BEST WINES FOR GARDEN PARTIES
2009 Mas Oller Mar, DO Empordà, Spain (£11.99)
A floral treat with honeysuckle and apple blossom from a tiny region in Catalonia between the Mediterranean coast and the foothills of the Spanish Pyrenées. Virgin Wines (0845 543 8864; www.virginwines.com)
2008 Chablis, Christian Moreau Père et Fils (£14.25)
This could easily be mistaken for a premier cru and, served ice-cold, has more than enough gravitas to handle a range of canapés, too. Haynes, Hanson & Clark (020-7584 7927; www.hhandc.co.uk)
2009 Apremont Les Rocailles Vin de Savoie, France (£8.49)
It's rare to see Savoie wines on English shelves, so this is a real treat. It has a lovely orchard-fruit perfume and a crisp, fresh finish. Waitrose
Seppeltsfield Para 21-yearold Tawny, Australia (£19)
A slightly lighter and fresher style than the traditional Tawny ports, Para 21 year old is perfectly suited to strawberry jams and Cornish clotted-cream teas. Planet of the Grapes (020-7929 7224; www.planetofthegrapes.co.uk)
2009 Domaine Saparale Rosé Vin de Corse, Sartène, Corsica (£11.75)
A wonderful colour with subtle notes of summer berries, a hint of minerality and a fragrant finish. Yapp Brothers (01747 860423; www.yapp.co.uk)
2009 Sauvignon Blanc Le Zuccole Puiatti, Friuli, Italy (£12.85)
This Sauvignon Blanc from cool northern Italy is wonderful. Le Zuccole has lime and pear notes with a hint of chalky limestone. Slurp.co.uk (08445 445464; www.slurp.co.uk)
2009 Château St Baillon Réserve du Château, Côtes de Provence Rosé, France (£9.01 per bottle, magums £19.98 or double magnums £52.88)
This is a rosé that melts your heart with its petal-pink hue. The fresh, thirst-quenching nectar features notes of ripe watermelons, cranberries and summer fruit. Goedhuis & Co (020-7793 7900; www.goedhuis.com) 2009 Los Vilos Cabernet
Sauvignon, Central Valley, Chile (£5.70)
Supple tannins, notes of blackcurrant and a cool finish. A versatile and refreshing red wine, ideally poured slightly chilled with roast-beef sandwiches. Haynes, Hanson & Clark (as before)
BEST WINES FOR BARBECUES
2007 Bourgogne Rouge Pinot Noir Domaine Des Maréchaudes, Burgundy, France (£9.99)
Clean and soft with a lively centre of juicy red fruits- perfect for garden dinners of spare ribs and lamb fillets threaded on rosemary. Oddbins (0800 328 2323; www.oddbins.com)
2006 Musella Valpolicella Superiore, Veneto, Italy (£11.99)
Italian reds complement tomato-based or sweet-and-sour marinades. This is a classic blend of Corvina and Rondinella. Virgin Wines (as before)
Château de Sours Rosé, Bordeaux (£9.99)
This shade of pink is spot on with summery flavours, with its flinty minerality and dry finish. Delicious with grilled prawns or veal chops. Goedhuis & Co (as before)
2008 Pazo Señorans Albariño, DO Galicia, Spain (£14.49)
Best ice-cold with barbecued seafood, it's a medley of peach and pear fruit with flecks of citrus. Virgin Wines (as before)
2007 Château Unang, Côtes du Ventoux, France (£8.33)
The truffley nose on this Grenache, Carignan and Syrah blend is typical of the Ventoux, tinged with liquorice and black cherries. Perfect with fillet steaks and Jersey Royals. Hicks & Don (01747 824292; www.hicksanddon.com)
2007 Domaine Filliatreau Saumur Champigny Vieilles Vignes, Loire, France (£14.50)
Loire Cabernet Franc has a natural affinity for barbecues. Try it with anything cooked with a Tandoor influence. If it's balmy out, chill it for 10 minutes in an ice bucket. Yapp Brothers (as before)
2007 Errazuriz Single Vineyard Carmenère, Chile (£14.99)
This reminds me of the joys of well-crafted Carmenère and its twisting, savoury sous bois notes and autumnal forest fruits. Great with a hog roast or a paprikabased marinated pork chop. Stone, Vine & Sun (01962 712351; www.stonevine.co.uk)
2007 Alsace Riesling Vieilles Vignes (£8.99)
This old-vine Riesling is from Turckheim, one of the top Alsace co-operatives. It has texture adding to the lime blossom and slate core. One for grilled vegetables with Haloumi cheese, but is also a perfect partner for shellfish. Sainsbury's
BEST WINES FOR PICNICS - SCREWCAP ESSENTIAL
