I have to confess to being something of a traditionalist when it comes to wine. Reds in winter, whites in summer and never the twain shall meet.

So you can imagine my reaction when I was asked to sample two new summer wines, perfect for the barbeque season. The weather did little to help, as no sooner had I dusted off the barbeque than the heavens opened. Perhaps it was a sign not to mess with tradition but I cannot allow superstition come between me and a good wine.

Dark Horse is an excellent name for these wines as it does seem to be a rather well- kept secret and at around £8.50 a bottle, frankly they are a bit of a steal. Both bottles have satisfyingly deep punts (the dimple at the base of the bottle) making pouring a pleasure.

I loved the Californian Sauvignon Blanc with its crisp citrus flavour, hints of grapefruit and a refreshing clean finish reminiscent of the popular New Zealand wines perfect with a summer salad or grilled fish and very affordable for those of us who enjoy a glass or two sitting in the garden on a warm summer’s day. With its screw top this would definitely be my first choice of picnic wine.

Still smacking my lips over the white it was time to turn my attention to the Dark Horse Merlot. This was no light weight, it had guts and was robust, dark and jammy, with sophisticated flavour notes. I could imagine it being paired it with the mouth-watering richness of barbecued ribs and to be honest if you like your red to have bite you will love this whatever is on the table. However, I can’t help thinking that it needed time to open out and I would be tempted to decant this wine an hour before I wanted to drink it. I also wondered how it would taste lightly chilled.

So forget tradition these are definitely two dark horses well worth a punt.

Dark Horse Californian Sauvignon Blanc & Dark Horse Merlot  available nationwide. £8.50 each RRP