A gorgeous peachy Viognier from one of Chile’s largest family-owned producers, this one has a touch of oak – just a couple of months – to add a bit of texture & flavour. Think tropical fruits and spice, it’s the kind of white I love at this time of year. Ripe, round and warming. Just the …
Read more “Luis Felipe Edwards ‘Signature Series’ Viognier Reserva”
This is the gorgeous dry white we had on Saturday Kitchen a couple of weeks ago and honestly, it’s the kind of wine that makes my heart sing. The grape is known as the ‘little rascal’ of Piedmont (literally Arneis translates as little rascal) given it’s fairly tricky to grow. It almost disappeared in the late …
Made for the Co-op by none other than Piper Heidsieck, this award-winning own label champagne is based on a similar blend of the three classic champagne grapes (mostly Pinot Noir, with Pinot Meunier and some Chardonnay too). One of the best champagnes currently under £20 around, this is such good value. Yes, there are some …
From Victoria’s Yarra Valley, this is just the kind of Australian Chardonnay I love. Basically it’s a way more sophisticated take on the goblets of Chardonnay I used to drink in All Bar One back in my twenties. Ripe and warm with gorgeous stone fruit flavours (think peach and apricots) and a touch of creaminess, …
This one’s been in the range for a while but it’s a bit of a hidden gem, a deliciously ripe Viognier from France packed with ripe warm stone fruit flavours (think apricots with a touch of honeysuckle). Cheap but still cheerful.
Made from the (vastly underrated IMHO) Verdicchio grape, this is the kind of Italian white you want in your fridge door AT ALL TIMES. So crisp and fresh with lime fruits but with a gentle floral edge and a touch of almond. It’s unfussy but so damn delicious and drinkable. And way more interesting than …
Much as I love a perky passionfruit-loaded Sauvignon Blanc, my real love is for this rather more elegant style so typical of the Loire Valley, especially those from Touraine. Think citrus with a dash of the florals and you get the idea. Bright, fresh and crying out to go with anything from the sea beside …
A gorgeous, crisp Godello (that’s the name of the grape) from Valdeorras (meaning Valley of Gold) in Galicia, up in the northwest corner of Spain. The steep terraced vineyards mean there’s altitude, giving the wine extra freshness and zing balanced with flavours of ripe white fruit and a mineral touch. Put this with roast chicken …
It’s an English wine! In a bag in box! And it’s brilliant! Honestly, I’m going to be drinking this all summer long. Made from the Bacchus grape, it’s got the freshness of Sauvignon but not as in-your-face and the bag in box format boasts a carbon footprint 10x lower than glass. Once opened, it’ll stay …
This organic white really is the bees knees, full of gorgeous ripe tropical fruit flavours with a touch of butter and honey. And though the flavours are big, the wine is brilliantly balanced with freshness and fruit in equal measure. Some of the wine is fermented in oak barrels too, adding a gentle spiciness to …
A properly good Riesling from a great producer in the Wairau Valley in Marlborough, it’s bright, bold and bone dry with gorgeous lime fruit guaranteed to shake up the taste buds. Brilliant with anything fresh and spicy like Thai or anything herby & chilli-flecked.
If you’ve never stuck your nose into a glass of Zibibbo before you’re in for a real treat! Think peaches sprinkled with apple blossom and you get the idea. It’s such a fabulous grape variety and if ever there was a time to be drinking a wine like that it’s now. Seriously made for summer.
Macedonia might not spring immediately to mind when thinking about what wine to have tonight but honestly, Smederevka is a real mouthful. Not just the name, but the flavours of the grape including peach, apple and a touch of lime. Refreshingly different and dangerously drinkable. Quite the best combination.
One of the wines in a new range in M&S called Found, featuring little-known grapes from some of the places best suited to growing them. This particular one is made from the little-known Ribolla Gialla (pronounced ja-lah, meaning yellow in Italian) grape, from northern Italy. It’s got a bit of peach, a lot of citrus …
Perfectly perky white made from a blend of Colombard with the aromatic Sauvignon Blanc grape. And they work brilliantly together, the Sauvignon adding a real citrus lift. Works with or without food but to get the best out of it add salty snacks at the very least.
This is made from a cocktail of local grapes including Gros Manseng, Petit Courbu, Petit Manseng and Arrufiac and it’s one of those whites that instantly adds a spring to your step. So fresh and perky with white peach and citrus fruits, all it needs is a plate of smoked salmon and you’re set.
From Chile (think natural fruit bowl) comes this tropical fruit-loaded Chardonnay and honestly it’s just what we need right now. From the Leyda Valley, a cool coastal spot which clearly suits Chardonnay down to the ground. A proportion of the wine is aged in French oak barrels adding a bit more oomph and flavour to …
I love Chenin Blanc, a much misunderstood grape that can do anything from dry to sweet to sparkling. Here it is on cracking form, all fresh and citrusy with a dollop of pear fruit flavours. Made from Fairtrade grapes grown in the Breede River Valley in South Africa’s Western Cape, it’s normally £7.50 but currently …
Normally £6.50, it’s currently on offer at £6 but it’s a steal either way. Crisp, fresh and moreish, it’s made from the Verdicchio grape in one of the best bits of the Marche region for this particular grape. Expect ripe lemons with a touch of the florals. Fabulously food friendly, too – chicken, fish, bowl …
If your taste buds are feeling done in after the festive period, this is the kind of white to shake everything back into focus. A crisp, bright white with buckets of citrus and a touch of green apple fruit about it from Greece. Yes, I said Greece. It’s got a groove, etc.
