The winemakers in Bordeaux started it all 2,000 years ago and the traditional grapes that they blend together are cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec.

Barely half a century ago, the folks in Tuscany had the audacity to add to their precious sangiovese some of the above-mentioned Bordeaux varieties, even pinot noir and syrah. As these blends could no longer be called chianti or brunello they became known as “Super Tuscans” and they are now some of the most highly regarded Italian wines.

Our Monte Antico 2010 is a blend of 85 per cent sangiovese, 10 per cent merlot and 5 per cent cabernet sauvignon. Quite remarkably, this “Super Tuscan” that sells for only $13.85 was rated 91/100 by wine critic James Suckling, who went on to say: “Black cherry, blueberry and hints of pepper. Full and velvety with a long and delicious finish. One of the best values from Tuscany.”

This is a project of Neil and Maria Empson, who recently spent time on our Island that they love.

Blends from the New World have caught on amazingly well lately and I unfortunately earned the wrath of our sales team by running out of 19 Crimes for most of December.

This blend of shiraz, pinot noir, grenache and cabernet sauvignon from Southeastern Australia is so popular now. I place it without hesitation in the “yummy” category as it exudes jammy blackcurrant, ripe crushed blackberries, crème de cassis, faint oak, vanilla and even crème brûlée.

One reviewer writes: “Paired with red meat this is an utterly affordable great red wine.”

Personally, I think that the whole concept behind it of the 19 crimes that used to get you sent to Australia is quite brilliant. Imagine leaving England for poaching fish out of ponds, or even worse, impersonating an Egyptian! 19 Crimes is yours for $17.50.

Let’s move on to that gloriously beautiful country called Chile and a blend of 7 per cent syrah, 45 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 3 per cent cabernet franc, 25 per cent merlot and 20 per cent carmenere, called simply Red Blend 2013, from Veramonte.

One could understandably wonder what you might get for $15.50 a bottle, but do not let that worry you at all. It is complex and well structured with raspberry, blackberry, cherry, blackcurrant, chocolate and a hint of ginger and other spices.

Primal Roots, from California, takes advantage of merlot, syrah and zinfandel working together in harmony.

The merlot gives us raspberry, redcurrants and mocha; syrah adds deep purple, silky texture and structure and the zinfandel finishes it all with black cherry, clove, wild blackberry and a soft richness. $12.80 puts it in the Monday to Thursday night category, or why not weekends if you are so inclined?

I plead guilty of initially being a little suspicious of the new wave of reds that I had been reading about, but a chance encounter changed all that.

I was chatting with a younger member of our extended Robinson clan who told me about a wine that he had recently enjoyed while visiting Canada.

He went back the next day to buy more and the store had none left. The owner explained that it was difficult to keep in stock due to high demand.

So it was that I heard about the granddaddy of our modern blends called Apothic Red and it is from California. It gets its boldness from zinfandel, syrah, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and a touch of other varieties.

There are dark fruit flavours, spicy notes and a very soft-mouth feel. Blueberries, hints of black cherry, vanilla and mocha are also there. For $17.40 I would say get the hamburgers on the grill and be prepared to thoroughly enjoy yourself.

• This column is a paid-for advertorial for Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. Michael Robinson is Director of Wine at Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. He can be contacted at mrobinson@bll.bm or 295-0176. Burrows Lightbourn has stores in Hamilton (Front Street East, 295-1554), Paget (Harbour Road, 236-0355) and St George’s (York Street, 297-0409). A selection of their wines, beers and spirits is available online at www.wineonline.bm