HERE is my recommended six from Majestic...
1) For an easy-drinking white, Paul Mas Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2010 is on offer at £6.99 each when you buy two (usually £8.99) until the end of August. It’s zesty, with rich flavours of tropical fruit, and has gained additional flavour from partial aging in oak barrels. A good choice for outdoor entertaining and a perfect accompaniment to seafood and creamy pasta dishes, as well as fresh fruit desserts.
2) It’s good to try something a little different and to serve a wine which can be a talking point, and one that fits the bill is Oriano Grillo di Sicilia 2010, at £4.99 when you buy any two Italian still wines priced £5-£20. This dry Sicilian white is made from the Grillo grape, an ancient variety native to the region, and has a hint of almond on the nose and flavours of green apples and pear. Serving suggestions include oily fish dishes or fish with dense, robust flavours.
3) Sparkling wine is always a favourite, but it can be quite difficult to ascertain what represents good value. One that I like very much is Gratien & Meyer Saumur Blanc Brut NV, a company which has been making wine since 1864. The wine is matured in limestone soil cellars beneath the vineyards, and has an attractive pale yellow colour, a floral hint on the nose and a good degree of fruit on the palate. It’s described as having ‘persistent bubbles’, which means it won’t fall flat at a party! I like it as an aperitif or, as a match with chicken and fish, as well as cream or fruit-based desserts.
4) My choice of reds to make up this case starts with Beaujolais Villages 2009 Georges Duboeuf. With 20 per cent off Beaujolais, this works out at just £5.99 (from £7.99) when you buy any two Beaujolais. This blend is made from the wines of 39 ‘superior’ villages, resulting in a fruit-packed yet light and very drinkable red. Beaujolais can benefit from being lightly chilled, particularly on hot days, and is a good match for most dishes, except perhaps the very spicy. This one has an attractive label depicting wild flowers and will certainly brighten up your table.
5) Pinot Noir is another good choice for summer and I have gone for an Italian, Bacaro 2009 Pinot Noir, IGT Veneto. The label is fairly plain, but this wine has a lovely colour and has been matured without oak, resulting in flavours of strawberry and red apples. It comes down to £4.99 a bottle when you buy any two still Italians priced £5-£20.
6) Finally, for a flavoursome yet soft wine, Cotes-du-Rhone is a good choice. M Chapoutier 2009 Cotes-du-Rhone Belleruche comes out at £6.99 each when you buy two bottles (from £8.99). It has rich, dark fruit flavours of cherry and blackberry, as well as a little spice. From a reliable producer, it’s soft with smooth tannins, substantial but not too heavy.
