If someone asked me which part of the world my favourite wines come from, I would almost certainly say Bordeaux. If they asked me where some of the most captivating wines originate, I might say Burgundy. But if someone asked me where they can find the best value for money while also delivering great complexity and flavours, I would say the Rhone.

France’s Rhone region is home to some of the greatest wines in the country, the most famous of which is Chateauneuf-du-Pape. But while the likes of Chateauneuf, Condrieu, Cote Rotie and Hermitage command the highest prices in the region, there are plenty affordable wines to choose from in this corner of southern France.

And this isn’t a straightforward region either. In the northern Rhone there you find Cote Rotie, Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage along with many other appellations like St Joseph and Cornas, while in the south you find Cheateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras and a lesser-known one like Tavel, including many others.

But while all those appellations are wonderful – and are at the higher-end of quality in the region – what I’m talking about here is basic Cotes du Rhone and Cotes du Rhone Villages. These two appellations are the most basic in the hierarchy but can offer enjoyable drinking for very little cost.

Wines from the southern Rhone make up about 90 per cent of the region’s total production and, while Cotes du Rhone and Cotes du Rhone Villages wines (of which 19 communes can be named on the label), makes up the majority of all of the Rhone region’s output.

That’s a lot of wine. But while the quantity is high, this isn’t to say it should be ignored as a wine. If you are after spicy, peppery wines made principally from grenache, but in some cases they can be blends that syrah and mourvedre.

Two of the best-known and most enjoyable Cotes du Rhones come from E Guigal and M Chapoutier, among the largest producers in the region, but there are plenty more great offerings to choose from. As Jancis Robinson said, Cotes du Rhones is “one of the best-value appellations in the world.”

With that in mind, I’ll get straight to the point and tell you which wines I rate.

Wines to try:

E Guigal Cotes du Rhone 2009 (£10.99, Majestic, but widely available in the UK)
One of my favourites, this is often considered to be among the best wines in the appellation vintage after vintage. While other wines are made mostly of grenache, this tends to feature syrah very highly. For the 2009 vintage it contains 50 per cent syrah, 45 per cent grenache and 5 per cent mourvedre. With plenty of spice and structure, this goes nicely with food.

M Chapoutier Cotes du Rhone Belleruche 2010 (£9.99, Majestic, but widely available in the UK)
Again, this is one of the best of the lot and a consistent performer each year. Made mainly of grenache with a little bit of syrah, it displays cherries and black currants as well as the spiciness you come to expect from Rhone wines. A good one for lamb.

Domaine Andrew Brunel Cotes du Rhone 2009 (£10.99 but on offer for £9.99, Virgin Wines)
From a famous Rhone producer comes a cheaper, more accessible wine that, despite costing around a tenner, offers a great deal of enjoyment. With lots of spice, dark fruits like cherries and currants, this is great for an everyday drinking wine or even to go with lamb or sausages.

Cotes du Rhone Perrin Reserve 2010, Perrin & Fils (£13,95, Roberson Wine)
The Perrin family is renowned in the Rhone region, but this is mainly because they make one of the finest Chateauneuf-du-Papes in under their Beaucastel label. This, however,  is an old-school Cotes du Rhone that is fresh, straightforward, no-nonsense and expressive of its fruit. If this seems a bit expensive compared to the others, why not try the Meridion Par Pierre Perrin Cotes du Rhone 2010 for £10.99 at Laithwaite’s? From a member of the famous family, this is exclusive to Laithwaite’s and displays all the classic characteristics of the region.

It’s safe to say Britain is in love with sauvignon blanc, particularly the pungent, flowery variety originating in New Zealand’s Marlborough region.

As a wine, it is one people seem to either love or hate, although it doesn’t quite divide opinion in the way chardonnay does. Part of this might be because there are those who are simply tired of sauvignon blanc from New Zealand; its fans say it smells of gooseberries, while its opponents describe it as cat pee.

Nevertheless, sauvignon could very well be Britain’s favourite wine these days. Figures from Neilson showed there was an 11 per cent rise in sauvignon sales last year, with 144m litres – or 16-million cases – of the stuff being sold. In fact, 84 per cent of all Kiwi wines sold in the UK are sauvignon blanc; pinot noir is the the second-best seller, at just six per cent.

