Something to buy now and drink when we shift into autumn perhaps, although I never need an excuse to drink a red from Apostolos Thymiopoulos at any time of the year. This is an intense, fruit-packed Xinomavro from Naoussa, the grape’s Greek heartland, with the spine of tannin that’s a feature of the variety, some clove spice from 25% whole- bunch fermentation, flavours of damson, redcurrant and black cherry and a dusting of Mediterranean herbs.
Score Range: 90-94
2023 Domaine de la Croisée Comtoise Poulsard, Côtes du Jura
( £17, 13%, The Wine Society )Part of the joy of the Wine Society’s range is that they champion wines from small, young producers like Louis Bordel and Chloe Nardin in the Jura. This the perfect summer red, sourced from two contrasting vineyards with different aspects. Sappy, juicy and refreshing, it has lovely goji berry and pomegranate flavours, subtle, savoury tannins and a  wonderful sense of energy and freshness. The kind of thing I want to order by the case.
2024 Azienda Agricola Cortese Orange-utan, Bianco Terre Siciliane IGP
( £14.45-£15.50, 12.5%, Amps Wine Merchant, Appellation Wines, Connolly's, Davies Belle & McCraith, Gwin Dylanwad, Hedley Wright, Hoult's, Love Wine, ND John, Organica Wines, Reserve Wines, The Wright Wine Company, Villeneuve Wines )It’s good to see a producer having a bit of fun. This is a skin-macerated Sicilian blend of Inzolia and 20% Zibibbo from the Girelli family that has appealing grip, freshness and intensity, combining flavours of quince, tea leaf and citrus with a touch of sourdough bread and a twist of quinine-like bitterness.
2024 Pepe Mendoza Mares de Luz, Alicante
( £10.95, 13.5%, The Wine Society )Pepe Mendoza is one of the most exciting winemakers in Spain. He’d be much more famous if he were based in a more famous region than Alicante, which means that his wines are comparative bargains. This a superb blend of Giró, a rare local grape, and 30% Monastrell. It’s intensely Mediterranean, with aromas of thyme and rosemary, a savoury palate of plum, red berries and tobacco leaf  and sinewy, fine-grained tannins.
2024 Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine OVP Chenin Blanc, Coastal
( £13.50, 13.5%, Sainsbury's )A white that’s made in large volumes – and at a bargain price – this brilliant Chenin Blanc should encourage people to buy more wines from old vines. It’s a beautifully judged, naturally fermented white from Ricardo Cloete, sourced from Durbanville and Stellenbosch. Vanilla-scented thanks to 30% new wood, it has pear, yellow apple and nectarine flavours and zesty, cool-climate acidity.
2023 Cape Point Fairtrade Sauvignon/Semillon, Western Cape
( £8.35, 12.5%, The Co-operative )It’s good to see a Cape Sauvignon Blanc, blended here with 30% Semillon, with a little bottle age rather than released and drunk within a few months of the vintage.  This is a tangy, very lightly wooded cuvée from the talented Riandri Visser at a very appealing price, with layers of gooseberry, gunflint and lime and an appealing herbal twist.
2024 Zwartwater Estate White, Paardeberg, Swartland
( £24, 13.5%, The Wine Society )Something of a coup for the Wine Society, where buyer Victoria Mason MW is doing exciting things with the retailer’s South African range, this is a new wine from a historic estate on the Paardeberg, now under new ownership as they say in the hotel trade. It’s a brilliant, layered, complex blend of Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Marsanne and the Hungarian grape Hárslevelü, with aromas of honeysuckle, fennel and wet stone and a tangy, racy palate of orange zest, pear and pink grapefruit. A wine that looks every bit as good as it tastes.
2024 Winzer Krems Grüner Veltliner, Kremstal
( £9.50, 12.5%, Majestic )Winzer Krems is one of the best co-operatives in Europe, especially well known for its great-value Grüner Veltliners. This is a delicious summer white, best sipped by the Danube, but equally delicious wherever you choose to enjoy it. White pepper and bay leaf aromas are complemented by a palate of citrus and  pear and a bitter twist from 18 days of skin contact.
2025 Luna Beberide MencÃa, Bierzo
( £11.50, 13%, The Wine Society )Bierzo is arguably the Spanish region that is best qualified to call itself the “Burgundy of Spain”, assuming it feels the need to do so. The vineyards are often tiny, the wines produced in small quantities, the approach appealingly artisanal. The biggest difference is the price points, which is why I love wines like this unwooded MencÃa  from Luna Beberida. Crunchy, juicy and tangy, it has some stemmy grip, wonderful energy and focus, stony intensity and a core of pomegranate, plum and goji berry fruit. Lip-smackingly delicious.
2025 Pike's Traditionale Riesling, Clare Valley
( £13, 11%, Tesco )When the temperatures are as hot as they are in the UK right now, I always reach for a bottle of Riesling from one of the three As (Alsace, Austria and Australia) or Germany. This is a very well-priced, light-bodied example from South Australia’s Clare Valley with lovely jasmine and lime blossom aromas, racy, stony acidity, flavours of kiwi fruit, cardamom and lemon zest and a bone-dry finish.
2024 G de Château Guiraud, Bordeaux
( £18, 12.5%, The Co-op )Some stores may still be on the 2023, but make sure you track down the 2024 because it’s a textbook white Bordeaux at a very reasonable price. Combining Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon, it’s a fresh, tangy, herbal dry white from Château Guiraud, who also make one of my favourite Sauternes, with subtle toasty oak, flavours of citrus and pink grapefruit and lovely mid-palate texture.
2024 Vasse Felix Filius Chardonnay, Margaret River
( £14.50, 12.5%, Majestic )Virginia Willcock makes some of the best value Chardonnays in Australia. This comes form the ocean-influenced Margaret River region and is a wonderful, refreshing, medium-bodied expression  of the variety,  with gentle oak spice and gunflint aromas. layers of citrus, lemongrass and oatmeal and a pithy, mouth-watering finish.