White wines

Best buy
Exquisite Clare Valley Riesling, Australia 2017 (£6.99, Aldi)
One of a handful of Aldi wines that are genuinely remarkable for the price, this is classic dry, brisk Australian riesling with that trademark generous squeeze of tangy lemon and lime that aligns so well with the mint and coriander of a Vietnamese-style salad.

Ai Galera Mistico, Tejo, Portugal 2017 (£6.99, cheerswinemerchants.co.uk; henningswine.co.uk; noblegreenwines.co.uk)
A blend of local varieties verdelho and fernão pires from the Tejo region south of Lisbon, this is just the kind of thing for a picnic or party, a breezy, light tropical-fruit salad of a dry white with an easy-drinking softness of texture and perky acidity.

Extra Special Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy 2017 (£7.78, Asda)
Generally speaking, it’s the reds that get the attention in Tuscany, but this dry white made from the vernaccia grape in picture-postcard Chiantishire hill town San Gimignano has an effortless crisp apple and lemon freshness and subtle nutty savouriness,

Tesco Finest Greco Beneventano, Campania, Italy 2016 (£9, Tesco)
With a ripple of fluent acidity, a sprinkling of fresh dill-like herb and fennel and a streak of pithy lemon and orange, this scintillating dry white by the excellent Feudi di San Gregorio is perfect for herb-laden fish dishes or imagining yourself on a Mediterranean restaurant terrace.

Thymiopoulos Malagouzia, Imathia, Greece 2017 (£10, Marks & Spencer)
A leader of the Greek winemaking new wave, Apostolos Thymiopoulos here turns his attention to the peach-fleshy, acacia and herb-scented charms of the malagouzia grape, freshened by a dollop of lemony assyrtiko for a fragrant, juicy food-friendly all-rounder.

Pazo Tizón, Ribeiro, Spain 2017 (£14.99, or £12.99 as part of a mixed case of six, majestic.co.uk, from July)
Cooled by Atlantic breezes, Galicia is the home of many of Spain’s best and freshest shellfish-compatible white wines, and this blend of local varieties from the Ribeiro sub-region combines stone fruit succulence with blossom, herb salty-minerals and invigorating acidity.

Domaine Cauhapé Geyser, Jurançon, France 2016 (£13.95, thewinesociety.com)
Made from local varieties led by the mansengs (petit and gros) in the foothills of the Pyrenees, this concentrated but taut mix of nervy, cleansing acidity with tropical fruit and a fleck of honey is equally at home with white meat and tangy cheeses.

Alphonse Mellot Le Manoir Sancerre, France 2016 (£21.99, Waitrose)
The pricey sauvignon blancs of Sancerre sometimes fail to meet expectations but this is a seriously fine example from Alphonse Mellot, partly fermented in oak to bring extra texture and a hint of savoury toastiness to go with tongue-tingling grapefruit, elderflower and blackcurrant leaf.

Reds and rosés

The Saviour Cinsault, Swartland, South Africa 2017 (£5.75, Morrisons)
The southern French workhorse grape cinsault has become a real favourite for Cape winemakers, who use it, as Riebeek Cellars have here, to make wines that are full of supple red-fruited refreshment while staying robust enough for grilled meat and barbies.

Domaine des Ormes Saumur Rouge, France 2015 (£7.49, Co-op)
Loire cabernet franc is the quintessential summer wine, and this is a quintessential example: from an excellent vintage, it has the crunch and snap of just-ripe raspberries and blackcurrants with leafy freshness, pencil lead shading and coursing acidity to match salmon or minute steak.

La Petite Laurette de Midi Rosé, IGP Pays d’Oc, France 2017 (£7.99, Co-op)
Provence no longer has the monopoly on quality pale, southern French pinks, with this well-priced take on the style, made using a similar mix of grape varieties, hailing from further west in the Languedoc, but offering all of that pristine pastel-shaded, strawberry-scented charm.

Johann Wolf Pinot Noir, Pfalz, Germany 2016 (£9.99, Waitrose)
German pinot noir has improved massively in recent years, with its top estates rivalling burgundy for complexity. This brisk, crisp, chillable example is equivalent to a burgundian village wine, with an easy generosity of cherries and red berries, bright acidity and subtle spice.

Bodegas Aroa Le Naturel, Navarra, Spain 2017 (£11.99 or £9.99 as part of a mixed case of six bottles, majestic.co.uk)
A first natural wine (ie it’s made with minimal sulphur, natural yeast and organic vines) for Majestic, but what’s more important is the sheer joyful juiciness of the finger-staining bramble berries in this thirst-quenching garnacha-based blend from northern Spain.

Best buy
The Party Malbec, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina 2017 (£14, Marks & Spencer)
Made by rising star Argentinian winemaker Matias Riccitelli, this is a superb modern malbec, made in a pure, unoaked style that emphasises black cherry fruit succulence and violet-floral fragrance without stinting on the variety’s trademark, red meat-friendly lushness.

Domaine de Grandpré Minotaure, Côtes de Provence Rosé, France 2017 (£14.50, nywines.co.uk; thesampler.co.uk)
With its soft but penetrating acidity, its pastel wash of raspberry and redcurrant fruit, its creamy mouthfilling texture and its long, subtly mineral finish this is classic, elegant, perfectly proportioned provençal rosé, one for serving with a salade niçoise or a tuna steak.

Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosato, Italy 2017 (from £15.95, hailshamcellars.co.uk; philglas-swiggot.com; tannico.co.uk)
“The Platonic ideal” of rosé is the “body of a white wine and the soul of a red” according to Terre Nere winemaker Marco de Grazia. He achieves that here in a Sicilian pink with grip and savoury interest as well as delicious cherry and strawberry fruit and piercing acidity.

Sparkling wines

Forget Me Not Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, Slovenia NV (£9.99, Lidl)
Most sparkling sauvignon blanc tastes like a pungent still wine has been sweetened and put in a Soda Stream. This Slovenian is different: there’s a trace of the variety’s elderflower character, but it’s much more restrained, in a bright, brisk, crisp and racy summer fizz.

Frassinelli Prosecco Extra Dry Conegliano Valdobbiadene, Italy NV (from £10.99, theministryofdrinks.co.uk; nywines.co.uk; bottleapostle.com)
An utterly delightful, delicate prosecco that’s a cut above the mass-market usual with its pretty notes of white flowers, its deliciously pure fresh pear and its graceful, dancing acidity. With a touch of sweetness, it works very well with strawberries and cream or light, not-too-sweet sorbets.

Albet i Noya Petit Albet Brut, Penedès, Spain 2014 (£12.75, vintageroots.co.uk)
A cava in all but name (it’s labeled with the region of production instead), and a very charming one at that, made with the traditional trio of local grape varieties, it’s a bright, youthful mix of tangy orchard fruitiness, floral and herbal notes and soft lively mousse.

Best buy
R&L Legras Blanc de Blancs Brut Grand Cru Champagne, France NV (£31.50, or £29.50 as part of a case of six bottles, leaandsandeman.co.uk)
Made entirely from chardonnay grapes grown in the justly celebrated grand cru-rated village of Chouilly, this is one of the best-value champagnes around, with a laser-guided clarity and luminous brightness of citrussy flavour that means it’s ideal for summer refreshment.