This is part of Lidl’s latest Wine Tour so if you see one on shelf, grab it because it won’t be around for long. It’s a sweet wine from South West France, made from late harvest grapes (rather than noble rot like Sauternes). Naturally sweet but not at all cloying, it goes brilliantly with blue …
Well, hello winter-friendly white with your gorgeous plump stone fruit flavours. I love the peachy Viognier grape but this Californian take on it is something else. Not to mention cheap as proverbial chips. Honestly, you can’t drink this and not feel just a little bit more sunshine-y afterwards. Especially good with at least half a …
Think of all the autumnal fruits – apples, pears, quinces – all squashed in a glass and that gives you some idea of what to expect from this gorgeous Chenin Blanc. From a top producer (and a real pioneer of organic and biodynamic wine production) this organic white is an absolute steal at the price …
Beronia is a producer based in Rioja (their reds are lovely) but they loved the white wines from Rueda so much they built a winery there too. This is more at the grassy end of the Verdejo spectrum rather than the riper peach fruit end and I love it. Great value and makes a properly …
This is such a bright take on the Verdejo grape, it positively dazzles with fresh citrus along with gorgeous white peach flavours. The grapes are picked at night to lock in flavour and although it’s generally fresh and light, there’s some weight to it too. Smarter than your average and great with food, roast chicken, …
Viognier is a peach of a grape, capable of producing wines with lots of ripe tropical fruit flavours. This one, from the Languedoc in southern France, is bright and juicy with buckets of apricot fruit flavours but also just the right amount of zip to keep it light (some can feel quite heavy and a …
This glorious white is made from grapes grown in Puglia, down in Italy’s heel. It’s absolutely delicious (think mango with a twist of honeysuckle), is suitable vegans and it’s made using sustainable organic farming methods. Gorgeous label, too. Try it with roast chicken. Twiglets work too.
Made from a blend of Melon de Bourgogne (the grape behind Muscadet) and Chardonnay, this perky Loire white is delightfully light on its feet (it’s a friendly 12% abv). I love Loire whites, not least because they’re usually really good value. This isn’t exactly cheap but you’d probably pay a lot more for it if …
This is seriously cool, bringing together Chardonnay grapes from two of Australia’s hottest cool spots. The first is Clare Valley in South Australia and the second is Margaret River in Western Australia. It’s a white peach and nectarine-filled dream with subtle spice and plenty of flavour. Just add a plate of roast chicken and you’re …
Viognier can be quite a plump-tasting grape but this one’s been made from grapes harvested at night (cooler temperatures help the grapes keep their fresh fruit flavours) so it’s more apricot-like than full on tropical fruit. I featured this one on Saturday Kitchen at the weekend which meant I got to drink it for breakfast. …
If you like lime cordial, you are going to love this. Made from the Vermentino grape, it’s so bright and fresh with bags of citrus fruits and a touch of the florals too. From Sicily, it’s one of those wines that asks for nothing more than a handful of salty snacks to bring out its …
Well, this is lovely. Not just the wine (fresh, floral and a joy to drink) but the story behind it. The distributor, Berkmann, normally supplies the restaurant trade with wines. But with the on-trade temporarily shut down they’re offering wines for sale from their website with 12.5% going to Help4Hospitality, a fund supporting the hospitality …
One of the last press tastings I went to before everything was cancelled was the Aldi Spring Tasting. And this was one of the standout whites for the price, nicely balanced with lemony fruit and lip-smacking freshness. It’s available online now and in stores in a couple of weeks, apparently. Stock up whilst you can …
Galicia, up in the top northwest corner of Spain, is famous for its crisp-as-clean-sheets Albarino wines. But the warm, dry Monterrei region in Galicia is where the aromatic Godello grape thrives. Made by a great co-operative (named after a famous troubadour, as it happens), this is bright with citrus and pear fruit flavours, the kind …
This gorgeous sweetie is from Hungary’s Tokaj region, one of the oldest sweet wine-producing regions in the world. It’s a late harvest wine, meaning the grapes are left on the vine for a month or two longer than normal so they get super ripe. Think light citrus fruits with a touch of apricot and lots …
Currently on offer (it’s normally £8), this is made from a local grape called Loin de l’oeil from a region not far from Toulouse in South West France. Expect a blast of apple and grapefruit across the taste buds. Crisp and dry, just what’s called for when the kids are fed and The Archers is …
It’s white wine, but not as you might know it. Made from white grapes – in this case some Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Feteasca and another local grape that’s a bit like Muscat – but made like a red wine and fermented on its skins. So it has a bit of colour, hence the name, and …
Most non-alcoholic wines taste more like fruit juice than wine – and that’s the good ones. But there are a few wine-like ones around and this is one of them. Made from the Riesling grape, it actually smells grape-y, which definitely helps. And although not bone dry, it’s not too sweet either (most of them …
Finding a bottle of Italian white made from the Arneis grape on our supermarket shelves isn’t easy. But this one’s popped up in Asda and it’s a gem. Arneis almost disappeared at one stage but it’s making something of a comeback, happily. Crisp and dry with gorgeous pear fruit and a touch of almond, it’s …
When the temperature drops, I want white wines with huggable flavours. You know, more tropical fruits than sharp lemons. And this Viognier from Chile brings it with gorgeous peach and apricot flavours wrapped in sunshine. Buy this as part of the Majestic mix six deal and it goes down to just £5.99 a bottle. Together …
Proving the point that sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, this is a lime and lychee mash up. It’s a brilliant blend of three grapes – Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer. The Riesling adds a bolt of citrus lightening, the Gewürztraminer a dollop of perfume and the Pinot Gris gives …
This wine is such a wonderful blast from the past. It was on the Tesco shelves back when I was a wine buyer and was one of my favourite Chilean Chardonnays. Unapologetically bold with ripe tropical fruit flavours and a generous lick of oak, it was the kind of white I loved when the weather …
Gorgeous bright white from the northwestern corner of Spain, this is made from the Albarino grape and is absolutely made to go with fish. Think of it as a squeeze of lemon over the top. There’s a bucket of citrus fruit along with a touch of peach and apricot. Featured on last week’s Saturday Kitchen …
From southern France, this is all peaches and sunshine for under £6. Made by a local co-operative, they keep the wine on its lees (yeasts after fermentation, in other words dead yeasts. Lees sounds much nicer) for a couple of months to add texture and flavour to the wine. Simple but effective.
