These red wines are on offer at Waitrose, in Newport, Shropshire.

There was a time in the dim and distant past when wines were classified by the regions of the world. European wines were, for instance, known as Bordeaux or Chianti, while non-European wines were classified by grape type, such as Merlot or Pinot Noir.

That has long since changed. Today, plenty of non-European locales exist, including NappaValley, in California; Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough, in New Zealand; Central Valley, in Chile and Barossa Valley and Hunter Valley, in Australia.

The Barossa Valley is a major wine-producing region and tourist destination located 60km north east of Adelaide, in south Australia. The many hectares of vineyard are the most distinctive feature of the area and the success of the wine industry has historically been celebrated every two years with a week-long festival.

Waitrose, at Newport, are celebrating with their Peter Lehmann Shiraz 2005, from the Barossa Valley, which is on sale in September for £6.36, a 25% reduction on the normal £8.49. The vintage has dark chocolate on the nose with a superb depth of fruit on the middle palete reined in by fine chalky tannins on the finish.

It’s a great partner for beef, full flavoured meat and poultry dishes, Indian curries and fine chocolates. Expect cherry, tobacco and earthy spice flavours.

There are other great red wines on offer at Waitrose, in Newport, throughout the month. Georges Duboeuf 2007 Chiroubles, Beaujolais, Burgundy, is down from £8.99 to £6.99.

It’s a lovely Cru Beaujolais from the lesser known village of Chiroubles. It’s packed full of summer fruit flavours, making it ready to enjoy now, yet its supple, silky tannins will enable it to develop gracefully over the year. It’s perfect as an aperitif or with meaty fish, such as salmon or tuna

Wild Rock Gravel Pit, Merlot/Malbec 2007  Gimblett Gravels, from Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, is a great example of a classic regional wine. It’s on offer at Waitrose at £7.99, down from £9.99.

The vintage is a warm, deeply coloured Merlot / Malbec blend from the Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay. It is a full bodied, mouth filling superb red showing notes of ripe, concentrated plummy fruit, sweet vanilla and coconut hints, and a long satisfying finish. Enjoy with barbecued swordfish.

The Waitrose Reserve Shiraz, St Hallet 2006 Barossa Valley, meanwhile, is another stunner from South Australia, on offer now at £5.99, from £8.99.

It’s a vibrant and rich red made from 100% Shiraz grapes by Waitrose in partnership with Barossa Valley winery St Hallett.

It has ripe red and black fruit flavours, hints of spice and a smooth chocolately, oaky finish.

Heading back to Europe, the Chateau Tour Chapoux 2006 Bordeaux, from France, is on offer at £5.99 from £8.99.

It’s a fruity and fresh red Bordeaux that’s an excellent food wine. A delightful claret with a medium-to-full body showing aromas and flavours of cherry and plum with a refreshing finish, it’s made from predominately Merlot with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It is an excellent ‘luncheon claret’, matching roasts, hard cheese and pate.

Finally, Cono Sur Merlot Reserve 2007  Colchagua Valley is a delightful vintage from Chile.

It’s a great bottle from the consistently brilliant Cono Sur team. A little Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah fill out the sweet plummy Merlot fruit, aged gracefully in new oak barrels. Shows its best when decanted an hour or so before drinking. Best matched with roast beef or osso buco. It’s on offer presently at £5.99 from £7.99.