Best red for your BBQ? Best value bubbly? Look no further! As M&S wipes the floor at the international wine awards, we check out their star bottles for the summer season

The sun's out so get your buns out! Burger buns that is - along with summer salads, tasty tapas and - of course - the perfect tipple to toast the summer. 

Refreshing glass of cava enjoyed early evening, in a lavender-scented garden - or on your not-particularly-glamorous patio?  Or a robust glass of red to accompany a succulent barbecued (er, burnt, unfortunately...) steak? 

Whatever takes your fancy, have a look at M&S' latest wine offering, which has just swept the board, scooping more awards than anyone else, at the prestigious International Wine Challenge (IWC) awards last week. M&S won 13 gold medals, 43 silver and 61 bronze medals this year, with the IWC describing the shop's wine customers as 'truly spoiled for choice'.

Feeling overwhelmed? Fear not! Help us at hand! Yup, from us. We've selected a few of M&S' star bottles for the season that are perfect for every summer occasion.  Cheers!

M&S scooped the most awards - a whopping 117 - at the International Wine Challenge awards last week. We've picked some of their star bottles and detailed how to drink them this summer

BEST FOR CELEBRATING: Graham Beck Sparkling Wine 2010, £14 

If you haven't ever tried a South African fizz, now is the time to give it a go. Right now, in fact. Yes, we are demanding you go get a bottle this instant. Because it is stupendous - it won a Gold at the IWC awards and JUST LOOK AT THE PRICE!

It is perfect for a birthday, anniversary or just saying woo hoo to summer in a delightfully sophisticated way. It's dry with sweet crème brûlée aromas and a rich creamy brioche flavour punctuated with hints of fresh lime.

Renowned winemaker, Pieter Ferreira, crafted this Blanc de Blanc from Chardonnay grapes grown in limestone soils, barrel fermenting a portion in oak to enhance the richness before using the 'Méthode Cap Classique' - that's South Africa's version of 'méthode traditionnelle' - to create the sparkle.  

What to drink it with: Seriously versatile, you can try it with anything you fancy but we love it with a grilled chicken sandwich or a goat's cheese and beetroot salady thing. 

BEST RED TO ACCOMPANY A BBQ: Colomé Altitude Blend Malbec Cabernet Franc Tannat 2014, £12

Looking for something new and exciting to serve up at your BBQ? Look no further than this big boy which won silver at the awards and is great with MEAT - unsurprisingly really because there is not  much about cooking cows that Argentinians don't know.

Bold, smooth and fruity, this finely balanced Malbec, which hails from Argentina's upper Calchaquí valley (home to some of the highest vineyards in the world), has flavours of spiced cherries, cassis and vanilla. 

Bring. It. On.  

What to drink it with: A great match for roasted or barbecued meats and strong cheeses, this red will no doubt be your tipple of the summer.

The Graham Beck Sparkling 2010, £14, left, is perfect for a birthday, anniversary or toasting to better weather, and was awarded gold at the IWC Awards. The Colomé Altitude Blend Malbec Cabernet Franc Tannat 2014, £12, right, is great with juicy burgers, plump sausages and tender pork chops

BEST FOR DATE NIGHT: Oudinot Rosé NV, £28

Has anyone ever not impressed a date with a bottle of pink bubbly? We think not. And this gold award winner must surely mean guaranteed success on the summer romance front.

Produced from the three Champagne grapes, the delicate peachy-pink colour is achieved by blending a proportion of red wine vinified from the best Pinot grapes. Taste-wise, the ripe strawberry fruit is met with a hint of cream and a crisp dry aftertaste.

What to drink it with: Prawns, Parma ham, kisses with someone gorgeous.

BEST TEAMED WITH TAPAS: Manzanilla NV, £7.50

Sherry's no longer just for your granny. Oh no. Dry, slightly saline, perfect with olives and almonds...a sip of this silver award-winning Manzanilla Fina and we can almost feel the Spanish sun on our backs...