A gorgeous white Rioja made from the Garnacha Blanca grape. Normally this grape doesn’t get to take centre stage but here it is, in the spotlight, looking very good indeed. With glossy citrus flavours and a hint of spice from some ageing in oak barrels, it makes a refreshing change to drink white rather than …
Sarah Jessica Parker made a wine! Well, New Zealand producers Invivo made it but she helped put the blend together. And she had a hand in the (beautiful) packaging too, picking the teal blue on the label to match her favourite pair of shoes. Natch. I had to review it for the paper last week …
Arneis is the name of the grape and the best ones come from a small corner of Piedmont in northern Italy, called Roero. It’s a gem of a white, all peachy fruit wrapped in citrus freshness. And being a little more off the beaten track than most, it’s a bit more expensive. But it’s fabulous. …
Made for Aldi by the Devon-based Lyme Bay winery, this is one of the best value English white wines around at the moment. The Bacchus grape is a bit similar to Sauvignon – aromatic, fresh, citrusy. But it’s also got more a whiff of orchard fruit about it and feels quintessentially English. If it’s your …
You know how Sauvignon Blanc has that unmistakable herby aroma? It’ll have something of that wherever you make wine with it. But Chardonnay? It can be citrusy and crisp as a starched tablecloth or ripe as a juicy peach. It just depends on where and how it’s made. And Chardonnay from its spiritual homeland, Burgundy, …
Simpsons Estate has one of the prettiest vineyards in the country, lying on a gentle chalky slope overlooking the Kent countryside. And this unusual white is made from the Pinot Meunier grape, one of the three grapes usually found in English sparkling wines (as well as champagne). It’s rare to find it on its own …
Lovely Italian white from better-than-average vineyards in the Matelica region, slightly inland in the Marche (halfway down Italy’s boot, roughly). The grape is Verdicchio and it’s brilliantly light, fresh and fruity with green fruits – apple, pear – and a touch of the florals too. If you’re looking for a midweek fridge-door banker, it’s right …
If Sancerre is your idea of wine heaven, this is a bit like it but cheaper. The region is Reuilly, not far from Sancerre in France’s Loire Valley but the richer soils tend to produce wines with more weight to them. You still get buckets of light, bright Sauvignon characters and plenty of zip. Btw, …
Made from mouldy grapes but much, much better than it sounds. The so-called ‘noble rot’ is a fungus that grows on grapes when conditions are right, leaving little sugar bombs on the vine. In turn, they make wines with incredibly rich, honeyed flavours. This one goes with pretty much any chocolate but is especially good …
A gloriously fresh white full of citrus fruits and a touch of the florals, this one’s made from the Albariño grape grown up in the northwest corner of Spain in vineyards not far from the coast. Properly good value, it’s a fridge door banker. Salty snacks essential.
Like Pinot Grigio, only better. It’s the same grape actually, but this is a southern French take on it and it’s richer and riper in style than your average PG. Think melon and peach but with that same simple freshness. And it’s less than £6! Ridiculously good value. Buy some before I drink it all.
Get past the nightmarish label and you’ll find a bright, sunny wine inside. Made from the Chardonnay grape, this hasn’t been anywhere near an oak barrel and is made with what’s called ‘minimum intervention’ from the winemaker. It’s a real peach and Pull The Cork, the online retailer selling it, is offering a small discount …
Gorgeous white made from organically grown Chardonnay grapes in Spain’s La Mancha region, the producer is biodynamic (think organic but with added cosmic stardust). And the result is star bright, fresh with a bowlful of tropical fruit flavours. Refreshing, great value, delicious. Serve with olives on the side.
For years Orvieto has been sitting quietly on the shelves, overshadowed by buckets of Italian Pinot Grigio. But if it’s a crisp white with simple citrus flavours you want, its worth trying a glass of well-made Orvieto for a change. From Central Italy, this one’s produced by a great co-operative made from the Trebbiano grape. …
This is a real joy-sparker, made from Marlborough-grown Sauvignon Blanc with its Spring-like whiff of cut grass, blossom and citrus. A reminder, in liquid form, that brighter, longer days are not quite so far away. Usually £14.99 but it’s on offer at the moment, so even more joyful. Delicious with ginger and chilli-topped steamed salmon …
The classic white match for christmas lunch/dinner/whatever is white burgundy so this is a variation on a theme. Same grape but from South Australia’s Adelaide Hills region. It’s ripe, round and creamy with plenty of weight and flavour so it’ll take all the flavours of turkey & trimmings in its stride. And if there’s any …
Love this peachy Viognier from one of the biggest names in the Rhone Valley. Ripe and round with bags of tropical fruit flavours, it’s the kind of white winter was made for. And if you can’t find any on the shelf, it’s because my mum’s bought it all (sorry). Try it with roast chicken.
Super slinky white from Slovenia, this brings together the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio grapes. And, boy do they get along! There’s a bit of gooseberry, a dash of lemon and a twist of pineapple. Really fresh but not so much it makes you suck your cheeks in, this is one easy going white. No …
If anyone tells you they don’t like Chardonnay, give them a glass of this and see what happens. Actually, I can tell you what happens. They finish the glass, ask for a top up and then when you tell them it’s Chardonnay they don’t believe you. Because this one hasn’t been anywhere near an oak …
Lovely crisp Sauvignon from South Western Australia, this is an eye-opener. And a cheek-sucker. And a mouth waterer. Even though it has that unmistakeable Sauvignon DNA, it’s also refreshingly different to those from New Zealand or France with a herbal edge to its lime fruit flavours. An absolute steal at the price. Just add the …
The reds from here tend the hog the spotlight but the white wines from the Rhone are usually a great (value) mash up of local grapes, in this case Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne, Bourboulenc and Clairette. All peaches and white flowers, it’s a properly unpretentious, happy wine. Gorgeous with grilled/barbecued chicken.
