In Tipping's Tipples, Mike Tipping wonders how much to pay for a decent wine.

Do you have more money than sense? No, I don't either, which is why I would be unlikely to spend more than £10 on a wine. This is a sweeping statement and perhaps worthy of some explanation.

Put another way, the adage 'you get what you pay for' is broadly true for wine. But sometimes what you are paying for is not the liquid therein but the name, or region, printed on the label.

Thresher has recently gone into partnership with Lay and Wheeler Fine Wine Merchants. There are units in selected Thresher stores displaying the Lay and Wheeler wines, which fall in the £10 to £40 price range. I've tried a couple of examples from France, to which the Lay and Wheeler range is specifically biased.

Les Pallires Gigondas 2000, from the Rhone region of southern France, is smooth but very fiery, with tannins that tip-toe red. It warms from the inside with brambles, cherry and plums. At £17.99 however, it's not for me.

Montigny Sancerre 2003 at £14.99 won't be appearing on my dinner table either. It is however, nicely dry with a trace of effervescence and plenty of natural acidity (too much probably). A sweet and sour affair with pear, melon, touches of honey and subtle floral fragrances.

Both wines are decent and very drinkable products but you'd have to knock down the price to tempt me to buy!

It's good to know that you don't need to pay over the odds for all French wine.

Check out the following Saumur appellation red and white from the Alliance Loire group's, Valle Loire brand. These are user friendly, modern wines with informative back labels and price tags that will not break the bank.

The Loire region is famous for its chenin blanc. I love the grape, it was a bottle of chenin blanc that switched me on to wine drinking, back in the dark ages.

Valle Loire Saumur Chenin Blanc 2003 is refreshing, dry and as crisp as a frosty morning, with apple notes and lingering spices. Treat your tastebuds by pairing it with a fillet of plaice.

Its red partner is almost as good. Valle Loire Saumur Cabernet Franc 2003 is a medium-bodied, smooth, easy drinker. It has plenty of simple black fruit and grassy, nettle, herb-garden flavours. There's just enough tannin too.

Les Pallires Gigondas 2000, £17.99 at selected Thresher stores. 13/20

Montigny Sancerre 2003, £14.99 at selected Thresher stores. 13/20

Valle Loire Saumur Chenin Blanc 2003, £4.99 at Tesco. 17/20

Valle Loire Saumur Cabernet Franc 2003, £4.99 at Tesco. 16/20

Updated: 08:51 Saturday, February 19, 2005