IF you feel like summer has suddenly passed you by and you’re in the mood for a glass less ordinary, here are some wines you can bank on to boost the long weekend...

UNDER THE SPANISH SUN A glimmering blonde and a blend of viura and malvasia grapes, Altos de la Guardia Blanco 2014, Rioja, Spain (£9.99, www.laithwaites.co.uk) provokes thoughts of exotic fruit salads with a dollop of creme fraiche. Fragrant with notes of elderflower and white peach, it’s generous with layers of juicy pears and guava, and a hint of oak imparts a slight creaminess to this youthful, fresh white.

POP THAT CORK Australia’s answer to prosecco, McGuigan Frizzante Extra Dry NV, South East Australia (£21.65, case of 3, Amazon.co.uk) is a real beauty if you like your glass of sparkle to be fresh, fruity and fun. You won’t find any honeysuckle sweetness or peach, but you will be rewarded with lemon zest aromas, an attractive savouriness to the soft, citrusy fruit and a dry, beautifully balanced finish.

BELLISSIMO Prosecco may have joined the A-list, but how do you know if it’s the real deal? Made from the glera grape, the best prosecco hails from the Conegliano Valdobbiadene area north of Venice with DOCG on the seal which represents the top quality (think of the G after DOC as standing for greatness) and here’s one that stands out – Prosecco Superiore Valdobbiandene NV, Italy (£14.99, www.rudewines.co.uk). A brut (dry) style, it’s floral, elegant and expressive, with classic notes of ripe pear and white peach.

MIST OPPORTUNITIES If you love a creamy, lightly oaked chardonnay, don’t let Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay 2013, California, USA (£11.80, www.tanners-wines.co.uk) pass you by. From one of California’s oldest family vineyards, the wine takes its name from the morning coastal fog in the San Francisco Bay area and it’s ripe and layered with tropical notes of pineapple, melon, pears and apple, plus a kiss of toasty oak on the mouthwatering finish.

 CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK Family owned Tyrrell’s winery have been producing wine in the Hunter Valley since 1858 and Tyrrell’s Lost Block Limestone Merlot 2012, Australia (£13.50, www.winedirect.co.uk) is a lip-smacking red with instant appeal. Plush and aromatic with buckets of juicy fresh berry fruit, there’s a delicious intensity that makes it weightier than most merlots and with light tannins on the soft finish, it’s a fruit-laden crowd pleaser.