We all dream of a place in the sun, but if you're not jetting off to the Costa del Sol or trendy Barcelona, a tasting flight of modern Spanish wines and a few tasty tapas will bring you one step closer to the sunshine coast.

So, to lay the foundations for building your own bodega, here are some vinos that have the charm and staying power to make you feel like it's fiesta time... even though your feet haven't left the ground and you don't need to shake the sand from your shoes.

:: Codorniu Cuvee Barcelona Brut, Spain (£10, Sainsbury's)

Catalonia in north-eastern Spain is the home of cava (meaning cellar) and Codorniu produces some of Spain's best bubbly. Made using the traditional method, this latest release is inspired by the city's modernist architecture and the embossed label certainly looks the part. A blend of three cava grapes - macabeo, xarel.lo and parellada - the tiny beads of bubbles have an attractive creamy texture with a delightful flowery nose and well-balanced fruit. Enjoy any time of day with seafood, fried fish, assorted cheeses and cold meats.

:: Sendero das Meigas Godello 2009, Spain (£12.99, www.laithwaites.co.uk)

Godello is a white grape from Galicia in north-west Spain and worth seeking out if you're fond of a rich, fresh style with delightful honey and apricot flavours. Ranked as a high-quality grape by the experts, prices remain competitive considering the buzz around these aromatic wines. Opening with apricot and honeyed notes, the silky, soft palate is concentrated with bright, citrus flavours and the lush finish is balanced by good minerality. Delicious with scallops and crab.

:: Bodegas Muga Rioja Blanco 2014, Spain (£11.25, www.bbr.com)

With such a treasure trove of tempranillo from the country's most prestigious wine region, white Rioja can sometimes be overlooked. Not so with this blend of 90% viura with a splash of malvasia to add a little fat and richness. With a good use of oak, balance and freshness, the expressive bouquet of honey, orange blossom and sweet vanilla notes leads to apple and subtle pineapple flavours, and the acidity brings a lift to the creamy texture. Try with shrimp, serrano ham and manchego cheese.

:: El Patito Feo Graciano 2009, Navarra, Spain (Currently £6.49 from £8.99, www.virginwines.co.uk)

A gentle giant that's at its peak, it's important to decant this wine (a carafe will do), to aerate it and leave the sediment standing at the bottom of the bottle, not your glass. You will then be rewarded with an inky black beauty from the Navarra wine region (Rioja's next door neighbour) that's intense, spicy and fragrant. Pungent with blackberries and forest fruits on the nose, it spends six months in oak and the smooth velvety flavours are rich and ripe with a twist of black pepper on the finish. Perfect with cured sausage.

:: Vent del Mar Garnacha Negra Syrah 2011, Terra Alta DO, Spain (£11.99, www.laithwaites.co.uk)

With a growing fan base, garnacha is the rich, vibrant red we all want to chew on when it's in the hands of a talented winemaker. The finest vines, and most expensive wines, come from Priorat, south of Barcelona, but this little gem from Terra Alta (next door) can hold its own. The high altitude delivers a wine with a fresh, minerally character, so the violet aromas, rich raspberry and cherry fruits with ripples of cassis, have a juicy freshness to the bright berry notes.

:: Vina Real Rioja Crianza 2011, Spain (£11.99, www.cheerswinemerchants.co.uk)

An excellent vintage from historic producer CVNE, this Crianza has a little bit of ageing in American and French oak, along with bottle ageing, and is drinking beautifully now. Elegant and ripe, it's tempranillo dominant with a small proportion of garnacha, graciano and mazuela and the winemaking team suggest pairing it with rump steak and pork meatballs to complement the brambly aromas, structured, savoury palate with cedar overtones and well integrated tannins.

:: BEST BUY

Pirate spirit... To celebrate National Rum Day on August 16, why not imbibe island life with Smatt's Gold Rum (£42, 70cl, www.31dover.com) which hails from the rich sugar cane fields of Jamaica. An amber beauty with flavours of oak, vanilla and coffee, according to legend it takes its name from Black Jack Smatt, one of the most infamous pirates to sail the Caribbean seas.

LIQUID NEWS

Gluten free brew... If you love beer, but are following a gluten-free diet and fancy a pint instead of a glass of wine or G&T, Van Bulck Belgian Organic Craft Beers have created a gluten-free lager that was awarded a bronze medal at the 2014 International Beer Challenge.

"When creating the Van Bulck range, I was conscious of people who were looking for gluten-free alternatives, but most importantly, tasty ones," says Denis Renty, founder of Van Bulck. "I also wanted to create beers that could be enjoyed with a wide variety of dishes, as well as on their own as a refreshing drink."

A light, clean beer with a gentle honey and walnut aftertaste, it's brewed using gluten-poor, organic barley, resulting in a light and balanced flavour. Van Bulck Gluten Free Organic Craft Beer (£2.50, 4.5% abv, 33cl, www.harveynichols.com)