If I had only one wish it would be this: that I might exchange my face that speaks a thousand words for something altogether more — or rather — less expressive.

I seem to have found myself on a circuit of evenings out that have seen me presented with a bottle of wine “that our friends from England, who now live in the South of France/Portugal/New Zealand have made”.

There are a significant number of very gifted ex-pats making delicious wines, but experience has taught me not to be overly optimistic. So, when I was poured a glass of 2006 Beaujolais Cru (with a label that looked like it had been drawn by some four-year-old relative) the other week, I had little cause for excitement.

The wine was cloudy and had taken on a distinctly brown hue. Aromatically it was pretty flat and, yet, I could not stop swirling the wretched glass.

Please, oh please, thought I, let me find something encouraging and nice about it. A dozen pairs of eyes were focused on my every swirl and sniff and I could procrastinate no longer.

I took a sip. I even swirled awhile whilst casting my eyes feverishly for somewhere to jettison it but it was futile; I was cornered. I swallowed. “So, how was it . . . good? We hope you like it, we’ve a few cases.”

I promise I was trying really hard but clearly the fruitless mouthful of acidity I had just swallowed had led me to pucker my lips like a drawstring pouch. My nose — clearly working independently of my wanting-to-be-generous brain — definitely wrinkled and, worst of all, I could feel myself start to blush and little drops of perspiration form on my brow.

It was like telling a five-year-old that their pet goldfish had been eaten by the cat. No matter how good a verbal spin I put on things, my expression said it all. The bottle vanished and was replaced with something entirely different. Oh dear.

So, here is my thinking. Just as children have imaginary friends, can we please all start to pretend the wine on the table is the product of your old buddies from just round the corner. I am going to help even further by giving you some seriously delicious wines that are made by some of our finest home-grown talent.

Château Maris Vieilles Vignes 2008 Minervois Cru La Livinière is a deliciously concentrated red made from predominantly Syrah vines. Hearty, yet elegant, it is a top BBQ choice (£11.39 www.waitrosewine.com). Made by Englishman, Bertie Eden.

Sweet wine lovers will be hard-pushed to find a more delicious and competitively-priced Saussignac than the Coup de Coeur 2005 (£18.50 www.vintageroots.co.uk) that is the work of Richard Doughty. It is a triumphant combination of caramel and nut-topped citrus fruits.

Yorkshireman Andrew Hedley makes some of the very best wines in New Zealand’s Marlborough and if I had to choose just one white wine to see me through the rest of the summer then it would be his passion-fruit-driven Framingham Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (£9.95 from www.slurp.co.uk) I can guarantee you that each and every one will bring the broadest of smiles to my face.