This week I picked up three bottles of red for the same price as a Ryanair flight. Each cost £5 or less and all were on special offer. The question is, are they any good? Or has my attempt at being a frugal dougal been a waste of time? I will endeavour to be a good student and do my homework this week.

So the three bottles are:

1) Bodegas Age, Rioja 2008 - Marks & Spencer £4.32

Made from Tempranillo this wine is billed as young and fruity, with a fresh strawberry character.

2) Castillo de Calatrava Reserva 2001 - Sainsburys £3.99

The oldest and cheapest of the bunch, this is also made from the Tempranillo grape. But this time from La Mancha, the hot central Spanish plain, south of Madrid. The environment is harsh here, but this wine is an award winner, having picked up medals at the International Wine & Spirit Competition and the Decanter World Wine Awards. So it promises much.

3) Era Costana, Rioja Crianza 2006 - Sainburys £5.00

Another Rioja, this time a Crianza which means it has spent at least twelve months ageing in oak barrels and a further year in bottle. This too was a medal winner at International Wine & Spirit Competition and is a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo (Carignan) and the indigenous grape Graciano (Monastrell).

So three different prices, three different years.

Results later this week!