2007 Soave Classico, Cantina de Soave, Italy, Asda, £3.62. Compared to Asda’s standard sub-£3 version, its superior, own-label soave classico is well worth paying an extra 64p for, as it comes with some terrific, fresh, verdant, spicy, apricotty, easy-swigging summer fruit.

2006 Extra Special Valpolicella Ripasso, Italy, Asda, £6.12. Extra Special denotes Asda’s top drops, and this impressive ripasso, made from valpolicella grapes that have been re-fermented on dried skins for extra richness, delivers lots of fat, summery, dried cherry and berry flavours.

2006 Alamos Malbec, Catena, Mendoza, Argentina, Bibendum (020-7449 4120), down to £5.24 from July 8-18. Bibendum’s sale lasts just ten days, so get in the queue from Tuesday onwards to walk away with this tasty, top dog Argentinian red whose fat, inky, crimson-purple fruit cries out for a big, juicy, barbecued steak.

2006 Howard Park Riesling, Great Southern, Western Australia, Bibendum, down to £6.97 from July 8-18. An old friend whose bone-dry, zesty, steely, floral fruit shows just how mouthwatering Great Southern rieslings – from a large area surrounding Mount Barker – can be.

2002 Château Taillefer, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Tesco, £19.99. Almost impossible to find a good pomerol sub-£20, but Tesco just squeaks in under the barrier with this impressive, fleshy, plummy, drink-now 2002 with lots of lively, herby, grainy spice on the finish.

2004 Meursault, J-M Bouzereau, Burgundy, France, Tesco, £19.99. Pierre Bouzereau and sons’ handsome meursault is only stocked in 11 Tesco stores (or order on 0845 6775577), so seek out this rich, oaky white burgundy, complete with lots of burnt, buttered toast flavours on the finish.

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