RAISE A GLASS

WHERE would we be without technology? I had a video call with one retailer which is probably near you, wherever you live; the Co-op.

My chat was with wine buyer Ben Cahill. I usually have a face-to-face catch-up with Ben every year, to explore new wines on your behalf, but this year we had to make do with connecting via laptops.

Here’s a handful of summer sipping ideas I discovered.

First up, a couple of whites. Shhh It’s Riesling 2019 is a snip at £6 and is a deliciously dry, zappy, citrus-laden refreshing glass of white wine. That very evening, after I’d spoken to Ben, I poured this wine with home-made, coconut-rich Thai aubergine curry and Thai roti. Bliss.

Ben told me: “I love riesling. I just wish more people would try it. It’s versatile, it’s great on a hot day and great with food.” I agree.

Another white. Co-op Irresistible Australian Chardonnay (£7.50), right, is created by world-renowned winemaker Larry Cherubino. Ben says: “The Co-op has a friendly reputation and it stands us in good stead. It was a real coup that Larry wanted to work with us on this wine.”

It is a delicate refined style of chardonnay. It doesn’t have an overbearing explosion of tropical exotic fruits, but is more balanced and subtle. The wine is creamy on the palate with good underlying acidity.

Now for a pink – which Ben described as a “bonkers blend” and I called “a delicious surprise”. Babich Rosé 2019 (£9) is ideal if you love the grapefruit zest of sauvignon blanc and the nectarine, peachiness of a Provencestyle pink.

This New Zealand wine is a blend of six grape varieties, with sauvignon blanc being the dominant partner at 73 per cent. I loved it and another day it sat in the sunshine with me.

Let me lead you to a couple of reds, the first being Firebrand Old Vine Grenache 2019 (£9.50), below, from south Australia. Says Ben: “I love grenache. It is maybe the next step up for people testing the water with red wines, after a beaujolais or a pinot noir. This wine has a lovely mouthfeel but not necessarily that fire-y burn that some stronger red wines have.”

It’s a cracking wine with ripe, dark berry fruit, a little pepperiness and is velvet-y smooth.

Finally, Co-op Irresistible Montepulciano D’abruzzo 2018 (£7). This is a great glugging wine, but even better with food. Its typical Italian notes of sour cherries and just a touch of

astringency make it a perfect partner for pizza, pasta or summertime barbecues. Lots of wine-glass satisfaction for its £7.

Also in my glass …

I’m really loving the tropical vibe of chardonnay at the moment.

McManis Family Vineyards Chardonnay 2018 (£14.99, Ocado) ticked the boxes as it teased my palate with guava, lychee, peach and pear. It has a slightly creamy, buttery note too. There’s a good acidity which adds freshness and brings balance to this lovely white wine.

Jane is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers. Find her on social media and online as One Foot in the Grapes.