THERE was meant to be a good chance of rain today. Bloomin' summer. Still, the temperatures will apparently be in the 20s so what better excuse to put some white on ice and go sit in the garden with a giant umbrella.

Let's cut the chase. Any time it's warm, we on this column like our good quality Fiano.

We've previously talked up The Wine Society's Mandrarossa Fiano and now we've found another - among the Co-op's Truly Irresistible range.

Whereas Mandrarossa hails from Sicily, this TI Fiano comes from Italy's mainland, from Benevento, north east of Naples, in Campania.

Its £6.99 price represents a bargain - as confirmed at this year's International Wine Challenge awards where this 2014 vintage picked up not only a gold medal but also a "great value" trophy.

A deep golden hue, juicy peach fruit with a bit of satsuma, a hint of clove and a dry finish all combine to make it a gem in the very affordable bracket.

Fiano is a classic southern Italian white grape, with Campania and Sicily competing to grow its best.

This TI drink is 100 per cent of said grape and duly has good intensity, a fine persistence and a mineral balanced finish.

You can sip it on its own very easily, but it'd go very well with shellfish and good old Italian seafood antipasti, as well as white meats.

It's currently down as the Co-op's "star buy" and - apologies to Sicilians out there - it also won a IWC "Best Fiano" gong.

By the way, if you fancy a bit of fizz to sparkle up these drizzly days, just up the isle in the Co-op is a Scalini Prosecco, on at a discount 6.99, down from £9.35, until August 2.

This Prosecco is fresh, pretty dry and lightly perfumed with delicate aromas of citrus fruit and white blossom. Forget worrying about food pairings, have a glass of this outdoors or before dinner. It's another bargain.

Meanwhile, going back to International Wine Challenge accolades, Majestic, which has a store on Foss Islands Road in York, this week won the IWC's High Street Chain of the Year gong 2016.

It reflects the company's "transformational strategy" aimed at getting back to retail basics and helping customers find drinks they will love thanks to guidance from store staff who love wine themselves.

John Colley, managing director of Majestic Retail, said: “Winning the IWC High Street Chain of the Year award is an incredible achievement and is especially important as it reflects all the work that has been done as part of our transformation plan."

The IWC said: "Majestic Wine has improved its range and refreshed and rebranded its stores, and has also done away with the minimum purchase of six bottles. They continue to ensure their staff are well trained, so they can really help the customer."