Sainsbury's Claret

In my opinion most of the triumphs in the wine world are French; however I have also been of the opinion for a long time that there isn't much worth drinking from France that costs less than a tenner let alone less than a fiver. This wine costs barely half that at £2.54. I approached this wine with some trepidation, expecting the sort of plonk I often encountered in the past on a limited budget.
Claret is a term long used by the English wine trade of Bordeaux wine in general. The area actually comprises many different appellations with widely differing characteristics. There is little information on this bottle and the grapes used are not named. I was unable to distinguish any particular grape characteristics in the taste.
What does it taste like? Smells fairly neutral, first impression was of a light, quite fruity wine. It is a little thin in comparison with many contemporary wines, and is only 12% alcohol [many wines are13-14%]. This is no bad thing, as the lower alcohol level lets you appreciate the taste without the strength overwhelming it. The aftertaste is pleasant.
This is not a complex or subtle wine; it is a simple clean well made that is good value. It would be an acceptable accompaniment to most red meat dishes or cheese.