Pairing seasonally available foods with wines is covered in the twelve listed below. Here we are in early summer 2026, with two sparkling wines, one rosé, four whites, three reds, one for puddings and one for cheese. These wines are available from major retailers, priced between £12 and £30. They will change as new wines are found and others sell out.
Seasonal Wines for
Seasonal Foods
Crémant de Bourgogne Caves de Lugny
SPARKLING CHARDONNAY FROM SOUTHERN BURGUNDYThe winery making this wine is located in the village of Chardonnay and is dedicated to producing sparkling wines. The term Crémant refers to sparkling wines made using the méthode champenoise but are outside the region of Champagne. Best value sparkling wine currently available in the UK? Unquestionably.
£17.00 - Waitrose
Crémant de Loire Langlois-Chateau
SPARKLING ROSÉ FROM THE LOIREThis blend of Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir is a perfect sparkling rosé from Langlois-Château, owned by the Bollinger family. The wine is made using the same process as Champagne - Méthode Traditionnelle - and it creates a dry, fruity, elegant and refined wine that is perfect as an aperitif, or with red fruit puddings.
£20.00 - Waitrose and many others
Triennes, Rosé, 2025
CRAB, LANGOUSTINE, CREVETTES GRISe, prawns and lobsterThe sprightly blend of Cinsault, Syrah, Grenache and Merlot captures those moments sitting outside, chatting away, reaching for another helping of the coronation chicken, and enjoying the company of friends and family. Oodles of rose petals, summer fruits and blossom sit on the nose, leading to a perfectly balanced, elegant and delicate roundness on the palate with just the right touch of light acidity. Definitely, a ‘let’s keep a bottle of this in the fridge door’ wine until late September.
£14.95 - Berry’s
Dom. Schlumberger Gewürztraminer 2024
PERFECT ALSACE APERITIF FOR PRE-LUNCH NIBBLESEnchanting nose of caramelised oranges, light grapefruit tones. Complex layers on the palate: richness with a light touch of residual sugar. Acidity well-balanced, pronounced fruit with very good length. It’s immensely comforting. Rather like putting on an old glove, it coats the palate with a creamy-rich texture: slightly old-school and engaging.
£20.50 - Majestic
Sancerre Les Marennes 2023
CRISP SAUVIGNON BLANC FROM THE LOIRE'S CENTRAL VINEYARDSThe appellation of Sancerre sits opposite Pouilly-Fumé in the middle of the River Loire. These wines are richer and have much less pronounced acidity than their New World Sauvignon Blanc cousins.
£22.50 - Waitrose
Rustenberg Chardonnay 2024
VERSATILE CHARDONNAY FROM SOUTH AFRICAAnother cracker from this South African winery - see below. A touch of new oak lifts this well-made wine into a very easy-drinking option to serve on its own or with seafood and chicken dishes. Lightly refreshing lemon notes on the nose, with a medium-bodied palate and good balance. Easy decision to keep a bottle in the fridge this summer.
£16.00 - Waitrose and many others
Louis Jadot Mâcon-Azé 2023
WELL BALANCED CHARDONNAY FROM SOUTHERN BURGUNDYLouis Jadot needs little introduction, a house founded in 1859 with a strong international reputation and following. Very classic Chardonnay from the Mâconnais region, crisp and tensile on the palate, with a citrus-peel and orange-rind finish that lingers long in the mouth. A wine to accompany food.
£17.00 - Waitrose and many others
Château Maris Les Planels 2022
a perfect foil to work with meat from the bbqA rather classic Southern France blend of predominantly Syrah, with Grenache making up around 15% of the final brew. The terraces where the “Les Planels” Syrah grows have been there for 35 years. Aged in French oak barrels for 12 months - one-third being new - there is a rich concentration of black fruits - cherries and cassis - on the nose and palate. The new oak adds a light touch of vanilla, and there is a definite plum flavour at the end of the palate, with just a sprinkling of chocolate.
£19.50 - Waitrose
Craggy Range Pinot Noir 2024
CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD, vitello tonnato, POACHED salmonNew Zealand produces a broad spectrum of wines from many varieties, but from my perspective, Pinot Noir is their standout. Classic nose here of red cherries and plums, with a concentration and depth on the palate that refreshes the senses and demands another glass. Moreish.
£27.00 - Waitrose and many others
Rustenberg John X Merriman 2022
A CABERNET BLEND THAT DELIVERS YEAR AFTER YEARA blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot - percentages change from vintage to vintage. Cassis and dark cherries on the nose, with a refined palate. 35% new oak barriques work perfectly, lifting the blackcurrant flavours alongside fine tannins and very balanced acidity. Also, it ages. Recently tasted a bottle from 2016, and still in excellent condition. Outstanding value.
£19.00 - Waitrose and many others
Trius Vidal Icewine 2015
PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW CANADIANS RIVAL GERMANsThe Niagara Peninsula in Southern Ontario is the centre of pudding wine production in Canada, specifically Icewine. There are tropical fruit flavours of mango, lychee and pineapple on the nose and palate. Candied fruits with length, complexity and immensely adorable drinkability. Touches of lemon marmalade, intense but perfectly balanced acidity, and lashings of custard over the apple crumble, this would finish a lunch to perfection. Half-bottle.
£26.50 - Waitrose
Graham’s 10-Year-Old Tawny Port
COMTÉ, BRIE DE MIEUX, BARON BIGOD, GORGONZOLA PICCANTEI've always found this to be the lighter of the main 10-Year-Old Tawnies, and slightly chilled on a summer's evening, it is a real treat to savour with a very ripe cheese. On the nose, dried figs and raisins, with a touch of honey. Then a smooth richness of caramel, prunes, ripe dark fruits, and length on the palate. Scrummy!
£24.25 - Waitrose and many others