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Sunshine in a bottle: The freshest, lightest vintages to sip this summer

 

Anthony Rose
Saturday 05 May 2012 00:00 BST
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Solear Manzanilla, Barbadillo

There's a wonderfully fresh yeasty-savoury tang to the nose of this bone-dry white from the coastal sherry town Sanlucar de Barrameda, and it's met by a refreshing sea-salty flavour and an savoury bone-dry tang on the aftertaste. Chill! £4.99, half-bottle, Waitrose, Tesco.com

2011 Mas Christine Roussillon Blanc

New vintage southern-French dry white from grenache blanc and/or gris, producing an intensely flavoured dry Mediterranean white with rich, ripe-stonefruit flavours, refreshing acidity and a clean, dry aftertaste that's ideal for seafood and shellfish.£12.50, Oddbins

2009 Lucien Crochet Sancerre

Aromatic and richly fruity Loire Valley sauvignon blanc that's restrained in its flavour profile yet expressive in a texture defined by a flinty, fresh mineral quality. The taut balance between elegant fruit purity and elusive minerality is seamless. £13.28, Justerini & Brooks (justerinis.com)

2010 Dr Loosen Dr L Riesling Mosel

From Ernst Loosen, the German magazine Meininger's winemaker of the year, this featherweight honeyed riesling with its floral aroma, juicy citrusy flavours and fluffy texture makes the perfect light early-summer apéritif. £7.18, Asda

2006 Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Hunter Valley Semillon

Behind the typical limey aromas there's loads of toasty, citrusy fresh fruit whose nutty, honeyed characters are refreshed by a zesty spritz; a Shangri-la of a summer's dry white. £8.99, Sainsbury's

Champagne Tarlant Brut Nature

Bone-dry champagne may not be everyone's glass of fizz, but on a warm summer's day, if you can imagine such a thing, its tongue-tingling crispness, based on the 2003 vintage, makes it the ultimate refresher with its textured mousse of appley bubbles and mineral bone-dry finish. £30, Marks & Spencer

2011 MIP* Made in Provence Classic Rosé Côtes de Provence Domaine Sainte Lucie

Pale salmon-pink with a delicate blush, this is everything you could wish for in a superior Provence rosé, namely delicate aromas and a refreshingly juicy strawberries-and-cream fruit quality with a redcurranty dry zing to bring colour and zest to salmon and salads. £10.95, £9.95 a case, Lea & Sandeman, leaandsandeman.co.uk; 020-7244 0522

2010 Domaine Gayda Syrah , IGP Pays d'Oc

This vivid red made from pure Syrah in the south of France displays robust primary berry-fruit aromas with bright, pepper and tapenade-like black-fruit flavours tinged with spice, underpinned by refreshing astringency. £9.95, Jeroboams shops, London, Cambridge Wine Merchants (01223 568 993)

2011 Sangiovese di Romagna DOC

Behind the ruby hue and bright spicy aromas lurks a splash of red-berry fruit flavour with supple tannins and fresh lively bite on the aftertaste. Chill down and enjoy as an all-purpose summer's patio, picnic and barbecue glugger. £5.99, down to £4.99, until Monday, Marks & Spencer

2009 Château Segonzac Oak-Aged Cru Bourgeois, Blayes Côtes de Bordeaux

From the great 2009 vintage, this classic Bordeaux blend is made in a modern, dark-fruited style with skillfully crafted spicy oak. It's drinking nicely now but with its adolescent muscle, will soften down over the coming year. £9.99, down to £7.99, until Tuesday, Waitrose Wine Direct and 168 branches

2010 Cave de Monterail Plan de Dieu 'Le Mistral'

A typical southern Rhône blend based on a blend of grenache, syrah and mourvèdre, this is a vibrant aromatic red with a refreshing blackberry juiciness and a fine-textured smooth ripe spiciness with lively fresh bite etched on the finish. £9.99, or buy two bottles = £7.49, Majestic

2008 Viña Mayu Reserva Syrah Elqui Valley, Chile

Imagine a smoky, tarry Crozes-Hermitage with added New World opulence , and you'll find that this new-vintage syrah from Chile's northern coastal Elqui Valley displays all the requisite smoke and spice, adding a twist of black pepper to the blackberryish fruit quality on display. £9.99, Sainsbury's

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