In this week's Tipping's Tipples, MIKE TIPPING recommends a trio of crisp, dry and reasonably priced wines.

ANYONE fancy a crisp, dry and reasonably priced white wine? A refreshing drop that is not too heavy for summer sipping and one that will go splendidly with salads, fantastically with fish and be cracking with chicken? Then look no further than this week’s trio of suggestions.

My first recommendation is especially, although not exclusively, for York City’s communications director Sophie Hicks.

Last time I was talking with her, she had just returned from a business trip to Porto, with her brother, City chairman Jason Mcgill, and had discovered the delights of Vinho Verde in a restaurant there.

York Beer & Wine Shop, in Sandringham Street, stocks a lovely example, Adega de Ponte da Barca 'Este' branco 2013, Vinho Verde. It’s a blend of arinto, loureiro and trajadura grapes that are typical for the region in the far north of Portugal.

Fresh, clean and very quaffable, it has flavours of lemon, green apple and, a Vinho Verde characteristic, hint of spritz.

New to Waitrose is Domaine Haut Bridau Picpoul de Pinet 2013. The picpoul grape, for those that don’t know, is not dissimilar to muscadet and is a speciality of the Languedoc region. The vineyards that provide the grapes for this wine are just above sea level, on the borders of Étang de Thau.

Suggesting lemons and limes with floral, herbal and pronounced mineral notes, it is nicely dry with a balanced crisp acidity. Like muscadet, it is a particularly good accompaniment to fruit de mer but, since we are in Yorkshire, you could also try it with one of each from the chippy.

Or try a sassy Alsace blend produced by Hugel under the Wine Society’s own label. The Society’s Vin d’Alsace 2012 is a blend of mainly sylvaner but with riesling, gewürztraminer, pinot gris and muscat in the mix.

Fresh, clean and dry, it suggests lemons and tropical fruit, with white flowers, a lick of honey and mineral notes.
 

Adega de Ponte da Barca 'Este' branco 2013, Vinho Verde, £7.75 at York Beer & Wine Shop 18/20

Domaine Haut Bridau Picpoul de Pinet 2013, £7.99 at Waitrose 18/20

The Society’s Vin d’Alsace 2012, £8.50 from The Wine Society 18/20