London, Aug 15 : A wine bottle costing less than 3 pounds has pipped 300 other contenders to become the cheapest ever to win a medal in an international contest.

Asda's Portuguese rose, priced at 2.98 pounds, was appreciated well by judges at the Decanter magazine world wine awards.

It scored above other entries in the Portuguese wines category, with judges going gaga about its "lively and lightly spritzy" character.

Decanter tastings director Christelle Guibert said many supermarket wines priced less than a fiver had done very well this year.

The Daily Express quoted her as saying: "Cheap wine is getting better, definitely." (ANI)