Given how popular Kiwi sauv blanc has become, some people might forget there is much more out there. If subtlety is what you’re after, the likes of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé may be more to your liking. Then there are those coming from Chile and South Africa, which sometimes taste like fusions of the French and Kiwi styles. Furthermore, Australia has proved it can be a good hand when it comes to the grape, although only in small quantities compared to everywhere else.

But if you’ve grown bored of the same old, same old, look to Bordeaux for for a white wine that might satisfy your taste buds.

White Bordeaux tends to be a blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon, the two grapes also used in the region’s production of sweet wines coming from Sauternes, Barsac and surrounding regions. The wines can also be 100 per cent sauvignon, although this is less common.

White Bordeaux is a wine that can be consumed young when it’s fresh and vibrant, offering up grassy and floral aromas, and in the case of some of the better wines it can age nicely and mature into luscious, complex wines that display an enormous palette of flavours.

Wines to try:

Bordeaux AC Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (£7.99, Marks & Spencer)
This is probably as close to Kiwi sauvignon as you’ll get from Bordeaux. This is fruit-forward and has a little bit of minerality to make it refreshing. It’s an easy-drinking wine, but offers a break from the usual crowd.

Le Grand Chai Bordeaux Blanc 2010 (£9.49, Laithwaites)
Made by a winemaker who trained at a Chateau Haut-Brion in Pessac-Leognan, the home of some of the best white Bordeaux around, this is made in the classic style but is priced at less than £10. A sauvignon-semillon blend where the sauvignongwas fermented in barrel and the semillon in stainless steel, it is luscious, with lots of fruit and a hint of oak. This is one of my favourite bargain Bordeaux whites and I normally have a few of these in the cellar for an everyday refreshing white wine.

Chateau Saint-Jean-des-Graves 2011 (£8.49, Waitrose)
Made from sauvignon and semillon, this is refreshing, zippy and full of citrus. You could probably store this for a short while to allow further complexity to develop, but if you choose to drink it now you won’t be disappointed either.

When I think summertime wine, my mind almost instantly directs itself to the South of France. Perhaps it is the warm climate, the hot stones, the orange sun and the smell of lavender and the Med. Or perhaps it is the warmth I can taste in these wines, the rich flavours of cooked black fruits and the spicy, peppery notes they display.

Southern France, particularly the Rhone region, Languedoc and Rousillon, is home to syrah, grenache and mourvedre, as well as a long list of other warm climate grapes. The specific grape found in each wine, however, depends on region from which the wine originated, although typically it will have a high percentage of the three main grapes mentioned above.

Southern France is a large and varied wine region that in fact consists of several specific appellations. From Rousillon on the western side hugging the foothills of the Pyrenees to Languedoc in the the centre, Rhone following the Rhone River valley heading north and the various apellations in Provence filling in the east, there is a lot of wine coming out of this part of the country.

The good news is there is a lot of value to be found in this part of France. The bad news is there is so much cheap wine coming out of this region that it takes a great deal of sifting to separate the gems from the rubbish.

One of the best Rhone wines to drink on a budget also comes from one of the biggest names in the area. E Guigal’s Côtes du Rhône is considered by many to be the benchmark upon which all other Côtes du Rhône wines are judged. Each year it seems to get better and better, and the 2009 vintage is probably the best yet.

Guigal Côtes du Rhône 2009 (£10.44, Waitrose Wine Direct) This is spicy, peppery and full of dark fruit flavours. The 2009 vintage is considered one of the best and people are snapping up this wine quickly because of its excellent value for money. This is made mostly from syrah but is also blended with grenache and mourvedre.

Mas Coutelou 7 Rue de la Pompe 2011 (£9.95, Roberson) Full of berry fruits and made from the  syrah grape, this is a Languedoc wine that pairs nicely with a variety of foods. Low in alcohol compaired to many warm climate wines these days, it is refreshing and dry.

M. Chapoutier Côtes du Roussillon Villages Bila Haut 2010 (£8.95, Slurp) The Rousillon region has garnered a lot of interest in recent years as producers in more established regions have begun looking for the next big thing. Rousillon has a rich wine history, but it has not been developed like Bordeaux, Burgundy or the Rhone. Nevertheless, it has great land and plenty of sun, which are two ingredients of good wine. This is another wine that is dark in colour and full of dark fruit flavours thanks to the warm climate. Full of cherries and dark fruits, this is a spic wine that should go well with food and offer a lot more value than the £8.95 price tag.

