4 minute read
Highly commended wines
Australia white wines (continued)
Scotchmans Hill Chardonnay, Geelong, Victoria 2020 (£26.99, Cachet Wine): Smooth with pear and apple; great balance of oak and fruit; saline finish.
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Murdoch Hill Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, Australia 2021 (£30, Graft): Lots of stone fruit. Richness to the palate; a wine for foodies.
Soumah of the Yarra Valley Soumah Savarro, Yarra Valley, Victoria 2021 (£18.49, Boutinot): Floral aromas. Crisp citrus; stone fruit. Lovely long finish.
Austria white wines
Weingut Rabl Grüner Veltliner, Langenlois, Kamptal 2022 (£18.25, Hallgarten & Novum Wines): Bright and fresh and great depth of flavour and acidity.
Allacher Chardonnay Reserve Ried Altenberg, Gols, Burgenland 2021 (£19.95, Propeller): Pear and pineapple, banana – tropical. A very exciting find.
Allacher Grüner Veltliner, Gols, Burgenland 2021 (£14.95, Propeller): Crisp, dry, racy with citrus and tree fruit; good food wine – ideal for a picnic.
Heidi Schröck & Söhne Furmint, Neusiedlersee, Burgenland 2021 (£21.99, Liberty Wines): Intriguing flavours: apricot, spice. Excellent balancing acidity.
Weinhof Waldschütz Fels am Wagram Grüner Veltliner, Wagram 2021 (£22.12, Alpine Wines): Nice body and texture; citrus and stone fruits.
Neukamp & Stadler Nestor Pinot Gris Ried Lehendorf, Halbturn, Burgenland 2020 (£30.95, Propeller): Butterscotch and toffee apples; serious wine.
Neukamp & Stadler Nestor Cuvée No 2, Halbturn, Burgenland 2020 (£32.95, Propeller): Blueberries; nicely balanced with some mocha notes.
Funkstille Skin Contact, Niederösterreich 2021 (£12.99, Alliance Wine): Very accessible style of orange wine. Peach, herbs and spice.
Funkstille Grüner Veltliner, Niederösterreich 2022 (£11.99, Alliance Wine): Tropical fruit mingling with citrus. Refreshing and a long, precise finish.
Chile white wines
Arboleda Sauvignon Blanc, Aconcagua Costa 2021 (£16.99, Hatch Mansfield): Super bright; intense and precise; classic Sauvignon flavours; good value.
Undurraga Chardonnay TH Valle de Limarí, Quebrada Seca, Limarí 2021 (£21.75, Hallgarten & Novum Wines): Super balance of fruit, richness and acidity.
Santa Luz Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc, Leyda Valley 2021 (£11.99, Cachet Wine): Green pepper and guava. Nice fresh finish with a hint of minerality.
Matetic EQ Coastal Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca 2021 (£17, Berkmann Wine Cellars): Refined nose. Varietally true; great typicity; extraordinary length.
Emiliana Novas Riesling, Bío Bío Valley 2021 (£12.49, Boutinot): Terrific, exceptional value Riesling with great balancing, racy acidity and lovely fruit.
Outer Limits by Montes Zapallar Sauvignon Blanc, Aconcagua Costa 2022 (£18.99, Liberty Wines): Explosive blast of expressive Sauvignon fruit.
Siegel Family Wines Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc, Leyda Valley, 2022 (£14, Vindependents): fresh lemon sherbet zing on the finish. Top wine for the price.
China white wines
Ningxia Xige Estate Xige N28 Chardonnay, Dove Mountains, Ningxia Helan Mountains 2020 (£27.95, Propeller): Lovely warm toasty style of Chardonnay.
France white wines
Louis Jadot Mâconnais, Mâconnais, Burgundy 2020 (£34.60, Hatch Mansfield): Beautifully made, just what we’d be looking for a from a high-quality Mâcon.
Fernand Engel Riesling Silberberg, Alsace 2019 (£24.60, Marta Vine): Wonderful tangy, juicy mouthful of apples, peaches, citrus; floral notes; clean, fresh.
Domaine Haut-Marin Côtes de Gascogne No 6 Les Fossiles, Côtes de Gascogne 2022 (£10.99, Boutinot): Incredible value; aromatic, racy and pure.
Boutinot France Cuvée Jean Paul Gascogne Blanc Sec, Côtes de Gascogne 2021 (£8.49, Boutinot): Superfresh, aromatic easy-drinker; great value.
Mineralium Chenin Blanc, Languedoc 2022 (£9.99, Cachet Wine): Proper Chenin character, apples and pears and nice mouth feel, all for under a tenner.
Hornhead Chardonnay, Côtes de Gascogne 2021 (£9.99, Cachet Wine): Stone fruit – fleshy white peach and yellow plum. Nice mouthfeel. Value.
