Summer wines that simply won\'t let you down
summer,wine,drinks
123 beach wine flower
Don\'t chance it by going for the best looking bottle for under a fiver - our summer wine choices start from £4.99 and every one is fabulous. Click through the gallery to discover them...
By Jack Shamash
Gallo Family Vineyards White Zinfandel
summer,party tips,best buys,wine,drinks
pr Gallo White Zinfandel
Gallo do very drinkable wines and this Zinfandel has lovely flavours of watermelon and cherry. Zinfandel is a red grape but here the skins are removed to create a \'blush\' or \'White Zinfandel\'. Serve chilled, preferably in an ice bucket next to a sun-lounger.
Gallo Family Vineyards White Zinfandel, £5.79, most major supermarkets
Redwood Creek Merlot
summer,party tips,best buys,wine,drinks
pr Redwood creek merlot
Delicious, full bodied and extremely smooth. Top value. Full of cherry flavours. Ideal for long, warm afternoons and fine evenings.
Redwood Creek Merlot, £6.99 Tesco, Sainsbury, Morrisons and Threshers
Cava Codorniu Original Rosado
summer,party tips,best buys,wine,drinks
PR ROSADA
Rosé wines seem to be particularly popular this year. According to the industry, sales are up one third. As a result, we\'re getting more wines like this: a ripe, rich Cava. Lovely taste of cherries and vanilla.
Cava Codorniu Original Rosado, £10.99, Sainsburys
Champagne Philipponnat Brut Royale Reserve
summer,party tips,best buys,wine,drinks
Champagne Philipponnat Brut Royale Reserve
Absolutely wonderful classic Champagne. Lovely freshness, with a delightful body and firmness. Slight hints of black cherry and citrus. Worth every penny.
Champagne Philipponnat Brut Royale Reserve, £29.99, Oddbins and Selfridges
Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay 2007
summer,party tips,best buys,wine,drinks
pr Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay 2007
A fragrant wine with lovely citrus, tropical fruit flavours and a hint of oakiness. It manages to combine all this without being overpowering. Great value for money.
Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay 2007, £7.99, Waitrose and Booths
Melini Chianti
summer,party tips,best buys,wine,drinks
pr Melini Chianti
Splendid Chianti, very full and fruity. Drink it by itself, with a plate of pasta or with some grilled meat and a lovely fresh salad. This is a real taste of sunshine.
Melini Chianti, £4.99 Waitrose
Okhre Organic Natur Cava
summer,party tips,best buys,wine,drinks
pr Okhre Organic Natur Cava
Recently there has been a lot of interest in organic wines. Customers want to know that wines are free of preservatives and pesticides that can be sprayed on vines. This is a really great cava: not too fizzy and a wonderful citrus and vanilla flavour. And it\'s organic.
Okhre Organic Natur Cava, £9.99 Marks and Spencer
Anakena Ona Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenere 2006
summer,party tips,best buys,wine,drinks
pr Ona
This is a blend of three grapes and has a lovely long finish, so you can really savour the flavours of figs and berries. Very good value for a wine of this quality!
Anakena Ona Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenere 2006. £9.99, Oddbins
Cockburns 10 Year Tawny Port
summer,party tips,best buys,wine,drinks
pr cockburns port
Do try drinking fortified wines (ie port and sherry) over ice, with a mixer - they are just so refreshing. Mix this port with tonic water and lots of ice and a couple of slices of lemon. Put it in a jug and serve it in long glasses. Perfect.
Cockburns 10 Year Tawny Port, £12.99 50cl bottle Morrisons