Notre Dame de Cousignac Luberon 2011 (£5.95, Wine Society) Provence is famous for its rosés but some of its true hidden gems are red – and incredibly cheap. This wine comes from Carpentras, near the foot of the famous Mont Ventoux, and is made of the grenache and syrah grapes. This producer makes more expensive wines, but don’t bother, for this wine delivers mor than you would expect for less than £6. This is the sort of wine that will remind you of a hot day in Provence, the heat rising off the soil and the aromas of garrigue wafting through the air.

For years, when people heard the word ‘riesling’ they shuddered as bad memories of sickly sweet Blue Nun and Liebfraumilch flashed in their minds. But these were never proper rieslings anyway, more often made from the lesser Müller-Thurgau grape.

Proper riesling, however, is considered one of the greatest white wines in the world, capable of producing every style of white wine from bone dry to extremely sweet, botrytised (noble rot) pudding wines.

Germany and Alsace in France are best known for being the home of riesling wines, but these days you can find this grape grown all around the world, perhaps most famously in the cooler realms of Australia and New Zealand (and in California, too).

Ah, riesling. This was the first white wine I truly fell in love with. After a visit to the Weingut Robert Weil vineyard in the Rheingau region some four years ago, it occurred to me there was more to wine than the el cheapo ‘3 for 2′ offers the local Thresher outlet.

While some of the greatest rieslings can run at more than £20 a bottle, you need not spend a fortune in order to drink a refreshing, crisp riesling that you can enjoy either as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to a wide range of foods.

Last year Decanter magazine conducted a tasting of Australian and New Zealand rieslings, and even though many of them were in the £15+ price range, there was no shortage of approachable bottles selling for roughly £10 or less.

The differences in styles between Aussie and Kiwi riesling can be quite significant. Australian riesling was first cultivated by German immigrants attempting to recreate the wines from their homeland, but because of the climate they pioneered a uniquely Aussie style that is high in acidity, has plenty of citrus fruit flavours and tends towards being aromatic while still dry.

New Zealand, on the other hand, is a much cooler climate than Australia and, as a result, can often produce rieslings that vary between bone dry and medium-sweet depending on the vintage. The bone dry styles can be quite lean and difficult because of the cooler weather, so sometimes producers opt for a style that is medium-sweet in order to create a wine with more balance and rounded flavours.

In this category if you want to find a bargain, don’t be afraid to buy a supermarket own-brand. You’re more than likely to find higher quality with a supermarket’s up-market label than something random and unfamiliar, particularly when it comes to a type of wine most people don’t understand. And with riesling, very few people understand it. This is because few people can actually tell when a wine will be semi-sweet or bone dry (often the alcohol level gives some indication, since a wine at 8.5% alcohol is likely to be sweeter than one with, say, 12% alcohol).

Thankfully more descriptive back labels are making it easier to select wines, many of which indicate a wine’s sweetness level.

All of the wines listed here are on the affordable end while still being highly rated. More often than not they are available from major supermarkets.

Wines to try:

Tesco Finest Tingleup Riesling 2010, Great Southern, Australia (£9.99, Tesco Wine by the Case)
Floral and mineral, this is an 0ff-dry example made in more of a German style. If you want bone dry, don’t look here, but this is still a very elegant wine that shouldn’t be discounted.

Asda Extra Special Clare Valley Riesling 2008, South Australia (£7.98, Asda)
This is ever so slightly off-dry, but not excessively so. Described as having plenty of fruit and great minerality, it has ample fruit and a crisp, acidic backbone.

Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling 2010, South Australia (£10.50+, Wine Direct and other retailers)
Made in an approachable, dry style, this has lots of acidity and tropical fruit. As an introduction to Australian riesling, or even riesling in general, this is one to try

Palliser Estate Martinborough Riesling 2010 New Zealand (£80 per 12 in bond, Justerini & Brooks)
Again offering up tropical fruits and layers of complexity that includes grass, peach and green apple, this has a soft finish and a good backbone of acidity. A decent value for money wine.

Moving onto a different track this week, rather than talk about a specific style of wine I thought I’d discuss the rise of online retailers in the UK.

It used to be the only place to find real wine variety was from your local merchant. Supermarkets are now in control of much of the wine trade, but save for a few great bottles scattered here and there, much of what they sell is, how shall we say, on the more mundane side of things.

But never fear. If you have outgrown the supermarket but feel intimidated shopping in a specialist merchant, there are plenty of options available online.

