THERE seems to be little consensus as to exactly what makes a good aperitif wine.

In Portugal, you are very likely to be served with a white port. In France, you may find yourself clutching a glass of nectar-like Sauternes before dinner.

Yet most wine guides will tell you to serve a light, dry, white wine, that is not too high in alcohol. And there are those that will tell you the only worthy aperitif is a glass of Champagne.

In other words, there aren't any hard and fast rules when it comes to which wines to serve before dinner, but there are some wines you shouldn't serve. Avoid reds, although you may find some medium-bodied, unoaked examples that would be all right. Don't serve weighty whites, such as full-bodied chardonnay, particularly those that have been oak aged.

Most important of all, however, is not to serve bad wine - what a disastrous start to the evening that would be.

I marked ap' in the margin of my wine notes next to the following wines which I tasted quite recently, the ap' being my shorthand for "would make a good aperitif".

I'm not the world's biggest pinot grigio fan, but I did enjoy Alta Italia Trentino Pinot Grigio 2006. It's dry and spicy, with aromas of honeysuckle and flavours of melon, grapefruit and minerals.

Sauvignon blanc makes for a great aperitif in my book and there are some good examples coming out of Chile these days. Santa Rita Floresta Leyda Sauvignon Blanc 2006 is beautifully crisp, with a perfumed quality, flavours of lime, grapefruit, minerals and a sprinkling of white pepper.

If you're after something a little different, then try Tempus Two Copper Moscato 2007 from Oz - but note, you will need a bottle opener, not a corkscrew. This is medium-sweet, effervescent, and full of sherbet, elderflower, kiwi and passionfruit flavours. Because it's relatively low in alcohol, there is no problem having a second glass if cook is running behind schedule.

  • Alta Italia Trentino Pinot Grigio 2006, £6.99 at Tesco 16/20
  • Santa Rita Floresta Leyda Sauvignon Blanc 2006, £9.99 at Waitrose 17/20
  • Tempus Two Copper Moscato 2007, £7.99 at Tesco 17/20