Made from the white palomino grape in Andalucia, this sherry is basically the dry white wine of the region, aged in seasoned American oak barrels under a veil of flor yeast. Cool Atlantic breezes and high humidity means the flor grows well, which keeps the wine light to drink but imparts the unique tangy, salty, fresh flavours.

What to drink it with: Serve it well chilled and alongside olives, almonds, dressed salads, seafood, flavoursome Mediterranean tapas and even sushi! 

If you're desperate to impress, whip this luxurious Oudinot Rosé NV, £28, left, out and be safe in the knowledge that it won a gold award. If you're not lucky enough to be jetting off to Spain this summer, bring a taste of the Mediterranean to your kitchen thanks to this tantalising pale bone dry Manzanilla NV, £7.50, right

BEST VALUE: Rosado Cava Prestige NV, £10 

Move over Prosecco, it's time for cava to have a moment. And at just £10 a bottle, you can't go wrong with this vibrant pink dry fizz. In fact, the cava won a 'Great Value Trophy' at the awards.

Why? Because it's bursting with flavoursome notes of fresh strawberries and redcurrants wrapped in a creamy frizz.

Cellar Master, Gabriel Suberviola, and M&S winemaker, Sue Daniels, used Trepat grapes grown on the warm Mediterranean slopes of South of Barcelona to make this traditional bottle of fermented cava so it will transport you straight to sunnier climes. 

What to drink it with: Anything and everything - or nothing!

BEST PAIRED WITH CHEESE: Vintage Oudinot 2007,  £31

Yes, you read it right - we are pairing Champagne with CHEESE. Particularly a nice squidgy French one like Camembert or Brie. While it's not cheap, this rich, dry vintage Champagne was awarded gold at the awards and is something rather special.

With vibrant aromas of white honeysuckle and jasmine contrasted with delicious dark, nutty caramel flavours, the prolonged five-year bottle ageing allows the development of complex, toasted savoury flavours you'll be hard pressed to find elsewhere.

Sue Daniels and the team at Oudinot only produce this wine in the best years, using Chardonnay grapes from the top Côte des Blancs vineyards in the heart of the Champagne region.

What to drink it with: Pair this fine champagne with smoked fish, rich white sauces, or soft, creamy French cheese.

At just £10 a bottle, you can't go wrong with this vibrant pink dry Rosado Cava Prestige NV, £10, left. In fact, the cava won a 'Great Value Trophy' at the awards. Meanwhile, this Vintage Oudinot 2007, £31, right, has toasted savoury flavours you'll be hard placed to find elsewhere

BEST SERVED WITH SEAFOOD: Mineralstein Riesling 2014, £10

Thou shall have a fishy, on a little dishy, alongside a luv-er-ly glass of cold white vino (or so goes the song.) 

If you like rich flavours, you'll love this superbly modern and gold award-winning premium Riesling.

M&S winemaker Belinda Kleinig teamed up with expert winemaker Gerd Stepp to create this unique wine from specially selected vineyard sites from two classic Riesling growing areas in the Pfalz region of Germany.

If you fancy sounding like you know your stuff, inform your friends that it has clean and refreshing aromas of citrus and peach, as well as a hint of spice and whilst rich in flavour. 

Throw in that it's beautifully balanced with a long mineral finish and they will 100 per cent think you are a wine buff (well, probably). 

What to drink it with: Serve chilled as the perfect aperitif, or a great partner with seafood, especially smoked fish and sushi. 

MOST REFRESHING: Charles Back Stonedance Roussanne 2015, £10

The British sun may be showing its head only intermittently at the moment, but quite frankly it is already enough for us to be searching for a wine that is light and refreshing (alongside those pints of water you are obviously dutifully drinking alongside any alcohol obviously).

This deliciously dry unoaked white has sweet aromas of apple, peach and pear plus refreshing flavours of quince and fennel.

You know you'll be getting something unique with this wine; winemaker Anthony de Jagar used the little-known Roussane grape, which thrives in the warm climate of Paarl, South Africa. 

Plus, this gold award wine comes with good ethics; it's produced by Fairview from Fairtrade certified vineyards in the Western Cape, meaning fairer trading conditions and opportunities for producers in developing countries to invest in their businesses and communities for a sustainable future.

