Showcasing the sweet fruit flavours of the primitivo grape, another one very much at home in this heat, Jema is a wine of some weight, creamy and rich, balancing high fruit notes with a herby, vegetal character.

This red from Paleine has been macerated for 21 days and gives a rich bouquet of raspberry, stone fruit and herbs with elegance and structure on the palate. Ideal with any meat or cheese, and will keep for up to five years.

From a single vineyard, Pongelli is made with old vines (up to 40 years old) and very low yields. Despite a year in oak, the wine is deliciously supple and mellow, boasting the bright red fruit flavours typical of these two grape varieties, but keeping a racy 'edge' and structure. A good match for game, pigeon, and rustic, meaty Italian pasta dishes.

Laurent De Besombes' 100% Syrah is a unique expression from this part of France - aged in both oak and acacia wood, and displaying a balance of acidity and flavour unusual for a wine hailing from this far south. An intense nose of berries, plum, olives and spice give way to a full body of wood, smoke and even a subtle note of sea spray. A lovely, long finish - consider decanting if young.

Made from the Seyval Blanc variety, which is particularly suited to the English climate, this grape has produced an aromatic sparkling wine with a floral rosy nose, some peach, and an expressive palate. Suitable for pairing with spicy foods or even fruit desserts.

Strahler is fermented partly in stainless steel and partly in oak, giving a complex wine with a fine, full body, lifted with a delicate freshness. The last-minute addition of the additional varieties lends to the ripe, tropical notes already coming through strong in the Blanc.

It's Pinot Grigio - but not as you may usually know it... From a single-vineyard, Sot Lis Rivis, and barrel-fermented in oak, this is a fine, gutsy wine with a sophisticated creamy, toasty edge and a notable herby character. The rich, nutty palate has a full texture and good concentration, with well-integrated oak. Superb.

Malvasia Istriana is an ancient variety from the Mediterranean that came to Friuli through Venice in the 16th Century. This wine has good acidity, a spectrum of aromas from tropical fruits to anise to spices, and an impressive finish.

From the hills overlooking the grander names of the Cote de Nuits, Bertagna's Haute wines have real energy to them - offering classic pinot flavours expressed through the interplay of subtle yet rich and spicy red fruit, a strong, elegant structure and a persistent, satisfying finish.