A fruity take on the Sauvignon Blanc grape thanks to a generous dose of Languedoc sunshine, where the wine’s made. There’s passion fruit, flowers and a big squeeze of lemon in there, along with refreshing crispness to balance it all out. Really smart wine for the money, you could take to friends’ for dinner and …
Read more “Abbott’s & Delaunay Fruits Sauvage Sauvignon Blanc”
Another little gem from the Co-op’s Irresistible range, this crisp white Italian is made from the Cortese grape and comes from the Piedmont region in northern Italy. All green apples and almonds, it’s one of those typically brilliant Italian whites that goes so well with lighter summer foods – salads, grilled chicken, fish. Or simply …
Much as I love a steely white, sometimes I want something with a bit more meat on its bones to get my teeth – and tastebuds – into. This ripe, juicy Chardonnay is one of those, made from grapes grown in the beautifully-named Casablanca Valley region in Chile. Think tropical fruits with a trace of …
We’ve had this one before but it’s currently on offer (normally £11.59) and it’s too good to miss. Such a good style of Sauvignon Blanc, not too grassy but still with that unmistakeable Sauvignon zing with peach and passion fruit in there, too. And the 4th May is World Sauvignon Day, apparently. As if we …
I was asked the other day for a recommendation for an inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc that wasn’t from New Zealand (she loved NZ SB, just fancied a change). I suggested trying ones from Bordeaux, Loire and Chile for starters. And now I’m adding this one from South Africa to the list, made by a couple of …
This one’s already popped up on the IG feed this week (alongside a bowl of chickpea puffs. Way nicer than they sound, I promise you). The Marsanne grape is behind some of the white wines from the northern Rhone but in this case, we’re a little further south. Sunshine = ripe, fruity flavours. Specifically, a …
When the buyer from Berry’s visited this particular (massively off-the-beaten-track) winery in South Africa last year she tasted a sample from a tank of wine destined to disappear into another (bigger) blend. But happily, she thought it so good she snaffled the lot on the spot for this exclusive blend. Think waxy lemons and grapefruits …
It’s alpine, but from France’s Savoie region rather than Switzerland. (If you want to buy swiss wines, try alpine wines.co.uk). Anyway, it has that same crisp, clean, lightly-floral-with-a-whiff-of-pear thing going on just as some of the lovely Swiss white wines have. Relatively low in alcohol too at just 11.5%. A couple of glasses of this …
Love this gorgeous bright white, fresh as a daisy and full of lemony loveliness. It’s made by one of the biggest and best producers in the Gascony region and for well under £6 is seriously good value for money. Made from a blend of local grapes including Colombard and Ugni Blanc, it’s got more going …
Expensive, I know. But there’s not much of it about. And it’s Christmas. It goes brilliantly with turkey and tastes of ripe apricots. Worth splashing out on if you want a really special bottle of white on the table on Christmas Day. Made from a blend of Rhone grapes including Grenache Blanc, with some Clairette, …
Fresh off the vine, this is from the 2017 vintage. Made in New Zealand’s Marlborough Valley, it’s Sauvignon Blanc grape in high definition – and a real crowd pleaser. It works brilliantly with smoked salmon thanks to its zingy citrus flavours. Like a squeeze of lemon on the salmon, but in wine form.
This was one of the wines in the line up at last Friday’s Trouble Lounge event in Bath and it absolutely lived up to its name. Bright, light and full of gorgeous lemony fruit with a whiff of nectarine, it’s one to try if you like Sauvignon Blanc but want something a little less herby, …
Terret Blanc (which autocorrect desperately wants to change to Ferret) is an old local grape variety grown in the Languedoc in southern France. But here, instead of it being used in a blend, it gets the stage to itself. And goodness, it sings. Light and bright, it’s got the citrus of Sauvignon but with a …
Brilliant, peachy white made from the Chardonnay grape grown in the Limoux region in Southern France, this is perfect for Halloween on two counts. Firstly, it’s delicious (most important thing). And secondly the label is kinda scary, so it’s spot on for Halloween. Apparently the guy on the front was a companion of Bacchus, the …
Ridiculously good value Sauvignon Blanc from the Western Cape, this has got all the bouncy citrus fruit you want (expect) from the super-fresh Sauvignon Blanc grape. But there’s another layer of flavour too, a kind of peachy hit. Some of the wine was aged in French oak barrels, giving it a bit more welly. Lovely, …
Now, if you prefer your whites on the light, floral side then move along. This is not for you. However, if you love something a bit more ripe and round in your glass from time to time, you’ll love it. All peaches and cream, it’s made from the Chardonnay grape grown in New Zealand’s North …
This doesn’t usually happen. Two Pinot Grigio wines in a row (I recommended another one from Tesco just last week). But the thing about PG is, no matter how sniffy buffs might be about it being boring, I love love love its simplicity. If this was a shirt, it wouldn’t have ruffles. Or spots. Or …
