2009 Villa Maria Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough, New Zealand

A notch up from Villa Maria’s Private Bin Sauvignon, the Cellar Selection is more pungently aromatic and richer in classic Marlborough passion fruit flavour underscored by green pepper, with a grapefruity tang on the aftertaste making this a mouthwatering prospect at a bargain price. Try with warm goat’s cheese on toast and a drizzle of olive oil. £7.99 at Majestic, reduced from £9.99.

2008 Chablis Cuvée Amandine, France

This is a fine expression of unoaked Chablis from Domaine de Malandes, six months on the grape residue following stainless steel fermentation bringing a subtle, lees-derived complexity and texture to a chardonnay whose flavour and character are underwired by a bone dry, crisp and refreshing minerality. Divine with stuffed crab or potted shrimps. £12.99, by the case £10.39, Oddbins.

2008 Willi Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner Kamptaler Terrassen, Austria

Willi Bründlmayer is among Austria’s finest exponents of the native grüner veltliner grape, and here he’s conjured up a wisp of white pepper, complemented by a tongue-tingling apple and pear spritz-freshness, all finely poised thanks to the wine’s crisp, dry finish. One to wash down haddock and chips. £11 - £12.99 WoodWinters woodwinters.com; 01786 834894); Tanners (tanners.co.uk; 01743 234500).

2008 Howard Park Riesling, Western Australia

Rivalling the Clare and Eden Valleys for sheer flavour and character, this Western Australian lipsmacker is wonderfully scented with floral and citrus notes while the fresh zestiness of limes brings a mouthwateringly zingy aftertaste. Will take a mild green Thai curry in its stride. Around £12.95, Noel Young Wines (nywines.co.uk; 01223 566744), Bibendum (bibendum-wine.co.uk; 020 7449 4120).

2008 Zuani Vigne Bianco Collio, Friuli, Italy

Showing Friuli’s pre-eminence in Italian dry white styles, this intriguing north-eastern Italian blend of friulano, pinot grigio, sauvignon and chardonnay displays fresh citrusy aromas, rich, intense stonefruit flavours with a smoky edge and an elegantly dry finish. White fish heaven and will stand up to white meats too. £16.95 / £15.50 bottle per case, Lea & Sandeman (leaandsandeman.co.uk; 020 7244 0522).

2005 Cloudy Bay Pelorus, New Zealand

Cloudy Bay is best known for the sauvignon blanc with the iconic label, but its champagne method vintage fizz made from pinot noir and chardonnay is the more exciting wine: aromatically complex with apple-crisp flavours, a fine, textured mousse and tangy finish that wouldn’t disgrace champagne. Normally £23.99, but a summer must at its special offer price of £14.99, to 7 June, Majestic.

2009 Porcupine Ridge Syrah 2009, Boekenhoutskloof, South Africa

Normally one of the Cape’s best value reds even at the normal list price, you can’t do much better for the pre-World Cup TV warm-ups than snap up this sweetly opulent, paprika-smoky South African syrah, a wine which Francophile producer Marc Kent doggedly refuses to call shiraz. £4.99, down from £6.99, until 9 June, Waitrose.

2008 Domaines Paul Mas Nicole Vineyard Syrah/Viognier, Vin de Pay d'Oc, France

Jean-Claude Mas, one of the South of France’s best producers, seems incapable of putting a foot wrong. This is his cunning take on the northern Rhône’s more expensive Côte Rôtie, a vivid, youthful blend showing aromatic complexity from the viognier and a succulent blackberry fruit quality framed by subtle oak spicing. £8.99, Majestic

2007 Côtes du Rhône, Les Cranilles, Les Vins de Vienne, France

Not just any Côtes du Rhône, but from an excellent vintage too, this stylish blend of syrah and grenache from the Rhône trio of Villard, Gaillard and Cuilleron is full of peppery spice with a seamless purity of blackberry fruit sweetness in abundance, all tempered by deliciously supple tannins and savoury acidity. A barbecue special. £8.95, Berry Bros. & Rudd (bbr.com; 0800 280 2440).

2007 Ringbolt Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia

A sort of Margaux in Australia, there’s a claret-like cedary quality and capsicum edge to this stylish Western Australian red whose blackcurrant fruit is neatly tinged with subtle vanilla oaking, juicily succulent tannins and a breezy Indian Ocean freshness. Medium rather than full-bodied, a great summer’s day red for lamb cutlets. £8.99, Tesco.

2008 Charles Back Barbera, Fairview Estate, Coastal Region

If this were Italian, it would probably be praised for its fruit and criticized for its oak, but it’s not, it’s a Cape red, and while Fairview’s Charles Back’ red does have a distinctive smoky oak and vanilla background to it, the fruit is opulently cherryish and retains the barbera grape’s refreshing acidity, ending up as a confident Cape take on the Piedmontese style. £9.99, Marks & Spencer.

2008 Domaine de la Croix de Chaintres, Saumur-Champigny, Loire, France

When it’s good, Saumur’s cabernet franc is one of the most delightfully refreshing of all France’s summery reds, and this wine from Fredrik and Christina Filliatreau is not just good, it’s a deliciously fresh, juicy red with a hint of the grape’s fresh mown grassiness and the most supple, capsicum and red fruits flavours imaginable. £9.99, or £7.99, if you can wait, from 7 July, Waitrose.