Tried and tasted: best wines to buy in 2021

While sunshine may be in short supply at the moment, the British barbecuer is not put off by mere weather - especially when a good glass of wine can warm the chilliest patio.

Drinking outdoors is "not an occasion to linger over a glass, analysing its every facet, rather one for enjoying a simple wine with bright, fruity flavours", says Fiona Beckett in The Guardian.

Grapes grown in hot climates, such as the Mediterranean, Australia, Chile and California, "ripen easily and the wines made from them are full-flavoured and taste sweeter", making them perfect for barbequed food says Berry Bros & Rudd.

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With chicken or fish it is best to go for a French white vin de pays or crisp chardonnay from Australia or California, but with heavier, darker meats such as hamburgers or steaks, plump for an Australian shiraz, Californian zinfandel or red vin de Pays d'Oc.

The Trefethen 2015 dry riesling (£17) offers "flavours of nectarine, pear and apple complemented by aromas of orange blossom and white flower" that makes it perfect "paired with spicy barbecue and grilled seafood", says Gayot.

But for outdoor eating, it's hard to go wrong with a sauvignon blanc. The "perfectly decent, crisp, citrusy" Frontera 2015 from Chile's Central Valley really "hits the spot", says Beckett - and it's a bargain at £4.49.