I recently reviewed an Echo Falls wine, and now I turn my attention to Blossom Hill, a slightly more up-market, but still 'middle of the road' wine brand operating in the UK. Chardonnay is a medium bodied variety of wine (we serve it as out 'house wine' at work) and the Blossom Hill version is a particular I drink quite often as it always seems to be on offer in the shops - and I know I can always trust it to offer a nice (but not too nice) taste with a low ABV to match.

The wine has a softness to its taste and smell totally befitting of the brand name. A subtle mixture of predominantly British grown fruits - apples and pears - seep into your taste-buds, backed up by an array of more tropical flavourings. Citrusy, partially, but mainly those apples and pears form the basis for the taste and smell. I like it, it's not too over-whelming or strong, just the bright blend at just the right consistency to maintain that 'medium-body' I mentioned earlier. Too much of either of the fruit ingredients and your moving into either sweet, or dry territory, consisting of other wines - the Pinot Grigio and the Sauvignon Blanc (to name two also produced by Blossom Hill).

At just 9.75% ABV (alcoholic content), this Chardonnay is relatively light and won't get you drunk anywhere near as quickly as 12% wines also on the market. One bottle of this is enough for a nice night in, and two is enough for a heavier night out. If you do drink large quantities however, I advise sticking to this and this only as mixing your drinks can be lethal - and by that I mean it gets you so animated you could quite easily do something daft, cause some damage, etc.

A middle of the road, medium, standard tasting wine with not a lot of kick and not an abundance of flavour. Nice for a quiet evening in, and cheap enough to be bought on a regular basis (prices below). Blossom Hill's range is extensive, covering all the standard wines (from your Merlot to your Pinot, your Zinfandel to your Sauvignon). I like the brand and I like the wine - but not a drink for special occasions or to be purchased as a gift (much the same as Echo Falls - though slightly better).

Tip: Blossom Hill have a nice website, simply laid out with all the information you need to make the best buying decision. There are links to each wine type, divided into categories for Rose, White and Red. There is information, but no prices!

RATING: 3.4/5
UNITS: 9.75 ABV
PRICE: £6.39 (per 75Cl bottle)
AVAILABILITY: Tesco.com (for price above) stores nation-wide.