Six wines from as little as £8 a bottle to pair with everyday grub from beans on toast to fish & chips

BOFFINS have found drinking wine with food is the best – and safest – way to enjoy a tipple as it slows the ingestion of alcohol.

Drinks expert Helena Nicklin suggests some good-value glasses of vino for everyday dishes that won’t cost a fortune and rates the pairings out of five.

Fish & chips

Codorniu Vintage Organic Cava Brut £8, down from £10.50, Morrisons

THERE is only one pairing you need here – bubbles!

With the savoury notes from the batter, you need a traditional-method fizz such as champagne.

If you want to blow the budget, the “real” French classic will be delicious.

On a budget, you can’t beat brioche-like cava.

4/5

Margherita pizza

MontGras De-Vine Reserva Merlot, £6 down from £9, Sainsbury’s

TOMATO can be a pairing challenge. Few wines really do the flavour justice, especially on a pizza when it’s often concentrated and in a puree form.

A juicy Chilean Merlot like this bargain will do the job well with its full fruity body, vine tomato flavours and velvety texture.

3/5

Spaghetti bolognese

Altano Rewilding Edition Douro £7.50, down from £10.50, Sainsbury’s

A BOLD red is the way to go, without too much tooth-drying tannin and this Portuguese blend is perfect.

 Vibrant, aromatic, with crisp acidity and ripe fruit flavours.

It will brighten up the bolognese and help you soak up all those delicious flavours without overpowering it.

4/5

Full English breakfast

 Extra Special Crémant d’Alsace Brut £9, down from £11, Asda

FIZZ is just about acceptable at breakfast and a full English often comes after a big night.

This is a sparkling French wine that brings lightness and elegance, yet is multi-layered enough in terms of flavour to stand up to those sausages, salty bacon and a hunk of fried bread.

5/5

Indian takeaway

Cave Des Roches Vouvray £8, Tesco

HOT spice can strip fruit from wine. Whether you opt for a tikka or vindaloo, careful pairing with any curry is a must.

Your perfect match for this is a fruity white with a touch of sweetness to tame the heat.

Honey-blossom aromatics and melon notes coax the flavour and cools the palate.

4/5

Beans on toast

Specially Selected Rosorange Rosé £9.99, Aldi

A CLASSIC wine pairing conundrum where a fruity rosé or orange wine would be perfect.

 Aldi has created the rosorange, a hybrid of the two.

Enjoy the sweet-savoury style with a little bit of grip to support the crunch from the toast and thickness of the beans.

3/5