discerning than their French counterparts. Indeed, our wine buyers are rated to be the most talented in the world. Many of the French chains simply buy wines on price with little or no consideration for the all-important taste. In addition to this, while French supermarkets carry predominantly French wines, you get a much broader choice from UK chains.

Taste before you buy
This is not to say that there aren’t any decent wines to be found in French supermarkets – just that you have to be more careful when choosing. Whenever possible, try to taste the wine before you buy. Promotional lines may be available for tasting. Or, you can buy a few bottles and try them with a picnic before you decide to invest in a case or two. The wine warehouses are a mixed bag, too. Often, they buy up wines from bankrupt companies, as well as unwanted, tired old stock. These wines can be great value – or they can be undrinkable. Recently, while wandering around a warehouse in Calais, I came across some 1993 Muscadet which, judging by its yellowy oxidised colour, would have been completely unpalatable. It occurred to me that at garden parties across England this summer there could be a lot of wrinkled-up noses and yelps of disgust when this wine is served. So, a word of warning: when buying white, always look for the most recent vintages – the wines will be fresher.

Style guide
Few of the French supermarkets or wine warehouses issue stock lists as the wines are constantly changing. So, rather than recommend specific wines, which will be on the shelf one minute and have disappeared the next, I’ve suggested some styles to look out for.

Go red

• You can’t go wrong with Australian reds as the quality of wine-making is so high. Opt for the blackcurrant-like Cabernet or the spicy Shiraz grape.
• Be prepared to experiment with some lesser-known French reds. The quality of wines from the south, Vin de Pays d’Oc, is impressive. These wines are a safer bet then Bordeaux or Burgundy from lesser-known chateaux.

• Rather than buying claret, look for wines made from the same grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot). For example, the aptly-named Buzet is always good value and extremely drinkable – as is good old Fitou. These wines taste best served with flavoursome food.
• For summer drinking, try some lighter reds. Look out for Bourgueil, Chinon and Saumur Rouge. Produced in the Loire valley, these are made from the red-fruit-flavoured Cabernet Franc grape. They taste brilliant chilled.

• Alsace whites represent great value. For an over-the-top flowery variety, look for Gewürztraminer. This tastes marvellous with spicy ethnic food and is a good choice for summer barbecues.
• Look out for Viogner and Marsanne, two lighter, perfumed grape varieties with nuances of honey. These grapes flourish in the south of France so keep an eye out for the words ‘Vin de Pays d’Oc’ on the label.
• If you are a Sancerre fan, look out for similar wines made from the gooseberry-like Sauvignon Blanc grape, but from lesser-known neighbouring villages such as Quincy or Menetou Salon. Or, try the crisp dry white Sauvignon de Touraine from the Loire Valley.
• There are lots of decent French sparkling wines. If you are planning to drink them neat, don’t opt for the cheapest ones. Instead, pay a little more and try Crémant de Bourgogne, Saumur or Blanquette de Limoux. Otherwise, go for the old favourites from Australia and New Zealand.

  Coming up rosés
  Summer is a great time to try some decent rosé. The best wines tend to come from the sunny south of France, so look out for Rosé de Provence in its distinctive skittle-shaped bottle, or the popular and consistently good Listel Gris de Gris.