For many years the likes of the Sunday Times Wine Club ruled the market for mail order wine and found success with the advent of internet commerce. But now that the market has matured, internet retailers have been popping up everywhere.

One such success story has been Naked Wines, which deals in a lot of those mixed cases the Sunday Times Wine Club has become famous for, but its business model is based around “Angels” who pay a set amount into their account each month that goes toward investment in winemakers around the world.

While much of the wine Naked sells is still on the cheaper end of the spectrum, it is surprising to hear the average price of a bottle sold through the website is £7 given the average price of a bottle of wine sold in the UK overall is a little bit less than £5.

Naked has had a lot of success and has a strong following, but it’s not the only site out there offering deals to its customers. Virgin Wines, owned by Laithwaites (which also owns the Sunday Times Wine Club), is another site that offers those standard mixed cases but also allows people to pick and choose a case of any 12 bottles of wine they want from their list. One of the benefits of Virgin is their ‘winebank’ that pays interest into members’ accounts when they pay money into their accounts. The result is a credit worth 25% of the value of contributions made.

I should also add Laithwaites itself, while operating a retailers under other brands, sells online and through its 11 shops around the UK. Unlike companies like Majestic, which demand a minimum six bottle purchase, it is possible to order a single bottle online – shipping charges apply, of course.

While Virgin’s list of still white and red wines is sometimes lacking, there is a lot of value for money to be found for those who take their time to sift through the list. Perhaps where Virgin performs best is with its list of Champagnes and other sparkling wines; with the discounts applied from winebank contributions, it is possible to buy bottles for much less than can be found in high street shops and supermarkets.

Another tip with Virgin is winebank customers can find better deals by ordering through a wine adviser over the phone. They work with clients to find the best deals and often can apply discounts not available on the website.

For wine drinkers who want something a bit more specialist, From Vineyards Direct is a small online retailer that has a limited list but offers a great deal of intriguing wines. These range from its own-brand wines like La Reserve Claret, selling for £8.95 a bottle, to select parcels of wine from major vineyards, such as Chateau Laforge in St Emilion, selling for £29.95 a bottle.

Ordering online has quite a few benefits – variety, convenience and value for money being the three big ones – but there is one thing it cannot replace. When you buy from a bricks and mortar shop you can talk to the staff and get a better sense of what a wine might be like if it is new to you. Plus with a shop you don’t have to deal with couriers who may or may no arrive at a time convenient to you.

But don’t think the retailers I’ve mentioned here are all there is to the market. Most of the major supermarkets now sell their wine by the case through their websites, plus most of the independent merchants around the country have entered the fray. From Berry Bros & Rudd to Yapp Brothers, many of the specialists make it easy to buy from them with the click of a mouse.

In fact, there are dozens of shops selling wine online – more than can be mentioned here.

If you’re looking for something more complex than what you mind find in a typical mixed case from the big online wine clubs, try someone smaller like Highbury Vintners, The Sampler, Lea & Sandeman or perhaps a more traditional firm like the Wine Society.

A few months back I was with two friends in a sweltering French bistro in Piccadilly drinking a rich red wine that felt like it had been immersed in a pot of boiling water.

Its flavours had boiled off and the experience was, to say the least, not the high point of my wine-drinking life. Not feeling satisfied, I looked at my friends and said we should ask for an ice bucket to cool the wine down.

They took one look at me and said the proprietor was likely to throw me out of the restaurant for committing such sacrilege.

This is in stark contrast to nearly a year ago when, at a celebratory dinner after completing he London to Paris charity bike ride, the hotel restaurant brought bottles of Bordeaux to our table in a well-chilled state. One person at my table expressed his displeasure at such a faux pas, saying the wine had been ruined.

But he was wrong. It was the height of July, the sun had been shining all day and the restaurant was packed. It was broiling in there and beads of sweat were rolling down many a forehead. Serving a red wine in a chilled state at least gave it a fighting chance of warming up to the correct temperature. If it had been served without chilling at all, it would have been too warm, too unappetising.

Now, it’s often a good idea in summer to pop regular red wines in the fridge for 20 minutes before drinking if they have not been stored at cellar temperature. But here’s another idea altogether: Why not try some red wines that can be served lightly chilled?

To do this you will want to go for a lighter-bodied red rather than something deep, brooding and powerful like a Bordeaux or an Australian shiraz. Instead, look to wines made from the pinot noir or gamay grapes since these are low in tannin and light in body. You could also do this with a cabernet franc from the Loire Valley or even a Valpolicella or Bardolino from the Veneto region of Italy.

