FRENCH Connection, awarded the "brand creation of the year" accolade in the International Wine Challenge 2004, has forged an ongoing partnership with the Royal British Legion that's raised é30,000 for the ex-service charity in the past year.

The range of modern, accessibly fruity wines, made in the south of France, bear a poppy on the label and every bottle sold brings a donation to the charity. They are particularly worth seeking out - but easy to find on all leading supermarket and off licence shelves - at this time of the year with Remembrance Day, November 11, so close.

French Connection Reserve Chardonnay (é4.99) is crisp, dry and elegant, chock-full of ripe apricot and melon fruit and sporting a long, zesty finish. French Connection Reserve Merlot offers rich, juicy plum and red berry flavours in a smooth, velvety and complex package. The range also includes Sauvignon Blanc-Grenache, Shiraz-Grenache (both é4.29) and Classic Cotes du Rhone (é4.99).

FANS of authentic Spanish cooking should look out for special neck collars on bottles of Britain's most popular Rioja between now and Christmas, giving details of how to obtain free 28-page colour cookery books: Faustino: Food & Wine from Rioja.

Easily recognised by its old-style frosted bottles, gold wire netting and grand master portraits on its labels, Faustino is synonymous with the traditional style of Rioja. Indeed Faustino I Gran Reserva 1995 (widely available, é13.49-é14.99) is what this classic red is all about; the blend of mainly tempranillo with graziano and mazuelo grapes, aged for at least 2é years in American and French oak and four years in bottle, produces a wine redolent of ripe strawberries with hints of tobacco and spice with gorgeous elegance and great length and finish.

White Rioja has lightened up considerably over recent years and established a much fresher, livelier style. Faustino V White Crianza 2000 (Safeway/Morrison's, Tesco/House of Fraser, é5.99-é6.49), made from the viura and aged in American oak for six months, reveals smooth, textured lemony fruit with delicately spicy overtones.

GERMAN wines fell out of favour when the pile 'em high, sell 'em cheap philosophy went a step too far and quality - at the bottom end - suffered commensurately. It proved to be catastrophic for the German industry as a whole and even wines of undoubted class proved difficult to sell.

Recovery is well under way with styles becoming drier, labels becoming less complicated and memories fading. Now it's even possible to get a very good German wine and not pay very much for it. Aldi's St Gisbertus Riesling 2003 Mosel-Saar Ruwer sports attractively crisp, fresh apple fruit with a genuine riesling aroma and a very appealing price tag of just é2.99.

The discount supermarket has just introduced a bargain red too - Salice Salentino Riserva 2000, from Puglia in the "heel of Italy".

There's ample black cherry fruit on the palate with a touch of stone bitterness and warming spice that'll go well with an autumn casserole and the price is right at é3.49.