Te Whare Ra, SV Dry Riesling

£22.95
Te Whare Ra (TWR), pronounced Te Faré Rha (House of the Sun), is the oldest little winery & vineyard in Marlborough, being first established in 1979 in the sub-region of Renwick. Since 2003 it has been owned and operated by Anna & Jason Flowerday. She’s an Aussie from South Australia and he’s a Kiwi from Marlborough. Anna and Jason firmly believe that biodiversity is the key to maintaining a good vineyard. They plant between the vines and plough alternate rows. To combat pests, they use natural methods such as buckwheat, and fertilize the vineyard using their own home-made composts and manure. In the cellar they practice a hands-off approach as they seek to express the nature of their individual vineyards and sites. The TWR wines are truly hand-made. Everything is hand-picked, hand-sorted and the attention to detail is meticulous. Anna and Jason are dedicated to making delicious authentic wines that showcase the very best of Marlborough not the mass-produced version. I love this dry Riesling, it has such purity of fruit; it's light yet focused with complex citrus and herbal aromas. Richer on the palate, it marries perfectly with dishes with some chilli (and lemongrass). Such a good wine!

Terlaner Cuvee, Cantine Terlano

£27.95

Cantina Terlano is well known in Italian wine drinking circles for producing Italy’s longest lived white wines. Many memorable wines from the 1950s and 1960s, which rank amongst the greatest white wines of the world, were made here.

Located in the heart of the Terlan wine-growing region and founded in 1893, it is one of the oldest Alto Adige cooperatives. At that time, 24 growers set themselves the goal of joint production and sales marketing. Recognition and prosperity blossomed from there. Today Terlano has approximately 100 members, it farms 150 hectares and has an annual production of roughly 1.2 million bottles.

Under the expert eye of winemaker Rudi Kofler, the wines are sold and marketed according to three different quality categories. Furthermore, special older vintages have been stored in the valuable 'vinotheque', so that today roughly 12,000 bottles from 1955 to the present day are stored and some date back to even earlier days. This wine collection of older vintages is absolutely unique in Italy and proves that Terlano’s wines are able to age harmoniously for decades.

Brilliant pale yellow colour with green nuances. On the nose green apple and white peach combine with fine nuances of lemon balm and mint to create the typical aroma of the classic Terlano. On the palate the peach is very strong, too, lending the Terlano its lively but at the same time very mellow character. The multifaceted, well structured flavor derives from an interplay of freshness and minerality and also has a wonderfully persistent finish.

Great now, but this wine will gain richness and complexity with ageing. A perfect match for grilled fish and asparagus but this very food-friendly wine is remarkably versatile and can stand up to strongly flavoured dishes.

Lugana ‘i Frati’, Ca dei Frati

£24.95
The Dal Cero family has transformed their Ca' dei Frati property, situated on the southern shores of Lake Garda, into a model Italian estate over the past two decade, they remain the best producer in Lugana. The quality of the wines is attributable directly to Igino Dal Cero's obsession with detail. All their fruit is picked by hand and he ensures there is no skin contact as he wants to retain the delicate perfumes and enhance the supple texture of the whites. Made solely from the Turbiana variety (related to Verdicchio, it was formerly known as Trebbiano di Lugana and then Lugana), the wine has depth and zip that few wines from this area demonstrate. Perfect with grilled fish, light pasta dishes or antipasti.

Louro de Bolo, Rafael Palacios

£28.95
Since starting his own winery in 2004, Rafael Palacios has fast become one of Spain’s pre-eminent producers of white wine. His 32 parcels of Godello, which are spread over 19.5 hectares in the Val do Bibei in Valdeorras, Galicia, produce some of Spain’s most interesting white wines. The hills are so steep that most of the vineyards are planted on terraces buttressed by stones. Rafa’s viticulture is sensitive to the fragile nature of these old terraces, and he has adapted his approach to ensure these magnificent structures are preserved. His viticulture is low intervention, with some of the older plots (or ‘sortes’ in Galician) being farmed biodynamically. This really is one of my favourite white wines! It's made from small parcels of Godello with an average age of 25 years, grown at over 600 metres above sea level. The must is fermented in 35 hectolitre French oak foudres, after which the wine is aged on lees for four months before bottling. The wine has a lovely flinty character on the nose that gives way to a fresh note of wild mountain flowers. On the palate, it has a taut, saline fruit with a gorgeous textural complexity. When pairing with food, think the same as with Premier Cru Chablis, classic fish dishes, shellfish with garlic butter, that sort of thing.  

Three Lions Chardonnay, Plantagenet

£16.95
Lovely Chardonnay from the great Plantagenet winery in the Great Sothern region of Western Australia. This sees no oak contact at all but is full of rich, juicy stone-fruit flavours. All the Plantagenet wines are extremely well-made with great balance. This is delicious!

Chablis, Gerard Tremblay

£25.95
Gérard Tremblay and his wife, Hélène, oversee a domain that they inherited in a line of five generations, but which they have mostly built themselves. With 80 acres of vines under production, most of them in the best Premier Cru and Grand Cru appellations, their list of Chablis is among the most prestigious in the region. Their wines are mostly sold direct from the winery, or are snapped up by top restaurants, they don't often appear for retail. This wine has all the hallmarks of great Chablis, clean and minerally but with a depth and length of flavour that lets you know you're dealing with serious a winemaker here. Perfect with shellfish..how about a lobster salad? Or big garlicy prawns? Oh yes please!

Reserve de Gassac Blanc, Mas de Daumas Gassac

£14.95
This is a cracking organic wine! Made by the Guibert family at the iconic Mas de Daumas Gassac in the Languedoc, this is exceptional value for money. An unoaked, aromatic blend comprising of Viognier, Chardonnay, Terret and Muscat, this is creamy and peachy with a crisp, fresh finish. Perfect with seabass with fennel or other herby fish dishes. Organic.

Cotes de Gascogne, Duffour Pere & Fils,

£11.95
This family producer based in central Gascony (South-West France), is considered one of the best in the area. Their wines have a depth of flavour which is often lacking here; their philosophy is firmly quality over quantity! This is a blend of Colombard, Gros Manseng, Ugni Blanc & Sauvignon Blanc (quite a mouthful!); It’s clean, fresh and modern in style, aromatic with a long, dry finish. Very quaffable and great value.

Valencay, Sebastien Vaillant

£15.95
This has long been one of our most popular wines, a delicious blend of Sauvignon Blanc with a dash of Chardonnay. The Chardonnay adds a lovely texture and a tiny bit of weight to the wine but it still retains that classic Loire Sauvignon character. Sebastian Vaillant is a great winemaker and this is a great value alternative to the neighbouring wines of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume.