It's more enjoyable in the summer to drink fresh, vibrant and easy-on-the-booze bottles. Unintentionally, I have not included a red wine which is amazing as I practically live off the stuff, regardless of the season or temperature. Either way, here's one sparkling, two white, an alternative rosé and a wild card to finish.
Domaine Deliance, Cremant de Bourgogne, Burgundy NV
This really does deliver for the price and successfully slots in for those times you want to drink champagne but basically can't afford to. Made from the same grapes, in the same way, just next door. A bit like scoring yourself an almost identical house for a third less just because you're one street into a different postcode. You get freshness and elegance with a depth of flavour and huge drinkability.
£17.50; butlers-winecellar.co.uk
Clairette Craven Wines, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2015
I've drunk quite a lot of this recently and, miraculously, it seems to work well with almost every white wine-hungry dish. It comes into its own with cheese and disappears even faster when you've forgotten to go food shopping altogether. Made from the very last patch of clairette vines in Stellenbosch, a portion of the juice is fermented with skin contact for extra texture and depth. Only 11.5% too, so it's ideal for long hot days or multiple bottle sessions.
£17.25; bbr.com
Davenport Vineyards, Horsmonden, East Sussex, 2016
Another 11.5%-er, this is one of my favourite English whites at the moment and makes me enthusiastic about the potential here for still wine as well as sparkling. It's made from the grapes bacchus, ortega and the lesser-spotted siegerrebe and, unusually for this country, is organic. Fresh, juicy and much more aromatic than many others from England, it's perfect for garden glugging and tripping people up in a blind taste.
£17.65; lescaves.co.uk
Tenuta di Carleone Rosato, Tuscany, 2017
Like it or loathe it, most people have a greater thirst for rosé in the summer (personally I drink it all year round). Instead of reaching for predictable Provence, try this pure sangiovese from Tuscany by star winemaker Sean O'Callaghan who, as his name suggests, is not in the least bit Italian. He does however make delicious, naturally made Italian wine in Chianti and has done for years. On the back label he instructs us to 'drink it cold with a summer smile' which sounds both easy and ideal.
Ramona, Italy / Uncharted Wines, Vinoteca
Part wine, part juice and a whole can of refreshment. Leading the wine-in-a-can revolution is Ramona, a dangerously easy to drink blend of sparkling grapefruit juice and white wine made from the aromatic Italian grape zibbibo. It's a little bit sweet but the acidic grapefruit kick and spritzy fizz keep that in check. It comes in at a breakfast-friendly 7.5% abv and works equally well as an aperitif or morning after hair of the dog. Win-win.
From £5 a can; vinoteca.co.uk
Ruth Spivey is an award-winning wine expert, writer and founder of independent wine market Wine Car Boot. See winecarboot.com for details
