Wines of the week: High street wines for bank holiday weekend

A bank holiday weekend, the last of the summer. Will the weather hold fair or are we talking the usual deluge? Are we keeping our fingers crossed and having some friends or family round for a barbecue or planning what might be the last picnic on the beach for the year? Or are we staying safe indoors, with a picnic on the dining table or grilling in the kitchen?

Whatever your choices, here are some wines for every eventuality, rain or shine, which can be found on most high streets and none of which will break the bank.

A good robust red to match barbecued meats such as grilled lamb or almost any type of sausage is Anda, (£7.99 Waitrose.com) a newly released, surprisingly rich and spicy tempranillo-syrah blend from Andalucia in Spain’s deep south, otherwise mostly known for sherry. Most reds from this area are dark, heavy wines from sunburnt grapes that don’t travel well but Anda retains a freshness by the vineyards being at high altitude. And terrific value for the price.

Waitrose also have a good offer on an excellent, lighter cherry-flavoured, floral scented red from southern France, ideal for chilling with tuna or salmon steaks or butterflied chicken, the Villa Blanche Pinot Noir (£7.19 until 29 August; normally £8.99 Waitrose.com)

If the weather holds relatively fair, a personal choice for barbecues and picnics, particularly if there is seafood involved, has to be an iced rose – see my still and sparkling selection here and some from Provence here – but also check out the juicy, full flavoured Monferrato Chiaretto (£8.50 Marksandspencer.co.uk) made from the Barbera grape, or the very typical southern French blend of grenache and syrah A La Mode (£7 Morrisons.com; two for £12 until 12 September): light, spicy, very dry and refreshing; a great party rose.

Finally, two lively, sparkly whites for all occasions: grenache blanc is mostly found in Rhone Valley white blends, but gets the single varietal treatment in the rather unsubtly labelled Grenache Blanc (£7.99 Coop.co.uk) from South African combine KWV: this is instantly appealing, with really vibrant, tangy flavours of lemons, grapefruit and some green herbs – also excellent for parties. Another single varietal slightly more suited to the dinner table is the beguiling work of Languedoc winemaker Catherine Delauney – who excels in high quality, budget wines – the Les Jamelles Pinot Gris (£10.99 Majestic.co.uk; or £8.99 as part of mixed six purchase), a spicy and smoky, lychee-flavoured, fulsome white that would be perfect for almost any fish, outdoors or in and, perhaps with a hint of autumn to come, some roast pork.