Wines to try:

Domaine de la Croix de Chaintres 2010 Saumur-Champigny, Loire, France (£8.35, Waitrose Wine Direct)
Saumur is a great place to find red wine made from the cabernet franc grape that is light-bodied, showing red fruits and a herbaceousness that is perfect for chilling. This example is an incredible bargain and well worth seeking out.

Marks & Spencer Beaujolais 2011, France (£6.99, Marks & Spencer)
Made from the gamay grape, Beaujolais is often considered the lesser relation to wines from the northern end of Burgundy, where pinot noir reigns supreme. But this light-bodied wine has fruity aromas reminiscent of cherries and the perfect constitution for chilling.

Marks & Spencer Macon Rouge 2011, France (£8.49, Marks & Spencer)
If you want to venture into pinot noir territory but not completely, travel further north to Maconnais region of Burgundy and give this a try. A blend of gamay and pinot noir, this is light and fruity, brimming with red berries. Should you want to get a little more serious and drink 100 per cent pinot noir, try the Marks & Spencer Cotes de Nuits 2009 (£13.00, Marks & Spencer). This one is made in the same region as Nuits-St-Georges but is much cheaper, yet it has all the cherries, violets, strawberries and blackcurrants the wine is known for.

Marks & Spencer Ripasso Valpolicello Classico 2009, Italy (£8.99, Marks & Spencer)

From Italy’s Veneto region, Valpolicella gained a reputation for being a rather meek light-bodied wine that garnered a lot of indifference, but these days quality levels have improved and the wines are showing much better. This one is fruity,  showing flavours of strawberries, red currants and prunes. While ripasso wines are the bolder versions and you might want to avoid these when chilling, chances are these are the most commonly found in the UK. You can also try the Musella Valpolicella Superiore 2008 (£12.99, Virgin).

And for something completely different:

Scarpantoni Black Tempest Sparkling Shiraz, Australia (£15.99, Laithwaites)
It’s hard to think of a chilled shiraz let alone one full of bubbles. But this is more common than you think and, with a little searching, you might even find a version in your local Tesco or Sainsbury’s. This is packed with black fruits and goes nicely with poultry, if you’ll believe it.

Now that summer is here it’s fair to say barbecue and wedding season is in full swing – even if it seems to be raining all the time.

Cups of tea might seem the drink of choice to accompany our steaks and burgers this season given the damp and blustery weather, but for those moments when the sun decides to make an appearance from behind those clouds, many of us are going to want Champagne.

The great thing about Champagne, apart from those wonderful, refreshing bubbles, is the flavour spectrum it provides. More so than Cava or Prosecco, Champagne has so much depth and complexity that seems to satisfy so many British palates.

All that complexity, brought on by bottle fermentation and extensive ageing, doesn’t come cheap, of course. So when we’re hunting the supermarket aisles for some bubbly to pop on that sunny Saturday afternoon, it can be easy to be driven to sparkling wines from Spain and Italy given the typical Champagne often sells for £30 or more.

But if you know where to look, and you aren’t too concerned about what it says on the label, there are bargains to be found.

Granted, you are not likely to find anything spectacular for less than about £18 – although sometimes you can find a perfectly decent bottle for about £15 – but that Cava or Prosecco you buy for £10 or less won’t be profound either.

If it’s Champagne you’re after, there is a lot to buy around the £20 mark.

So where should you look? The best bargain Champagnes these days are not those being produced under house labels from producers in Reims or Ay. Rather, they are appearing under supermarket and wine retailer own-labels. Currently, some of the best bubbles can be found in Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and Laithwaites. But don’t allow yourself to be choosy when it comes to supermarket brands either. Morrison’s, Th Co-operative and even Lidl and Aldi’s Champagnes all scored highly.

Wines to try:

Laithwaite Brut Premier Cru NV (£23.99, Laithwaites)
Perhaps not quite at the bargain price some may expect, this is a lot of wine for the money, particularly because it comes form premier cru vineyards. With complex, rich, nutty flavours and plenty of cellaring before it’s released, this blend of chardonnay and pinot noir won’t disappoint.

