Charentais melon and Parma ham salad

2002 Danie de Wet Chardonnay, Robertson (£4.49, Safeway)

This refreshing Cape white is consistently one of the best sub-£5 Chardonnays on the market, with pure, unoaked, citrus-like fruit flavours and a tropical undertone.

Baked peppers

2001 Villa Wolf Pinot Gris, Pfalz (£5.99, Sainsbury's)

A German wine that would give an Alsace Pinot Gris at twice the price a run for its euros. This ripe, creamy, spicy, flavoursome dry white is a stunner.

Spiced, crumbed mackerel with smoked paprika

2001 Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina, Sannio (£8.99, Oddbins)

Not the easiest dish to match with wine, but try this weighty, perfumed, bone dry, peachy, Italian white from the countryside around Naples.

Sweet and sticky chicken wings

2002 Peter Lehmann Semillon, South Australia (£5.49, Tesco)

A Barossa Valley white that never lets you down, and which is pleasantly restrained by local standards, showing herby, lemon meringue-like flavours .

Stewed blackcurrants with cream and yoghurt

Banrock Sparkling Shiraz (£7.92, Asda)

A love-it-or-loathe-it style, this is a sweet, characterful, fizzy Aussie red with creamy, yet robust flavours of blackcurrants and plums.