As grapes go, Pinot Grigio is perhaps one of the more easy going styles. Simple, sometimes even a little meh. But find a good one and it’s a joy. Light, lemony and bright, this is the kind of wine you want to greet you at the end of the day with nothing but a bowl …
Just one of the loveliest new Italian whites to cross my palate in recent weeks. From the Campania region in southern Italy (Naples is nearby), this is a sunny white with ripe, easy-going citrus fruits along with a touch of honeysuckle. The grape is called Greco and you won’t find it really anywhere else. If …
This is the white wine we had at our Camp Bestival wine tasting a couple of weeks ago. The reason it’s called ‘On the QT’ is because it’s made by a famous producer; they just don’t put their name to it (it’s sold as a parcel to Waitrose). It divided opinion and I’m pretty sure …
If you like your wine to taste peachy with lemon peel and a touch of honey – all for £6 – then here. You. Go. Currently on offer (it’s normally £8/bottle), it’s a Fairtrade wine made in South Africa’s so-hip-it-hurts Swartland region. The chenin blanc grape loves it here, evidently. And there’s no oak so all you get …
Love this white, with all its fresh pear and almond flavours. Made from the Cortese grape, it’s one of those wines that you don’t even have to think about. Just whack it in the glass, get a salty snack to hand and sit down for the next twenty minutes with a book/make a phone call …
Another gorgeous Italian white made from a random grape variety, this time it’s Verdeca along with a dash of Sauvignon Blanc and Malvasia. This is such a lovely style, fresh and crisp with subtle lemon flavours and a tiny touch of spice. From the heel of Italy, in Puglia, it was one of the highlights …
Arneis is the name of the grape, meaning ‘rascal’ in Italian. Gives you a clue as to what winemakers think of this little beast: difficult to grow but ultimately loveable. It’s quite subtle with lemon and pear flavours. Really fresh too, with a kind of floral hit. And there isn’t that much of it about, either. …
Viognier makes wines with lots of flavour, usually along peachy lines, but they can sometimes lack zip. Not this one. Made by Chile’s leading organic wine producer Emiliana, this one balances both buckets of flavour and lots of freshness. With gorgeous tropical fruit flavours along with a whiff of floral, it’s got summer in its …
A lot of white Burgundy comes with a hefty price tag; not this one. It’s normally £10 but it’s currently on offer until next month so definitely worth trying if you like your whites crisp, dry and lemony. There’s a touch of honeysuckle about it too. Made from the Chardonnay grape (as is almost all …
Made by a brilliant winemaker called Eva Keresztury in a tucked away corner of Hungary, this is a savvy little white loaded with lovely lemony flavours. She’s taken Pinot Grigio, added some Chenin Blanc and then taken a local grape variety, Kiralyeanyka, to give it extra freshness. Just add snacks (handful of Cheerios definitely counts).
It’s Fairtrade Fortnight until the 12th March and this one’s currently on offer at £6 (it’s normally £7). Bright, sunny wine with lots of ripe peach going on, it’s a banker if you like your wines on the juicy side. Made from the multi-tasking Chenin Blanc grape (you can get it in dry, sweet or sparkling …
Gotta love the Languedoc. It’s stuffed with great value wines with – thanks to abundant sun – buckets of ripe fruit flavours. There’s also something refreshingly unstuffy about them. This one’s made from a blend of local grapes including Vermentino, Marsanne and Grenache, generously loaded with waxy lemon and peach flavours. A bright, happy wine that’s …
Read more “Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Languedoc White”
Not a shy wine, it’s like lychees and rose petals in a glass. Brilliantly expressive, this fancy French white from Alsace is desperate to be put with something equally exotic flavour-wise. Anything Chinese in flavour is a classic match but I love it with something coconut-y, like Thai red curry.
From Western Australia, this is a brace-yourself kind of wine. Full of racy lime and grapefruit flavours, it’ll shake up the taste buds and make the mouth water, ready for food. Those bright citrus flavours are best matched with similar clean, fresh dishes like simple grilled fish or big, herby salads. Roasted vegetables are brilliant …
Basically, fruit salad in a glass. With added alcohol, obviously. Made from the clever Chenin Blanc grape, this is it in dry form (it does a nice line in sweet and sparkling, too). The winery behind this one is in Stellenbosch but the grapes are sourced from across the Western Cape region. Bright and bold …
This is one of those wines that doesn’t require much thought. Or food. Rather, it’s the wine equivalent of chilled background noise. Light, fresh and lemony with a bit of a floral twist to it, it’s a fridge door banker. The name Martisor refers to an ancient Romanian tradition celebrating the beginning of Spring. I’ll …
A properly good white with a label doesn’t scream organic. It doesn’t try to look earthy, or earnest. In fact, it looks rather normcore. But the wine inside is lovely: fresh, crisp and lemony with a herby twist. Made by a great, big Chilean producer, this is fantastic value. Add a handful of salty snacks for true happiness.
