THE Co-op is having a Bonanza. I was half expecting to hear that staff would be wearing Stetson hats and pushing promotions on T-bone steaks.

Instead, the Co-op is having a wine bonanza, which starts on Monday. There are a number of wines at half price. This week I'm putting three of these to the Tipping's Tipples test.

There's a not bad bottle of bargain fizz to start. Marques De Monistrol 1999 vintage cava is dry and quite light; it's at the offer price of £3.99. There are hints of pear and crisp green apple amongst all those bubbles. This cava is an adequate performer and very good value at the mark down price.

The fashion police have decreed that we can all start drinking ros wines again. With that in mind, I've picked out a bottle of Isla Negra Merlot Rose 2003 from that list of Co-op half pricers. It's available for £2.99 during the promotion and would make an ideal bottle to take to a barbecue.

This Chilean offering has something approaching a shocking pink colour. It's refreshing and fruity, with raspberry, strawberry and plum notes. Summer night stuff, if ever I tasted it.

The last of the Co-op trio I tried comes from the evocatively-named Aviator Vineyard in Australia's Barossa region. The 2002 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is full bodied and full flavoured with cherries, cassis and a hint of Kenyan coffee. It's well balanced with soft tannins and a nice amount of oak. Normally £7.99, this wine is going for £3.99 a bottle during the promotion, which ends on the July 12. Go and buy some.

Regular readers of Tipping's Tipples may note the disproportionately large amounts of Aussie reds that I sample. I'm keen to put the record straight here, in case some of you believe that I'm showing undue bias. It's true, I am biased but it's not undue.

Marques De Monistrol 1999 Vintage Cava, £3.99 from £7.99 ***

Isla Negra Merlot Rose 2003, £2.99 from £5.99 ***

Aviator Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2002. £3.99 from £7.99 ****

Updated: 08:36 Saturday, June 19, 2004