Oudninot Champagne Brut NV (£138 for 6 or £23 per bottle, Marks & Spencer)
This is considered one of the best own-brand Champagnes around and for the price paid, it is a complete bargain. If you want to spend more, the vintage version is also incredible for the money. This is crisp, refreshing and delightfully acidic, making it great for quaffing as an aperitif, as we’re all likely to do in this summer weather.

Waitrose Brut NV Champagne (£18,99, Waitrose Wine Direct)
At just £19 a bottle, this qualifies as being considered ‘cheap’ when it comes to bubbles. This is fresh, acidic and dry, with plenty of fruit on the palate to make it a enjoyable drink. If you want to go up a notch in quality, try the Waitrose Blanc de Noirs (£19.94, Waitrose Wine Direct) or the Blanc de Blancs (£21.84, Waitrose Wine Direct)

Morrison’s The Best Champagne Brut (£19.99, Morrison’s)
It might not win accolades for its self-congratulatory name, but it has gained attention for being very good at what it does. This wine was rated by Which? Magazine as being the best in a blind tasting of supermarket Champagnes, so don’t disqualify it based on its lack of pedigree. Lively and refreshing, it rivals wines nearly double the price.

Champagne Comte de Brismand Brut Reserve (£14.99, Lidl)
In what is likely another case of “don’t let where it’s sold tarnish its image”, this bubbly from Lidl packs in a lot of value for the price. Not only did it receive accolades from Which?, but Decanter magazine has heaped praise on it as well, so next time you pass by this discount retailer, perhaps you’ll want to consider picking up a few bottles to stock your supply of fizz.

Finally, The Co-operative, with its small yet impressive wine catalogue, comes int with its Les Pionniers Champagne (£17.99, The Co-operative). While it lacks a proper web page to link to, this one can be found in Co-operative supermarkets and has gained praise for offering all those deep, nutty aromas we love from good Champagne without the sticker shock.

(Pic courtesy of TinyTall via Flickr)

As prices rise due to inflation, tax hikes, the increasing cost of labour and a whole host of other factors, it seems impossible to find a good deal on a bottle of wine these days. Now more than ever I find myself buying bottles of wine for £10 or more, when even a few years ago it seems as though finding something interesting for less than £6 was a realistic endeavour.

One thing I’ve discovered over the years is there is little to find in your local off-licence that is of value or even a bargain. Bottles of Gallo and Wolf Blass selling for £7.99 aren’t exactly making the most of your money. If you want to find something cheap, you’re better off looking elsewhere.

Often I try to find my best wine bargains at one of my local specialist wine merchants, all of whom sell a range of wines from everyday bargain bottles to the best of the best in the world.

But this past Jubilee weekend while I was visiting a friend in Manchester I was re-acquainted with one retailer (and reminded of a competitor that must be mentioned equally) that offers some surprisingly good wines for what are likely to be the lowest average prices in the country.

And those retailers are? Aldi and Lidl.

I kid you not.

The bottles that did it for me were a Pouilly-Fumé and a Muscadet, both of which seem not to be carried by the retailer any more. But the good news is they have no shortage of other offerings available, many of which have gained respect from wine critics and in wine competitions. The situation is the same for wines at Lidl.

The basic premise of shops like Aldi and Lidl is nearly everything they sell is an own-brand product, giving them complete control over the goods they sell. The theory here is they can then sell them at a much lower price than anything else on the market.

If you can get over the fact you've bought some of your wine at one of these shops, you'll find a whole lot of value for everyday drinking wines. Below are some of the highlights.

Henri Di Lorgere Macon Villages, Burgundy, France (£4.99, Aldi)
The Macon region is known for being the source of affordable chardonnay wines in Burgundy, many of which are unoaked, crisp and dry, the perfect accompaniment to a hot summer’s day. Aldi says this one has flavours of apple and pear with notes of minerality. It won a bronze medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards last year, which goes some way to show its quality.

Bordeaux White Wine 2010, France (£4.19, Aldi)
I simply love dry white Bordeaux. The styles made in the Bordeaux region can range from crisp, dry and refreshing to deep and full-bodied, bursting with complex flavours and all sorts of peach and spice flavours. Like all whites from the region, this is a blend of 70% sauvignon blanc and 30% semillon, expressing lively fresh character. Try it with fish, as many good white Bordeaux match nicely.

Cimarosa Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Chile (£3.99, Lidl)
This win was rated gold in the Decanter World Wine Awards last year because of the quality it delivers despite selling for less than £4. Having drank this not long after its award was announced, I can confirm it is a completely suitable wine, but don’t expect anything overly complex or profound. It is on the lighter side of a typical cabernet with blackcurrant flavours and a fruity, crisp style.

