Ciao Bella wine has been created with a true Italian passion for perfection. Their superiore Prosecco Di Valdobbiadene is light and fresh, this Brut is perfect as an aperitif when celebrating with friends.

The word 'Nacional' is reserved for treasures that fly the flag for Portugal. Touriga Nacional certainly does that. Ten years ago the Freitas family planted the grape on their acclaimed Fava vineyard. In 2015 it produced a wine so special that it was bottled under the vineyard name for the first time ever. It won a string of Gold on its debut - making over 60 Golds in 10 years for this fine family estate. The 2016 won Grand Gold, and the 2017 here has won Gold, Double Gold, Grand Gold and Best in Show ... ! Dating back to 1920, Casa Ermelinda Freitas is run by fourth generation Leonor Freitas, who has been awarded a 'Comendadora' (equivalent to a Dame) for her services to Portuguese wine. Her daughter Joana follows in her footsteps. Aged in barrel, this rich red is packed with spicy berry, herb and mineral character. A top match with slow cooked beef or lamb.

A frequent Gold medal winner, Stones & Bones is so-called because it’s grown in a landscape littered with ancient boulders and dinosaur fossils. In the modern Portuguese tradition, the wine is a blend of local and international grapes. Touriga Nacional, the backbone of vintage port, joins forces with Syrah, Tinta Roriz and Alicante to produce truly mammoth, rich fruit flavours. Equally impressive is the winemaker, Diogo Sepúlveda, who relaxes after work by cycling or playing football, or, more unusually, bull wrestling! Having worked in Pomerol, then in the Barossa with heirloom Shiraz vines, his credentials for making this rich, old vine Portuguese red are second to none. For maximum enjoyment, decant and serve with a rich beef casserole.

This refreshing Squealing Pig Sparkling Rose is made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes grown in the South Eastern regions of the land down under Australia. With a perfectly pink beautiful pale salmon colour, it is a crisp, silky smooth style of Sparkling Rose. Serve chilled and enjoy now...or later with a bunch of your best buddies!

Save the vines and enjoy a gorgeous, rich red! Poggioreale used to be an important wine village in Sicily. It was where Dino Taschetta grew up, like generations of his family before him. After an earthquake reduced Poggioreale to ruins in 1968, a new town was built further down the hill and the vineyards above the village, the highest and oldest in Sicily, were then neglected for decades. Now, with many of the island’s oldest Nero d’Avola vines grubbed up, there’s even more reason to treasure what’s left. Dino recently returned to the family estate and began to restore the vineyard. His first vintage was 2017 and he was in urgent need of a customer. Our Buyer tasted the wine and reserved it all. A year later, we’ve returned for more.

Prosecco Spritz is best enjoyed with great friends, a large wine glass, ice and a generous orange segment. For food, share plates are best. Think Szechuan pepper seafood bites with a wasabi mayonnaise. Charcuterie with sun dried tomatoes and marinated artichokes.

Colpasso Pinot Grigio Has an intense bouquet of tropical and citrus fruits. On the palate it is medium-bodied and perfectly balanced, supple and refreshing. This is a versatile wine, pairing well with a great variety of dishes, or enjoyed on its own as an aperitif.

Freixenet's Prosecco, their venture into Italy, is available in the extremely convenient 200ml bottles, ideal for those with limited time or numbers. Small, these might be, but they offer the same delicious and refreshing wine with its bright apple, floral and citrus notes in the extra-dry style.

As with the white Prosecco, this Rose from the leading Spanish producer, Freixenet, is also available in the cute, yet extremely convenient size of just 200mls. An Italian classic, it also offers those delightfully refreshing notes of florals, apples and red berries in an extra-dry style. What picnic or lazy summer afternoon would not be made even better by a few of these chilled gems?