This is made by a chap who took the grape seriously when most around him were using it to make cheap and not-always-cheerful whites in South Africa. And it’s seriously good. Aged in oak barrels, adding brioche and vanilla flavours to the natural honeysuckle character of the grape. It’s rich but not OTT, with plenty of flavour and …
God. ‘Ello. This is really lovely: a citrus-scented, perky white from a little pocket of vineyards in Monterrei, in the Galicia region of northwest Spain. Usually it’s the Albarino grape that steals the lime-flavoured light here but this is made from the Godello grape and is just brilliant. One of the limited edition wine parcels …
You have to be a member of The Wine Society to buy wine from them but life membership is just £40 so it’s pretty much the safest wine investment you can make nowadays. This is a gorgeous spicy white from Austria, with lots of white peach flavours. Fresh, crisp and with more flesh on its bones …
Chardonnay comes in all shapes and sizes depending on where it’s grown and who makes it. This one’s from a high altitude vineyard area not far from Sydney that sounds not unlike a pop band I used to know in the 90s that sang about getting knocked down (they got back up again). Anyhoo, this …
A friend asked me what she should have a glass of whilst watching the GBBO final. Something white with oomph, she said. I suggested this, a gorgeously buttery Chardonnay from California’s Napa Valley. Now, this is not a subtle wine. It’s got bags of flavour, just as it should do – ripe peaches and a …
I know I go on about how brilliantly drinkable simple Italian whites can be, but this wine shows Spain can do that too. Made from the widely planted Airen grape, done simply it can be crisp and fresh. But when the grapes come from old bush vines planted at vineyards at altitude, like the ones used to …
Technically a white wine but when you pour it into the glass, you’ll see it’s actually very light pink. That’s because the skin of the grape has got a bit of colour to it so the juice, when left in contact with the skins once the grapes have been crushed, takes on a pinkish hue. And as …
The Vermentino grape is an underrated gem; a bit like Sauvignon Blanc minus the nose-full of fresh cut grass and often with more weighty lemon and grapefruit flavours. But essentially, a crisp white with really interesting flavours that’s well worth putting in your glass. This one’s from Sardinia, which produces around half of the world’s Vermentino. …
This was sent to me by a relatively new online wine retailer called the Organic Wine Club. Unsurprisingly, they specialise in organic wines but they also do biodynamic (think super-organic) and sulphur free wines. Now, sulphur is often blamed for wine hangovers but the levels in wine are actually pretty low compared with lots of …
A bag in box wine that looks like a camper van! Called Camper Vin! I know! And what’s really good about it is the wine inside is really rather lovely. Made from the Chenin Blanc grape grown in South Africa’s Swartland region, it’s fresh, lemony and bright. This is a one-off parcel, only available in …
Made by a great Chilean producer for Sainsbury’s, this is a crisp-as-clean-sheets Sauvignon Blanc from the cool Casablanca Valley. It’s not too pungent (the ones that are really, really grassy are not my thing) but has got lots of fresh gooseberry aromas and gorgeous citrusy flavours. Put it with salmon fishcakes. Or equally, feet up with …
One of the loveliest white wines I’ve had this summer. Made from organically grown grapes including Marsanne, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc from a family estate in the hills of Provence, it’s ripe and round with gorgeous sunny apricot and peach fruit flavours. Had this with spatchcock chicken done on the barbecue. Properly good.
An absolute peach of a white and a bargain at that, from the Bergerac region in Southwest France. It’s a classic Gallic blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes, creating a grapefruit and grassy glassful. Simply done but cleverly so, this is light, crisp and refreshing. Just as it should be. Great on its own …
There is so much to love about South African wines at the moment. Quality continues to get better and better thanks to a bunch of inspired winemakers determined to make brilliant wines. This one’s made by a relative newcomer in the Paarl region, from old vine Chenin Blanc grapes. It’s gorgeously ripe, round and full of …
The grapes in the this blend are brilliantly off the wall and utterly typical of southwest France. The main grape in here is called Gros Manseng. Other invitees to the party include Petit Corbu, Arrufiac and Petit Manseng. Not even spellcheck can cope with those. Together, they make a gorgeous, grapefruit-scented gem of a dry …
This is a wine that just gets better with age. Like all of us *group hug*. Anyway, the Semillon grape does have a habit of changing depending on where it’s grown and here, in South Australia’s Clare Valley, it takes on a gorgeous tropical fruit character. Think limes, apricots and grassy, lemony loveliness. Meatier than …
I love a good Vermentino. It’s a bit like Sauvignon Blanc in that it’s got a fresh, lemony thing going on. But it’s not as in your face as look-at-me Sauvignons and usually has a whiff of orange about it too. Most of all, I love it for its freshness and simplicity. This one’s a …
Wine! In a bag! Or a Bagnum, as it’s known, given that it holds a magnum’s worth of wine (1.5l, equivalent to two bottles). And it’s not just drinkable wine. It’s really drinkable wine, sourced by an Australian winemaker called Andrew Nielsen who happens to like finding good stuff in Burgundy to put in wine bags. …
This one’s from Touraine in northern France’s Loire Valley and has got that classic Sauvignon Blanc citrus twist but rather more delicately done than many a cheap-ish Marlborough Sauvignon. Terroir refers to the specific place where a vine is grown; a combination of soil, aspect, climate. This wine’s made from grapes selected from six different …
A snappy Italian white in the fridge door on permanent standby means you can pour out a small/large glass for any visitors (depending on how long you want them to stay). This is way better than your average Italian; memorable without being showy. Just the right balance of bright, pear and lemon fruit, it’s made from …
Much as I love a good Chianti, here’s another side of Tuscany and it’s all white. Made from a blend of Trebbiano, Malvasia and a dash of Chardonnay for good measure, this is such a joyous wine. Lemons, almonds and nectarine flavours all do their thing, along with a kind of herby character. Pre-food friendly …
I took this wine with me to a tasting I did at the Ideal Home Show a couple of weeks ago and it went down a storm. Made by a great producer called Huia, it’s quite full on: a blend of the lychee-like Gewürztraminer, with some dangerously drinkable Pinot Gris and a dash of racy …
If you’re spooked by Riesling, don’t be. This isn’t scary at all. Made in Australia’s Clare Valley, it’s just off-dry with a loads of lime and grapefruit flavours. Crisp, clean and bright, it’s like a spring clean for the taste buds. Add some fishcakes and a big green salad to see the wine in technicolour.