What to drink it with: Sip chilled by itself, or pair with scallops or chorizo.

If you love rich flavours, you'll love this superbly modern and gold award-winning premium Mineralstein Riesling 2014, £10, left. This Charles Back Stonedance Roussanne 2015, £10, right, is really refreshing and goes well with a classic dish of chorizo and scallops 

BEST RED FOR SUMMER: Clocktower Pinot Noir 2014, £14

As if you are in need of any reason to find summer more fabulous - it can now be your excuse to try a different (and delicous) type of wine!

And if you're after a flavoursome and full-bodied Pinot Noir, this is the bottle for you.

The IWC awards are considered to be one of the most prestigious and respected of competitions in the wine world and help you select the best tipple for the summer

The fruity wine, which has aromas of wild berry and cherry, hails from the Wairau Valley in New Zealand's famed Marlborough region. 

The classic Kiwi Pinot Noir, which won silver at the awards, was made by M&S winemaker Jeneve Williams and local expert Sally Williams. 

The duo sourced grapes from high quality vineyards and matured it in French oak to integrate the flavours and add subtle spicy depths. 

What to drink it with: Enjoy this well-balanced red on its own, or to complement roast duck, spiced lamb tagine or, if you're vegetarian, it's perfect with a tofu Pad Thai.

BEST SERVED WITH SALADS: Burra Brook Chardonnay 2015, £8.50  

Let's be honest. Chardonnay is the fail safe bar order for many of us - but do you really appreciate it?

Ideal to wash down a light and healthy summer salad, this Chardonnay won silver at the IWC Awards - so you know it's good. 

M&S Winemaker Belinda Kleinig blended this wine with local Barossa winemaker, Sam Wigan, using fruit sourced from a range of premium warm and cool climate areas within South Eastern Australia. 

The result? A flavoursome and refreshing lightly oaked Australian Chardonnay with tropical flavours of spiced apricot and juicy white peach.

What to drink it with: Enjoy this wine while it's young and serve lightly chilled as a refreshing aperitif or with light dishes such as a chicken salad or king prawn tempura.

If you're after a flavoursome and full-bodied Pinot Noir, this Clocktower Pinot Noir 2014, £14, left, is the bottle for you. Burra Brook Chardonnay 2015, £8.50, right, is ideal to wash down a light and healthy summer salad

BEST FOR WASHING DOWN A BURGER: The Show Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, £12

Perfect for having to hand at your next BBQ, this big, full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon from California is packed with black cherry and dark plum fruit flavour and hints of vanilla, spice and toasty oak.

Using grapes from prime vineyards in California's central and north coast areas, this red is made by top producers Charles Bieler, Joel Gott and Roger Scommegna.  M&S winemaker Belinda Kleinig was impressed by the wine's depth of the fruit and spiced dark chocolate finish.

What to drink it with: Enjoy this attention-grabbing style of red by itself or with ribeye steaks, chargrilled mushrooms or a juicy burger.

BEST SERVED AS AN APERITIF: Marksman English Sparkling Brut Blanc de Blancs 2011, £26

A drink served before the event has even properly started, an aperitif deserves a proper level of respect.

This silver award-winning vintage sparkling wine from one of England's finest wine estates is suited to long, hazy days in the garden with a bowl of olives.

Mike Roberts founded the award-winning Ridgeview winery in Sussex almost 20 years ago, and his family are still making stunning wines there today.  This 100 per cent Chardonnay wine is blended at Ridgeview exclusively for M&S. It has complex flavours of red apple, exotic spice and brioche underpinned by a long, mouth-watering finish.

What to drink it with: Delicious as an aperitif, it is also a great match for luxury seafood canapes.

Perfect for having to hand at your next BBQ, this big, full bodied £12 Cabernet Sauvignon from California is packed with black cherry and dark plum fruit flavour and hints of vanilla, spice and toasty oak, left. Marksman English Sparkling Brut Blanc de Blancs 2011, £26, right, has complex flavours of red apple, exotic spice and brioche underpinned by a long, mouth-watering finish