Mike Tipping flushes up red before and after a wine-tasting in a York community centre.

I make a habit of embarrassing myself. I dislocated my right kneecap after a disco dancing accident, when I was 18.

I had slipped on beer spilled on the dancefloor. Another time a new girlfriend had persuaded me to visit her local folk club. I'd have enjoyed All Around My Hat a lot more had I not knocked over the guest singer's guitar on the way to the bar.

It's fair to say my late arrival at a wine tasting last Saturday made my face go red.

I had assumed I was attending a stroll around do but it turned out to be more formal than that. It was a sit down, guided wine tasting and I felt like a schoolboy walking in late for lessons. Although I've never seen 40 or so pupils look so eager to learn. Or for that matter met teachers as welcoming and accepting of my tardiness as the hosts for the evening, Andy Clarke and John Hattam.

Part-time wine merchants John and Andy run HC Wines. During the day Andy is a consultant pathologist while John was, until recently, a sales director.

Their wine list is heavily Languedoc orientated, which is no bad thing in my book. Other parts of France, New Zealand, Spain and Italy are represented too.

Here are handful that receive the Tipping's Tipples seal of approval.

If you must drink pinot grigio (I've never quite understood why people do) then Italia Pinot Grigio 2004 should hit the spot. Very crisp and almost colourless, this example has gossamer layers of pear, apple and lime fruit with a little spice and nuts to finish.

The dark skinned southern Italian negroamaro grape produces powerful, rustic red wines. Italia Negroamoro 2002 is quite simply a great barbecue wine, with prickly, spicy, herb infused blackberry fruit and a touch of oak.

Two whites from the oddly named New Zealand producer Craggy Range caught my attention.

Craggy Range Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2004 shows more subtlety than most. With its restrained perfume and lingering complex minerals and fruit. I might have guessed the grape but not the region, it's more like French than Kiwi sauvignon.

Better still the wonderful depth of mineral notes and fruit present in Craggy Range Riesling 2004.

This wine takes on extra complexity from being aged sur lie. A single vineyard example, from the Martinborough Region, it is already beginning to exhibit the characteristic kerosene aromas of a more mature riesling.

Top pick for me was a gloriously ripe red from the Faugeres appellation in the Languedoc. Moulin de Ciffre Faugeres Eole 2002 is an inky-textured blend of syrah, grenache, mourvedre, carrignan and cinsault. This purple hued wine has a terrific tannic structure, complex fruit (lots of plums) and it finishes nicely with a good dusting of cocoa.

I left in the same way as I came in, through the side door at Heworth Without Community Centre. Once again ruddy in complexion, but no longer because of embarrassment.

HC Wines sell by the case which can be mixed and hold occasional tastings. Contact John and Andy for more details on 01904 421345 or 01904 422455 respectively or email john@hcwines.co.uk or andy@hcwines.co.uk

Tipping's top tippling tips

Italia Pinot Grigio 2004, £5.50 from HC Wines. 16/20

Italia Negroamoro 2002, £4.95 from HC Wines. 16/20

Craggy Range Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2004, £9.95 from HC Wines. 16/20

Craggy Range Riesling 2004, £9.95 from HC Wines. 17/20

Moulin de Ciffre Faugeres Eole 2002, £8.95 from HC Wines. 18/20

Updated: 15:34 Monday, May 16, 2005