South American
San Pedro Sauvignon Blanc, Molina, 1999 (Dunnes Stores, £5.99), Santa Isabel Malbec, Mendoza, 1999 (Dunnes Stores, currently on special offer, £4.99). A user-friendly Chilean Sauvignon, with zesty freshness backed up by plenty of ripe, tropical fruit. And this Argentine Malbec has to be one of the best bargains in Irish wine right now. Brambly and luscious, but with a nice savoury touch in the middle. A hamburger enhancer you can also enjoy on its own.
Australian
Peter Lehmann The Barossa Chenin Blanc 1999 (very widely available, usually £5.99), Vine Vale Shiraz, South Eastern Australia, Lehmann, 1997 (very widely available, usually £6.99). Moreish is the word for this Chenin, with its lovely tang of fresh lime juice. It's great as an aperitif, but also superb with Asian or Pacific Rim food (especially anything involving large handfuls of fresh coriander) - so if you're going to throw a few prawns on the barbie, give them a Thai marinade. As for the perennially popular Shiraz, it's ample and spicy, with a slightly burnt edge that will come into its own with a good grill.
Italian
D'Istinto Catarratto-Chardonnay, Sicilia, 1998 (many SuperValus, Pettitts in southeast and many independent off-licences countrywide, £5.49-£5.99), D'Istinto Nero d'Avola, Sangiovese, Sicilia, 1997 (same outlets, same price). The friendliest pair of Italians you could possibly pick up - and not much more than a fiver apiece! See Bottles of the Week.
Spanish
Torres Vina Sol, Penedes, 1999 (very widely available, usually £6.99), Torres San- gre de Toro, Penedes, 1997 (very widely available, usually £7.49). Just as its name suggests, the white is a warm-weather thirst-quencher. While it goes down easily alone, it's even better with salads or fish. The red, two-thirds Garnacha, one third Carinena, is a juicy mouthful of raspberries and warm spice, with just a touch of smoky oak. Two Torres stalwarts, both reliable as ever.
Organic
St Michael Organic Villa Masera, Bianco Veronese, 1999 (Marks & Spencer, £5.50), St Michael Organic Chateau du Parc, Coteaux du Languedoc 1998 (Marks & Spencer, £6.49). It's a bit unconventional to team up a northern Italian white and a southern French red, but with these two, it works a treat. The white is mouth-wateringly fruity (not something that can often be said of inexpensive, and infuriatingly neutral, northern Italian whites). The red, smooth and mouth-filling, has a pleasant dusting of pepper in the finish. Maybe I imagine it - maybe it's organic hype - but to me they both have purity of flavour on their side as well.