Sparkling
Paul Mas Vinus Frisante, Languedoc, France
£8, Morrisons
A good tip for sparkling-wine lovers is to look to France but outside Champagne. This blend of chardonnay and picpoul comes from down south in the Languedoc region. Clean and fresh, it is ideal aperitif territory, delighting with a citrus kick and whistle-clean finish.
Taste the Difference Crémant de Loire, France
£11, Sainsbury’s
Crémant is what wine buffs in the know serve to friends. Lighter than champagne, it carries citrus notes, which make it a lovely wine to pour in the summer. This one is made by one of the oldest sparkling-wine producers, Bouvet Ladubay.
Lindauer Special Reserve Brut Cuvée NV, New Zealand
£14, Waitrose
For value-for-money, consistent, good-quality sparkling wine available at most multiple outlets, Lindauer is a go-to producer. Often found on promotion (this is £10.49 until the end of August), the Special Reserve dances across the tongue with enthralling red fruit.
2012 Vintage Cava, Spain
£15, Marks & Spencer
There may be hundreds of millions of bottles of Cava produced every year, but that’s not an excuse to turn your nose up at Spain’s sparkling wine. Here, aromas of lemon and apples mix with a toasty finish.
Egly-Ouriet Brut Tradition Grand Cru Ambonnay, Champagne, France
£53.50, Lea and Sandeman
Francis Egly is the fourth-generation head of this Champagne grower-producer, long a favourite of those with an eye for serious quality. A blend of 70% pinot noir and 30% chardonnay, the fruit has an attractive floral nose with a clean mineral streak. Very good indeed.
Rosé
2016 Domaine de Terrebrune Bandol Rosé, Provence, France
£24, AG Wines
This rosé is a blend of mourvèdre, grenache and cinsault. Fruit and spice give way to a wonderful freshness.
2015 La Vieille Ferme Rosé, Rhône, France
£7, Co-op
A bottle that’s very easy on the wallet. Made in France by the Perrin family, the same bunch that makes Miraval (featured here last month), this has a wonderful pink hue and appeals with featherweight red fruit and flickering acidity.
2016 Gris Blanc Rosé, Gérard Bertrand, Languedoc, France
£9.85, strictlywine.co.uk
A former international rugby player turned vigneron, Gérard Bertrand runs a large operation in the South of France. His rosé is light and delicate, with red-berry fruit and a savoury, spicy character.
2015 Jean-Luc Colombo Les Pins Couches Rosé, Rhône, France
£10, Oddbins
Made just outside Marseille, this rosé from Jean-Luc Colombo is a blend of syrah, cinsault and mourvèdre, which gives the wine a little more texture.
Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé Champagne, France
£34 for 37.5cl, Fortnum & Mason
Billecart-Salmon rosé is perfect in a half bottle. Pale pink in colour, with small bubbles and a delicate nose of red fruits and crisp citrus, it makes for a very special aperitif.
White
2016 Taste the Difference Côtes-du-Rhône White, France
£7, Sainsbury’s
A medley of five grape varieties including viognier and roussanne, Maison Gabriel Meffre’s blend has an immediate appeal, with floral and white fruit notes that give way to a soft, oaky texture.
2016 Green! Pepp Grüner Veltliner, Weinviertel, Austria
£8, the Wine Society
This falls into the glass with an almost silvery hue; made by Ewald Gruber in Austria, it is wonderfully fresh and has a delicious lime character and dry finish.
2016 Picpoul de Pinet, Baron de Badassiere, Languedoc, France
£8.50, Booths
No summer selection is complete without a glass of cool, crisp Picpoul de Pinet. Made in the far south of France, just west of Montpellier, where the wines are characterised by freshness and a racy citrus punch, this has a long, saline finish.
2016 Dourthe La Grande Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux, France
£9.50, Waitrose
Dourthe’s Grande Cuvée offers a great little taste of sauvignon blanc, produced in the world’s largest fine-wine region.
2016 Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine Les Gautronnières, Bonnet-Huteau, Loire, France
£11, Tanners
Those looking for a palate-cleansing, tangy white wine that pairs well with seafood should turn to Muscadet. Made from melon de bourgogne grapes, this wine is aged on its lees, meaning it has a little more weight and texture.
2016 Kozlovic Malvasia, Istria, Croatia
£13, corkingwines.co.uk
The region of Istria in Croatia is one corner of the wine route I have never visited, but I was struck by the quality of this delicate white. It has a deep yellow hue, pleasing savoury flavour and bone-dry finish.
2014 Domaine de la Pinte Arbois Chardonnay, Jura, France
£17, Marks & Spencer
Produced in the little-known Jura region in eastern France, this chardonnay is succulent and rich, with notes of delicate lemon and honey. A perfect foil for gravlax.
2016 Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
£18, Majestic
This is the thinking person’s New Zealand sauvignon blanc, with notes of lemon, elderflower and a slight smokiness, ending with the region’s trademark lift and refreshing acidity. Stick it in a bucket of ice and serve to your best friends.
Red
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2015 Torrebruna Primitivo, Puglia, Italy
£6, Co-op
This is a great little wine for £6 that leaps out of the glass with a vibrant dark-fruit character. Ideal for family barbecues where you have copious bowls of salad and more than enough meat to feed everyone.
Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon, Concha y Toro, Chile
£8.39, Waitrose
I’m always astonished at the consistency of this mass-produced red wine from one of Chile’s most famous labels. Until August 29 it is being sold for £6.29, which makes it a ludicrously good buy. Just enjoy it for its red-fruit, smooth, drinkable flavour.
2015 Eclat de Granite, Côte Roannaise, Domaine Sérol, Loire Valley, France
£9.50, the Wine Society
A good alternative to Beaujolais — made from the same grape variety, gamay — from an estate in the southern Loire Valley. It explodes with dark fruits, such as blackberry and cherry, and finishes with a powerful, spicy finish. Chill down slightly and serve with a cheeseboard.
2014 Cervoles Colors Negre, Costers del Segre, Spain
£9.50, the Wine Society
This oaky, fruity Rioja lookalike is made by one of Spain’s more forward-thinking wine estates, Tomas Cusine. Rich and spicy with notes of cedar and sumptuous fruit, it slips down well with a Sunday roast.
2016 Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages, France
£10.70, Booths
Beaujolais-Villages is an enormous step up from Nouveau. Made in one of the 38 villages dotted around the north of the region, it is soft and supple and has a glorious, easy-drinking style.
2015 Passimento, Pasqua, Italy
£12, Majestic
The grapes for this wine are first partially dried, so they lose 20%-30% of their weight before fermentation. Concentrated and dark in the glass, the wine bursts with ripe, red fruit, cherries and spicy notes. Switch off and enjoy.
2014 Ruberpan Valpolicella Superiore, Pieropan, Italy
£23, South Downs Cellars
Made from a blend that includes corvina and rondinella, Valpolicella should be in every discerning oenophile’s summer collection. This example from the Pieropan family falls into the glass with a lovely ruby hue, and has crisp red fruit with notes of cherry and spice.
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