We take our wine selection process very seriously here at Scott Dunn – it’s a tough job but someone has to do it! Andrew Dunn, the Founder, and I sample up to 40 different wines, twice a year, to source the best bottles for our guests in our Mediterranean villas and our alpine chalets. We narrow the selection down to two reds, two whites, two rosés and something sparkling. Guests in our villas receive a hamper of wines to enjoy during their stay, while our chalet guests are served a different pair of wines each evening, which are specially chosen to complement the chef’s menus.

For the villa programme we use local suppliers in the South of France and Mallorca, and we love to surprise guests, so we tend to steer away from things that are already super-fashionable. Having said that, there are some bottles that guests love year in, year out – if you’re going to be basking in the sun in the South of France, for example, a bottle of delicious Côtes de Provence rosé always goes down a treat.

Once we’ve made the initial selection, we start thinking about what will complement the food. For summer, we look for light, fresh, easy-drinking wines that work with barbecues, salads and seafood. For our winter selection, we choose things that work with a broader palate, so whether you’re enjoying a rich Tartiflette or a spicy Malaysian dish, you’ll be sure to find a fantastic match to drink with it.

Of course, the luxury of being on holiday is that you can do exactly what you want, so if guests would like us to swap some bottles within the villa hamper and drink rosé all week, that’s absolutely fine. Once the final selection has been made, we arrange to have our Master Sommelier visit each resort to train the teams to ensure they know which wines complement which foods. And if you can’t wait until your next break, here is a selection of some of our recent villa favourites.