Villa Noria Amfòra Orange Wine, Coteaux de Bessilles, Languedoc 2021 (£21.49, Hallgarten & Novum Wines): Very interesting! Hits the orange wine spot.
Plaimont Producteurs L’empreinte Blanc, SaintMont 2020 (£14.95, Corney & Barrow): Very good introduction to the region for the open-minded.
Xavier Roger Marsanne-Viognier, Languedoc 2021 (£9.49, Cachet Wine): Soft and accessible fruit-salad drinkability; fresh peach and pear juice.
Coquille de Mer Vermentino, Languedoc 2022 (£8.99, Cachet Wine): Some stone fruit aromas and a light clean fresh flavour – good value.
Domaine Fournillon Chablis, Chablis, Burgundy 2019 (£19, Vindependents): Classic Chablis: bright, lemon citrus and green apple, cool-stone minerals.
J de Villebois Pouilly-Fumé, Pouilly-Fumé, Loire 2020 (£26.49, Hallgarten & Novum Wines): Grapefruit and gooseberry; subtly mineral; racy but soft texture.
E Guigal Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2021, Rhône 2021 (£14.49, Fells): Lots of typicity; a good safe bet for the shelves of independents. Floral; creamy mouth feel.
Calmel & Joseph La Marquise, IGP Pays d’Oc (£13.99, Daniel Lambert Wines): Nice weight and a long finish. Great structure and balance. Great wine for the price.
Joseph Mellot Pouilly Fumé Domaine des Mariniers Mellot, Pouilly-Fumé, Loire 2022 (£23.25, Hatch Mansfield): Real elegance; cool-climate citrus.
Joseph Mellot Pouilly-Fumé Le Chant des Vignes, Pouilly-Fumé, Loire 2020 (£20.45, Hatch Mansfield): Absolutely spot-on Pouilly-Fumé: classic style.
Château Paul Mas Belluguette, Languedoc 2022
(£14.95, Domaines Paul Mas): Fleshy white stone fruit nicely balanced by dusty white pepper acidity.
Domaine Gardiés Mas Les Cabes Blanc, Côtes du Roussillon 2021 (£16.75, Hallgarten & Novum Wines): Aromatic; tropical and citrus; good floral character.
Cave de Turckheim Riesling Vieilles Vignes, Alsace 2019 (£15.49, Boutinot): Nectarine flesh, plums and racy, dancing acidty; good example at a good price.
Domaines Paul Mas Vignes de Nicole ChardonnayViognier, IGP Pays d’Oc 2022 (£10.99, Domaines Paul Mas): Ginger; orange peel; very complex for the cash.
Orfée l’Infernale Corbières Blanc 2021, Corbières, Languedoc-Roussillon (£17.99, Key Wine Company): Rich lemon curd and orchard fruit. Bags of character.
Juliénas Chaintré Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru aux Quarts, Pouilly-Fuissé, Burgundy 2021 (£35, Vindependents): Lemon, red fruits, lovely rounded mouth feel.
Plaimont Producteurs Le Faite Blanc, Saint Mont 2019 (£21.50, Corney & Barrow): Fascinating, high-quality, ripe, tangy tropical fruit and vanilla.
Louis Jadot Château des Jacques Beaujolais Blanc Clos de Loyse, Beaujolais 2021 (£21.60, Hatch Mansfield): Long, lingering; worth stocking.
Helfrich Family Domaine Marguerite Carillon Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy, Chablis 2021 (£31.99, GCF Exclusive): Typical steely acidity; elegance; energy.
Domaine Corty Jurançon Doux, Jurançon 2019 (£16.50, Vindependents): Good richness and depth of quince and honey; sweetness balanced by acidity.
M Chapoutier Saint-Peray Haut Chamblard Organic, Saint-Peray, Rhône 2021 (£37.85, Hatch Mansfield): Complexity, fullish body, great balance; refreshing.
Château de l’Ou l’Orange de l’Ou, IGP Côtes Catalanes 2020 (£35.25, Hallgarten & Novum Wines): Very smart, individualistic example of orange wine.
Domaine Boutinot La Fleur Solitaire Côtes du Rhône Blanc, Rhône 2021 (£11.99, Boutinot): Soft but fresh with orchard fruit salad loveliness – super value.
Helfrich Family Château Haut Mouleyre, Bordeaux 2019 (£11.69, GCF Exclusive): Brilliant stuff that punches way above its weight in terms of price.
De Visu 172 Grenache Blanc, Languedoc 2021 (£9.99, Cachet Wine): Quaffable, moreish and well rounded. A good crowd pleaser. Peaches, citrus; lengthy finish.
Caves Fonjoya Grenache Blanc, Saint-Guilhem-leDésert 2022 (£11.99, Hallgarten & Novum Wines): Floral, green apples in the mouth, light, refreshing.