If you live near a Booths supermarket, lucky you. Their wine aisle is stuffed with hand-picked heavenly wines. This one’s from the Puglia region in the south of Italy (think: the heel of the boot). Made by a Californian winemaker and his Italian wife, who settled in the area almost 20 years ago. ‘A mano’ …
Good German Riesling is very good at balancing. Specifically, it manages to balance amazing freshness with intense fruit flavours. This one’s classically off-dry (there’s a hint of sweetness rather than full on sweetie sweetness) with perky grapefruit and lime cordial flavours. The vineyards lie on the steepest slate-covered slopes along the banks of the Mosel …
So fresh, so crisp, it makes you pout like Posh on first sip but once the flavours hit – mostly lemons with a dash of floral – you’ll soon be smiling. It’s made in the Savoie region in eastern France from an incredible cocktail of local grapes, including Jacquère, Chasselas and Altesse. Off the beaten track …
The wine inside might be good and ordinary, but it’s very well done. Made from Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux, it’s simple and subtle and just right if you like your whites crisp and refreshing but not too in-your-face. And with a label designed by great British designer Paul Smith (I bought a pair of black …
This is one for anyone who loves the idea of drinking tinned peaches in wine form. Not everyone’s bag, but if you like ripe, round, tropical fruit loaded whites with simple but happy flavours at an outrageously good price, then it’s a great buy. De Bortoli are one of Australia’s oldest family-owned wine producers. And their …
There’s something refreshing about a good Italian white like this one. I’m not just talking about the taste, but that it’s made from a grape you don’t often find elsewhere (in this case the Marche region, roughly the calf of the boot). Grown on the hillsides around the town of Jesi, the style is nicely distinctive: …
A plate of turkey and everything else that comes with it needs something equally weighty, wine-wise. Step forward this bright peachy white from Australia’s Barossa Valley. Heavenly.
If Chablis is the cool, crisp take on Chardonnay then the Maconnais, where this one’s from, is just a little more relaxed in style. With a hint of flint and lots of waxy lemon flavours, it’s definitely gift-worthy.
The thing about Chardonnay is that, as a grape, it’s a bit like a blank piece of paper. What it tastes like in the glass depends completely on where and how it’s made. This one’s deliciously curvy, ripe and round thanks to a ton of Australian sunshine, but lovely and fresh too. It’s a good …
Read more “Exquisite Collection Limestone Coast Chardonnay 2014”
Lovely, peachy white from a region just below Lisbon in Portugal. It’s made from a mash up of Verdelho, Chardonnay and two other local grapes, then aged for a bit in oak. That gives it weight and spice, which makes the whole thing feel more robust. In other words, more September-y. You have to be …
This is what Chardonnay looks like if you grow it on limestone soils, give it lots of – but not too much – sun and just a little touch of oak to finish it off. It’s ripe and peachy, but subtle too. Basically, a really good way to enjoy a smart white burgundy without the …
Chenin Blanc is a real multi-tasker as grapes go, making wines from the very dry to the gloriously sweet. But in South Africa, where it’s become their most famous white grape, it’s mostly dry. And fruity – like sniffing lemons, with added pineapple when you taste it. A glass of this with my mum earlier …
I went to a big wine tasting today at the M&S head office of all their new wines. Again, not complaining. This one’s from Spain’s Rueda region and is made from the lemony Verdejo grape (also known as Verdelho in Portugal and Australia). It’s had a bit of lees ageing, where the wine’s left on …
If Sauvignon Blanc is the star grape in New Zealand’s Marlborough region, then Pinot Gris is shaping up to be the understudy. The colour of the wine is tinged pinky-orange thanks to the skins of Pinot Gris (more red than white) but it’s the flavours that are really interesting. This one’s typically peach and pear-like …
I say it’s in the fridge. Actually, it’s all gone. It was fresh, slightly creamy, with a bit of vanilla. And definitely a twist of melon, man. It’s from the Yarra Valley in Australia’s Victoria wine region, where Chardonnay is a bit of a star along with the red grape Pinot Noir. Made by a …
The Pinot Gris (also known as Pinot Grigio) grape is technically grey and the colour of the wine made from it ranges enormously. Fifty shades of Gris, if you like. Anyway, this one’s from the Marlborough region in New Zealand, more famous for Sauvignon Blanc. With a pink tinge to it, think really fresh nectarine …
Earlier this year, the grapes for this were hanging out on a vine in New Zealand’s Marlborough region. And in the wine, it shows. Incredibly fresh, literally quivering with gooseberry fruit flavours but with something of the tropical fruit about it too. One of the best Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc wines around at this price. Snap …
This is an old favourite, one that I don’t drink that often but when I do, am always glad we opened it. It’s properly ripe and round, with peach and citrus fruit flavours. Basically, a really sunny wine with a bit more weight to it than the lean whites of summer that just don’t feel …
There’s a lot of it about. PG, that is. But here’s a tip: get it from the northern Italian region of Trentino from a great producer like this one, and you’ll get a wine with bags of flavour. This one’s so gorgeous and lemony; fresh too. The lady behind Freya’s Wines (called Freya, unsurprisingly) used …
So, this is Chardonnay from the same region as the wines of Puligny Montrachet and Meursault. Obviously from different vineyards but you get the idea. You’ll pay way more for those wines but if you want to get a taste of what this region can do with Chardonnay when made well, this is one way …
Just the kind of crisp white you want when it’s cold outside, this one. Made from the little-known Arneis grape, grown in the Piedmont region of northern Italy more famous for its red wines, like Barolo and Barbaresco. The whites don’t get out much; the Italians drink much of it. But Arneis, which translates as …
I tasted this last week at the Waitrose A/W wine press tasting and popped a picture of the label on my Instagram feed as soon as I’d tasted it – all fresh lemon and limes, from southern France, like a less excitable version of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Those who went and bought a bottle that …
I love watching Graham Norton on a Friday night, not least because he always has a HUGE glass of white wine alongside his A-listers on the sofa. I do worry, though, that under all those studio lights the wine never looks cold enough. And the wine he’s drinking definitely needs to be nicely chilled. I …
