Wines for the week: July 2023

If Prosecco is your fizz of choice, you'd be hard pressed to find a better one for the money. This one is a Superiore DOCG, from the historic Valdobbiadene hill, unlike many other simple Prosecco DOCs from the far larger, less quality-driven zone surrounding it. It's a little sweeter than a Brut, but balances well with the crunchy ripe pear and yellow apple flavours and bright, breezy acidity. At this price, every night can be a celebration!

If you're looking for a good-value alternative to Champagne, crémant is the answer – and this blanc de noirs cuvée from Bordeaux definitely over-delivers for the price. A blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it opens with toasty, creamy aromas; warm buttered croissant; white peach and a hint of mushroom. The palate has persistent bubbles and super depth of flavour, with appealing notes of raspberry, toasted brioche and ripe citrus, all underpinned by brisk, bright acidity. Lovely with smoked salmon or as an elegant aperitif.

Codorniu is a master at producing good-value Cava, and this organic bottling, new to Majestic from July, is all about fresh green apple fruit flavours and a twist of lemon citrus, wrapped in a soft creamy mouthfeel. If you prefer something richer and more autolytic in style, try the slightly more pricey Method Cap Classique from South African estate Villiera. (Mix-six price: £9.99)

Excellent value for this barrel-fermented blend of 56% Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc (18%), Chardonnay (17%) plus Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier, from terraced estate vineyards in Blaauwklippen. Sprightly grapefruit acidity and savoury oyster leaf salinity lifts vibrant yellow stone fruit on a nutty, leesy, textural palate. Delicious!

This Riesling from Chile’s southerly Bio Bio region is made by one of Chile's most reliable and good value brands. If you're looking for a fruit-forward wine with depth of flavour and bright acidity to match dishes with a bit of spice, this is a great choice. It's an attractive pale gold in the glass - swirl it round and you'll get a waft of sweet, fleshy peach perfume. You'll find some citrus zestiness and an almost smoky hint to it too. There's 7g/L residual sugar, but it tastes dry, with a lingering stone fruit juiciness.

Aged on its fine lees in stainless steel vats for 3 months, the dry Furmint from Disznókó has a lovely nose of beeswax, citrus blossom and marmalade. Bright acidity refreshes a honeyed palate of lemon curd, quince and grapefruit, with waxy smokiness and candied orange peel towards the finish.

Part of an experimental range from winemaker Luke Joliffe, this opens to savoury wild yeast aromas coupled with grapefruit zest. Textured, talc-like tannins and racy acidity support bold flavours of crunchy white peach, yellow plum and sweet hay, with gentle wood spice adding complexity. Vegan.

This bright and breezy Albariño is a consistent highlight in Tesco’s Spanish own-label range. Deeply perfumed with notes of lemon peel and orange citrus, and then juicy peach fruit weighing in on the palate, with a subtle saltiness adding interest. Ideal match for shellfish.

This classic example of Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough's Awatere Valley sub-region shouts with distinctive aromas and flavours of blackcurrant, lime and tomato leaf and is a little more reminiscent of Loire styles than the ripe passion fruit punch of Wairau. Focused acidity courses to a crisp, dry finish.

Majestic’s new ‘Chosen by’ range sits below the Definition wines to focus on the value end of the spectrum. This is surprisingly expressive for Muscadet: a bit like Muscadet on steroids, if you like. Aromatic with crisp apple fruit and a marine influence – brisk, with hints of oyster shell. It's not complex, but there's good typicity and value here. (Mix-six price: £6.99)

A very clever Chenin-based blend that's vibrant, refreshing and ample in the mouth. Muscadelle adds ethereal floral notes and lusciousness to the fleshy core of Asian pear and quince. A pleasant everyday drinker, with good structure and a seductive zesty twist to the finish.

New to Sainsbury's Discovery Collection for spring 2023, this versatile Italian white comes from the southern shores of Lake Garda and is made from the local Trebbiano di Lugana grape. The fresh nose is followed by a more complex palate with nice depth of citrus, herbal notes and white peach, cut through with brisk acidity. An ideal summer sipper, with or without food.

Bottled in spring, straight from cask and just lightly filtered, en rama is the purest expression of Sherry. Sourced from the single-vineyard Finca Pastrana, it spends eight years in solera before release. Lively, pungent, savouy aromas. The palate is packed with roasted nuts, tangy lemon citrus, bitter-orange marmalade, a hint of white pepper and vibrant acidity, with a lingering saline and grapefruit pith finish. A great summer aperitif with salty snacks like nuts, olives and jamón, or pair it with tapas, fish and seafood.