This weekend is the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and what better way to celebrate than by drinking something quintessentially British?

I have seen dozens of Jubilee-themed drinks promoted in supermarkets and newspapers, all of which have been packaged in Union flag designs in order to lure in the punters. I’ve even seen my fair share of foreign drink being recommended as Jubilee tipples (Pommery Champagne comes to mind) despite there being more than enough British alternatives.

Since this weekend is all about celebrating what it means to be British and become as patriotic as possible, all of my recommendations here are as UK-centric (except for one minor exception) as I could muster given the importance of the occasion.

1. Bubbly

It used to be that if we wanted some fizz we had to look to Champagne to satiate our desires. But not any more. English sparkling wine has suddenly become a force in the market, so there is almost no excuse for drinking Champagne this weekend unless every retailer in the country suddenly runs out.

Something to try:

Nyetimber Classic Cuvée 2004 (£24.99, Majestic)
This is the granddaddy of all English sparkling wines, having been one of the first to garner attention as a Champagne-beater. Citrus fruit, nutty aromas, brioche and all the flavours you expect in a traditional sparkling wine are here.

Ridgeview Cuvée Merret Bloomsbury 2009 (£17.34, Waitrose Wine Direct)
A cheaper, but still excellent, sparkling wine from another great producer, the Bloomsbury is a little lighter and less full-on than Nyetimber but it still has all the wonderful aromas and satisfaction you want from bubbly. If you want more options, consider Ridgeview’s Grosvenor at around £24 a bottle or the South Ridge range of sparkling wines, which are made by Ridgeview, sold online and in store at Laithwaites.

2. White or rosé wine

In addition to all the great sparkling wines England produces, there are also a few refreshing whites and rosés worth trying. Estates like Chapel Down in Kent have a full range on offer that is sure to satisfy most tastes, while Denbies has won international awards for its efforts at making the pink stuff.

Something to try:

Denbies Chalk Ridge Rosé 2011 (£11.99, Denbies)
Light pink in colour and smelling of strawberries and pears, this is a classic rosé that is light in alcohol at just 10.5% but is refreshing and delivers a great deal of satisfaction.

Chapel Down Flint Dry 2011 (£7.49 btl/£89.88 case, Waitrose Wine Direct)
Made by one of England’s most famous wine producers, Flint Dry is a blend of the bacchus grape and several other varieties in a dry style. Said to be made in a style reminiscent of Chablis, it has crisp, clean fruit and a refreshing finish. If you fancy something with a bit more fruity, consider Chapel Down’s Bacchus instead, which is loaded with citrus and gooseberry flavours.

3. Gin

If this isn’t an alcohol that screams Britishness, I don’t know what is. Yes, Scotland has put the UK on the map for making the world’s greatest whisky, but if you think of something that screams Britishness like no other, it’s gin.

The notion of a gin and tonic was developed in India by the army of the British East India Company. In tropical countries the threat of malaria was always present and the treatment for the disease, quinine, had an unpleasant, bitter flavour. The solution? Add water, sugar, lime and gin to the quinine to turn it into a refreshing drink. Tonic water has changed a lot since then, being lower in quinine and higher in sugar, but the concept remains the same.

Favourite options here are Bombay Sapphire and Hendrick’s gin.

Another mixing option is a gin and Dubonnet. This is a favourite drink for the Queen, one she inherited from the late Queen Mother. It consists of about 30% gin and 70% Dubonnet. The market for this aperitif, made from red wines sourced in the South of France, has all but dried up in the UK, but it is still available from some retailers. One such stockist is the Whisky Exchange.

4. British beer

A beer revolution has taken place that has transformed ale from something only your grandfather would drink into something complex and compelling enough to be swirled, sniffed and sipped just like wine.

Breweries producing their own take on ale have popped up all over the UK, some of them in major centres, some in distant small towns, some in small houses in Nottingham and some, believe it or not, at the top of remote hills in the Peak District.

You can fine a real ale in nearly any style to suit beer drinkers ranging from the unsure novice to the experienced connoisseur. If you want it smooth, opt for something malty; however, if you like your beer sharp and challenging, something with a lot of hops in it might be your best bet.

