In Tipping's Tipples this week, MIKE TIPPING tries two wines which carry the name of a sporting hero.

I WAS bowled over to meet one of my sporting heroes at a Playford Ros hosted wine tasting at Rudding Park, near Harrogate, last week. Ian "Beefy" Botham, that slayer of Australian batting and bowling, was there to promote some Australian wines. Albeit wines that bear his name, along with those of fellow cricketer Bob Willis and winemaker Geoff Merrill.

It's fortunate that the former Test stars did not team up with winemakers Hardys. That would have sounded like a shoe shop. The label Botham Merrill Willis, however, provides a great acronym - BMW.

I tried two BMWs, a 2001 shiraz and a 2002 chardonnay.

The BMW Shiraz 2001 has certainly got a fiery delivery. It's full of pepper and oak with a dandelion and burdock fruitiness. Very smooth, very rich and very drinkable.

I had preconceptions about the BMW Chardonnay 2002. I don't know why but I was expecting a weighty, over-oaked monster. How wrong I was. Oak there is but just the right amount for me. No overkill on the fruit flavours either, which is another bonus. This is a good, buttery and well proportioned wine.

Apparently, Botham and Willis discovered a taste for wine during their playing days Down Under. It did nothing to hamper their abilities on the cricket field. I suggest Michael Vaughan and his team find time for a glass or two. It might just bring them back to winning ways.

From the New World to the Old. The next four wines, apart from being in promotions, all profess to be aimed at the modern wine drinker.

On offer, until Wednesday at Budgens are two wines with the Canaletto label, both at the knock-down price of £3.99. Hopefully they will taste better than the water in the Venice canals, made famous by the artist with whom they share their name.

Boy, if I'm not fed up of flowery white wines. They all seem to taste like my late Great Auntie Rose's home-made wine and that's not good. Unfortunately, Canaletto Pinot Grigio Garganega 2002 falls into the flower power category. Having said that, this is an all right example, being light and refreshing. You won't be finding a bottle in my wine rack, however.

Canaletto Nero d'Avola Merlot 2001 saves the day. It's an Old World meets New World red and very drinkable. This easy going, plummy and spicy blend is nice on its own or with a variety of foods. Very versatile but not very complex.

In the bargain basement at Morrisons, until March 28, are two modern Spanish wines. Santerra Tempranillo 2002 and Santerra Dry Muscat 2003 are on offer at £2.99.

The tempranillo is slightly peppery with hints of aniseed and blackcurrant. There's not much substance to this wine but it is quaffable and good value. This example is blended with the bobal grape, although you'd have to read the label on the back to know this.

Then there's the dry muscat. Dry yes, delicately flavoured yes, drinkable yes, but a little too much like my Great Auntie Rose's 1977 vintage oak leaf for my liking. I can't complain for a wine costing less than three pounds, however.

BMW Shiraz 2001, £8.95 (plus VAT) (sales@playfordros.com) HHHH Nips back

BMW Chardonnay 2002, £8.95 ****

Slips down easily

Canaletto Pinot Grigio Garganega 2002, £3.99 from £4.99 at Budgens

*** Petal potion

Canaletto Nero d'Avola Merlot 2001, £3.99 from £4.99 at Budgens

*** Drinkable red

Santerra Tempranillo 2002, £2.99 from £3.99 at Morrisons

*** Another drinkable red

Santerra Dry Muscat 2003, £2.99 from £3.99 at Morrisons

*** Another petal potion

Updated: 14:13 Tuesday, April 20, 2004