FANCY popping down to the cellar, to try a bit of S and M? Forgive the double entendre, but it does make an easy introduction, for this week’s selection of wines.

I have been racking my brains, trying to find an excuse to write about shiraz again. Shiraz, or syrah if you want to sound French, is one of my preferred varietals. I’m probably guilty of writing about it too much.

Of course I’ve come up with justification, for yet more shiraz shenanigans. Yes, it’s great as a single varietal, but it’s just as good a blending partner. So here are three examples of the grape with a twist, or at least, three wines where shiraz is the key player but not the only one.

Currently on offer at Waitrose, is See Saw S&M Shiraz Mourvèdre 2009. Made with fruit from both the Hunter Valley and the Barossa in Oz, this is a juicy, smoky, compote of blackcurrant, bramble, black pepper and vanilla. With supple tannins and a good lick of acidity, it will pair well with anything meaty off the barbie.

If you think that all Aussie reds are blockbuster fruit-bombs with too much alcohol, try The Pioneer 2008. A blend of shiraz with cabernet sauvignon and sangiovese, it has elegance and a relatively low, 13 per cent abv. In fact it is quite Old World in style. Medium bodied and balanced, it suggests flavours of raspberry, cherry and blackcurrant, with chocolate and a hint of tobacco. It would be just right with the Sunday roast.

Or for a Chilean take on the S and M theme, try Etnico Reserve Syrah Malbec 2009. Bold and structured, the malbec component is quite evident in this blend, from the Colchagua Valley. It’s big on pepper and toasted oak notes, which sit nicely with cassis, blackberry, raspberry and violet flavours. Do I even need to mention steak?

• See Saw S&M Shiraz Mourvèdre 2009, £6.74 until August 16 at Waitrose 18/20

• The Pioneer 2008, £8.99 at Virgin Wines (virginwines.co.uk) 18/20

• Etnico Reserve Syrah Malbec 2009, £9.99 at Virgin Wines (virginwines.co.uk) 18/20

• If you think the recommendations in this column are too expensive, let me put things in to perspective. Earlier this week a new Guinness World Record was set, for the world’s most valuable bottle of wine. The bottle, an 1811 Château d’Yquem, went for £75,000 at an auction in London. I reckon that works out at about £12,500 a glass!