2009 Wither Hills Pinot Gris, Wairau Valley, New Zealand (£9.99)
The quince and pear notes are underpinned by a fine backbone of acidity. Great for Coronation chicken or dressed crab, but test it with terrine and watch it blossom. Waitrose
2009 Camel Valley Bacchus, Cornwall, England (£10.99)
Bacchus, England's heroic grape variety, seems to enjoy our cooler climate and retains fine acidity balanced against notes of elderflower and gooseberries. At its best with a crisp green garden salad. Waitrose
2009 Stone Rock Sauvignon Blanc, Entre deux Mers, France (£7.99)
A clean, verdant white with gravelly notes. It's great value and a match with asparagus and goat's cheese. Oddbins(as before)
2009 St Hallett, Gamekeeper's Reserve, South Australia (£7.99)
The secret ingredient here is a dash of the Barossa-grown Portuguese variety Touriga Nacional into the final blend of Syrah and Grenache. Try it with sausages or cooked ham. Sainsbury's, Waitrose
2008 Yalumba, The Scribbler Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz, Barossa Valley, SouthAustralia (£9.99)
A display of Cabernet's perfume of juicy blackcurrants. The Shiraz brings savoury granite and blackolive seasoning, which balancesthe ripe fruit, and it finishes with fine dusty tannins and a pinch of menthol eucalyptus. A wine for carnivores, but will also be a knockout with a ploughman's. Oddbins, Noel Young Wines (01223 566744; www.nywines.co.uk)
2007 Babich Syrah, Gimblett Gravels, New Zealand (£8.44)
With peaty, blueberry undertones and a dark inky concentration, this is the ultimate red to sip drowsily on a picnic rug in the shade, accompanied by a range of French cheeses. Tesco 2009
Domain Begude Pinot Rosé, Limoux, France (£7.49)
This is a different style to the Provence rosés-with more colour and concentration, it's the ultimate solution to the red or white wine dilemma. With fragrant Morello cherry notes and a hint of redcurrants, this dry wine is delicious with charcuterie or on its own as an aperitif. Majestic Wine (01923 298200; www.majestic.co.uk)
2008 Craggy Range Zebra Vineyard Pinot Noir, Central Otago (£17.49 or £13.99 if you buy two NZ wines)
An elegant Pinot that gives the traditional French wines a run for their money. Treat this as you would a fine premier cru Burgundy-one to impress guests with at Glyndebourne or bring out for a special occasion. Majestic Wine (as before)
BEST SUMMER FIZZ
2007 Camel Valley ‘Cornwall' Brut, England (£19.95)
Hooray for our new national tipple-English sparkling wines. An elegant blend of Seyval Blanc and Reichensteiner, Camel Valley has a faint whiff redolent of a pear orchard with a long and refreshing finish. Camel Valley (01208 77959; www.camelvalley.com)
NV Puiatti Blanc de Blancs Brut, Friuli, Italy (£15.95)
A sparkling Chardonnay from Giovanni Piuatti that has an appealing gritty texture, a crisp, citrus zestiness on the palate and a silken, honeydew-melon finish. www.slurp.co.uk (0844 544 5464)
NV Jansz Premium Rosé, Tasmania, Australia (£11.99)
A summer-scented, wild-berry and lavender-imbued sparkler. Light and summery. Selfridges, Cambridge Wine Merchants (01223 568993; www.cambridgewine.com)
NV Bollinger Rosé, Champagne (£59)
This is such a serious wine that it's hard to find words to describe its ethereal nature. The austere minerality and crunchy red fruits gently reveal themselves in a glittering, graceful vision of elegance. Waitrose
NV Aubry Brut,Champagne (£24.95)This is a deliciously sumptuous blend of all three of the Champagne varieties-the lemony core is softened by a gentle roll of bubbles and it's refreshingly dry, with interesting notes of raspberry and vanilla. A great house Champagne. Hanford Wines (020-7581 2983; www.hanford.net)
2004 Taste the Difference Vintage Champagne (£19.99)
It's nearly impossible to find vintage Champagne for under £20, so hurrah-here it is! This toasted-nut and brioche fizz has the perfect balance of fruit and dusty minerality. Invest in a few bottles as this will only improve with a few more years, and will become the ultimate summer treat.
Sainsbury's
Top 30 wines for summer
Friday, 25 June 2010
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