I could rattle off more great beers here than would be necessary, so instead I suggest readers visit a local pub or supermarket that has a decent real ale selection and experience. Suggested producers consist of Marston’s, Fuller’s, Meantime, Wye Valley Brewery, Thornbridge Brewery, Young’s.

And if Chapel Down weren’t ubiquitous enough in the drinks market, they have also launched their own range of beers, consisting of a lager, an India pale ale and a porter.

There are many more worth listing, and I know many on this list are larger, commercial outfits (or even small, local outfits difficult to find nationwide), but it is impossible to please everyone all the time.

5. Pimm’s

What is a bank holiday weekend, particularly one where we celebrate the Queen’s 60 years on the throne, without that most classic of British drinks – Pimm’s?

This is the moment when I confess I’ve only knowingly drunk Pimm’s on one occasion in my life, just a couple months ago. But my excuse is we don’t have this drink in Canada – that I know of – so it is somewhat alien to me.

Classi Pimm’s consists of one part Pimm’s and three parts lemonade mixed with mint, cucumber, orange and strawberry. But don’t let that stop you from branching out. There are also recipes making use of pomegranate juice, ginger ale and, for winos like me, sparkling wine.

6. Cider

Knowing as many people as I do who drink cider, this one cannot be left off the list. Just like beer, there are far too many great ciders to list here so I will choose only a small selection.

Dunkerton’s Organic Black Fox Cider (£2.25, Waitrose)
Made the old fashioned way using a press, this company has been around for more than 30 years now and makes a range of ciders and perrys. This particular cider is medium-dry, meaning it has a sweet edge to it, with a good burst of fruit on the palate.

Aspall’s isn’t from a classic cider region, being based in Suffolk, but few can resist drinking this one over ice. Light and refreshing, this is a nice accompaniment to a hot summer day.

7. A non-alcoholic option

I have to confess I was nearly stumped on this one. What is a distinctly British drink to have during the Jubilee that doesn’t contain alcohol? Well apart from tea, which is likely a given for most people anyway, why not something made from elderflower cordial?

Something to try:

Apple and elderflower cordial mojito is made very much like any one containing alcohol, just with a different range of ingredients. You’ll need apple juice, elderflower cordial, sugar or syrup, lime juice, mint leaves, soda water and ice.

You can make this from fresh limes and sugar, but to make something more consistent it is best to use lime juice and a sugar syrup to make sure the flavours mix properly.

Ingredients

In this wonderful heat, no wine says summer like a crisp, cold rosé.

There is so much to love about rosé. The negative image it seems to have attracted is entirely unjustified. Sure, there are plenty of bad examples on the market, all sickly sweet and lacking in flavour and complexity, but that can be said of all wines.

Truly good rosé is a grown-up wine that should bring as much satisfaction to your senses as any other. It will be dry or off-dry and have aromas of strawberries and fruits. Some will be a very pale pink, as is the case for many originating from Provence in France, but they can also be a very dark pink or red colour. This does not affect the wine’s sweetness, however. A dark rosé can be as dry as a pale one.

The classic home of rosé is Provence and some of the most elegant examples come from there, but great examples are made all over the world.

Esprit de Buganay Rosé 2010, Cotes de Provence, South of France (£9.20, Waitrose Wine Direct)
This is a beautiful, pale rosé with plenty of flavour. A mix of cinsault, syrah and grenache, it is restrained, nowhere near sweet in flavour and the perfect drink for a hot day in the garden.

Château de Caraguilhes Rosé 2010 Corbières, South of France (£9.49, Waitrose Wine Direct)
An organic wine that is a blend of syrah and grenache (the grenache grape is the typical rosé ingredient in the South of France), this has strawberry flavours and is clean and crisp. You can drink it on its own or with food, perhaps paella or chicken, maybe even seafood. This is a full-flavoured, medium-dry wine that is likely to impress.

Chapel Down English Rose 2010 Kent, England (£9.11 until 29 May, Waitrose Wine Direct)
With all this jubilee talk, why not give an English rosé a try? This is loaded with strawberries on the nose and red fruits on the palate. Refreshing and dry, it is likely to go well with pastas that use tomato sauces.

Torres Viña Sol Rosé 2011, Catalunya, Spain (£6.99, Majestic)
Spain is another source of great rosé for a nice price without it being sweet and cloying. This example, which is also available at Waitrose and Asda, has strawberries and cream on the nose and a nice fresh, dry finish. You can drink it as an aperitif in the sun or with pastas and seafood.