The Muscat grape is rather on the floral side, with a kind of honeysuckle, rosewater and lychee thing going on. This one, from the Ucles region in central Spain, is gorgeous – if you like that kind of thing. Fresh, a touch flowery but not so much that it looks out of season. You can’t …
This new range of self-proclaimed ‘bull-free’ wines includes a Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, along with a Malbec from Argentina. But this is my favourite, a lovely, lime-fruit flavoured crisp white from northwest Spain. Albarino is the grape, Rias Baixas is the region (pronounced ree-ass by-zhass). And if you like Sauvignon Blanc, …
The thing about Vermentino is that it’s hard to pin down. It’s grown all over the place – mostly France and Italy – and goes under lots of different names, including Pigato, Favorita and Rolle. But if you haven’t tried Vermentino before and you like a bright-tasting, lemon peel-like white, chances are you’ll love this …
One of my favourite fridge door whites at the moment, it’s an unoaked blend of local grapes from Sicily. Basically, an unpretentious sunny white with lots of lemony flavours. And that, at the end of more than six long weeks of summer holidays, is exactly what we need. And besides, my sister and I already …
One of the favourite whites of the tasting on Saturday, this is a smart-looking Picpoul with gorgeous, citrusy flavours. Lip-smackingly fresh, it’s from the Languedoc region in the southern France, where vineyards lie within a proverbial stone’s throw from the sea. Like sea air, this wine has rejuvenating properties. At least for the taste buds, …
The Loire Valley is the place for understated Sauvignon Blanc and this one, made by a great producer called Fournier, is beautifully done. You get gooseberry, lemon and lime flavours but you also get a hint of smokiness, which just makes it all taste, well, expensive. Which given it’s price, is pretty impressive. The vineyards …
Piemonte (or Piedmont) is one of the most hedonistic regions in Italy when it comes to food and wine. Famous for its truffles and wines made from the Nebbiolo grape (including Barolo), the white wines of the region are rather more quietly brilliant and some are definitely worth sniffing out. This one’s an unoaked Chardonnay …
This has got the maddest label I’ve seen on a bottle of wine for a while, all spooky and Hammer Horror-ish. Pale, white and haunting, it says on the label. But for me, it’s more friendly monster. Made from the Greco grape (also known as Grecula locally) in southern Italy’s Campania region, it’s nutty and …
From Sardinia, this is a really great Italian white made from the Vermentino grape. I love this grape but there’s not that much around on our shelves here – yet. There’s lots of it planted in Sardinia and here, it makes lovely, crisp whites with fresh lemony flavours. This one’s really summery – and getting …
It’s not often you get to pick up such a groovy Gru-V at this price but the offer’s only on until next Tuesday. Made by one of Austria’s most awarded producers in the Traisental region, Markus Huber has bottled a benchmark Gruner Veltliner (that’s the name of the grape) with classic peach and pear fruits, …
One of the highlights of the Fair for me was meeting up with winemakers including the amazing Eva Keresztury, a Hungarian vineyard owner and wine producer. She makes brilliant wines, including this one, from the Furmint grape. It’s one of the main grapes behind the famous sweet wines of Hungary from the Tokaji region but here …
Sent to me by The Wine Society to try, this is one of a new range of wines made exclusively for them by Mac Forbes, a great Australian winemaker. He’s scooped up a few limited quantity parcels of wine that might have otherwise been missed, ending up as part of a bigger blend. This gorgeous …
Picpoul is one of those easy to remember names – or so I thought. Turns out one of my friends refers to it as Pitbull and Eeh Bah Mum uses one of the finest mnemonics I’ve ever heard in wine: Quick Pull My P*nis. Anyway, this one makes a refreshing change from Sauvignon Blanc. Still …
It’s a mouthful to say, but happily it’s an incredible mouthful to drink too. From one of the top producers in Germany, they were early adopters of making wine the biodynamic way (think super-organic) and their wines are amazingly vibrant. It’s from the Pfalz region and is deliciously crisp, loaded with mango fruit and as …
Read more “Wachenheimer Riesling Trocken, Burklin Wolf 2013”
A perky Italian white, Falanghina is the name of the grape and this one’s grown in the Puglia region down in the heel of Italy. There’s no oak here, so it’s all about the lemony, grapefruit-tinged fruit flavours. And the crispness; it’s fresh as a daisy. Doesn’t need food but perked up my decidedly lazy …
The bottle is so lovely (gorgeous label, grand-looking bottle) that I thought it might be a case of style over substance. But happily, I was wrong. The wine inside is properly Pecorino-y with lots of crisp, lemony fruit. From the Italian region of Abruzzo in Central Italy, it’s a joy. In fact, happiness in a …
From the Marche region in central Italy, Verdicchio is the grape and in this case it comes from vineyards around the town of – you’ve guessed it – Jesi. As with so many good Italian whites, it’s crisp, fresh, a little bit floral (honeysuckle, for me) and not at all in-your-face. Rather, it’s like good …
OK, so this is out of stock on the website, but if you see it on shelf in your nearest M&S then take the lot because the price is ridiculously low. It’s from a really good (and relatively cool, given the high altitude) region in Argentina – Tupungato – and made by one of the …
You can’t miss the label, it’s got grinning sheep on the front (the Italian name for sheep is pecora). The grape is called Pecorino and it’s grown in Abruzzo. And what makes this wine so brilliant is that if you’re not in the mood for the zing of Sauvignon Blanc but don’t want the ripe …
I figure that if a producer does a great job with their cheapest wine, then it’s likely to get better as you go up the price scale. So at a big trade tasting I usually start with the cheapest on each table. This one stopped me in my tracks yesterday: it was the cheapest in …
Money from each bottle of this South African wine sold goes to the farm that produces it to support community projects as part of the work of the Waitrose Foundation. And as for the wine itself, it’s brilliant. Ripe and juicy – just as young Chenin should be – and tastes of baked apples. I’m …
I was sustained almost entirely by almond croissants from our local Co-op when I was pregnant with Youngest Girl but now I can walk past them as long as there’s a bottle of this on the shelves. Made by a very good winemaker in southern France, this is ripe and round thanks to the combination …
All that green food made me think of green wine. Not literally, but in terms of flavours – limes, grapefruit, gooseberries. All of which can be found in liquid form in a glass of this. Now that’s what I call a ready meal. Gorgeous, bright and lovely, this throws rays of light on the taste …
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