Food & Drink

Enjoy the salad days, says Carina Contini, plus Rose Murray Brown selects the best picnic whites

Pack the picnic basket with one of our crisp, drinkable whites to chill out with in the summer heat.

France: Exquisite Collection Limoux 2015 Jean Claude Mas

This is surely the best value chardonnay on the market right now. Made by Jean Claude Mas, who is adept at producing very affordable and quaffable Languedoc wines, this delicious Limoux chardonnay combines a rich, buttery, plump, citric fruit palate with a hint of toasty oak.

£6.99, Aldi

France: Les Fossiles Reuilly Blanc 2016 Domaine Denis Jamain

If you normally buy sancerre, this crisp, sleek, minerally sauvignon blanc with its moderate alcohol level made by organic grower Denis Jamain offers a similar style. Reuilly is a little known appellation with fossil-based limestone soil, hence the wine’s name, located just west of Sancerre near Bourges. £14.99, Virgin Wines, www.virginwines.co.uk

Portugal: Altano Douro White 2016

Altano is the name given to the thermal winds used by birds, like the owl on Altano’s label. This white Portuguese quaffer comes from the home of port in the hot Douro valley, made by the famous Symington family from five native grapes (including malvasia, viosinho and moscatel galego) grown at high altitudes. Despite its warm location, this is remarkably fresh with vibrant, grapefruity flavours and melony softness. £9.99, Tanners Wine, www. tanners-wines.co.uk; The Wine Society, www.thewinesociety.com; www.winedirect.co.uk; Auriol Wines

New Zealand: Esk Valley Verdelho 2015 STAR BUY

Verdelho was planted by winemaker Gordon Russell of Esk Valley winery in 1998 on Hawkes Bay’s Gimblett Gravels from cuttings from Western

Australia. It is a difficult grape to grow as it has poor yields and flowers – so it has not caught on in North Island – but it is blessed with acidity. Russell partly barrel ferments his verdelho in old oak to add complexity and enhance the texture. It features light pear aromas, orange citric flavours, peachy notes with a full rich palate – but with that vital, fresh zestiness that makes Kiwi whites so drinkable. £12.99-£13.49, www. nzhouseofwine.co.uk; www. thenewzealandcellar.co.uk; Luvians, Cupar/st Andrews; Woodwinters, Edinburgh/ Bridge of Allan

Italy: Fiano Sannio 2016

You can buy cheaper supermarket fianos, but not as good as M&S’S deliciously crisp, pear and grapefruit toned example from Campania. Planted on high altitude vineyards inland from Naples, it’s made by Marco Giulioli with the help of local guru Dr Ricardo Cotarella. Fiano from Campania tends to have better definition, structure and acidity than Puglian examples. This would suit anyone who normally drinks pinot grigio or even New Zealand sauvignon blanc, as it shares a similar crisp, zesty freshness.

£9.50, Marks & Spencer

Greece: Semeli Feast 2016

Add this unusual Greek moschofilero to your picnic feast if you like crisp, dry lightly aromatic, grapey blossomy whites with a touch of spice. Greece is a great source of unusual dry whites with this moschofilero grown on the cool, breezy site of Mantinia in the Peloponnese. Srewcapped for easy access on your picnic too.

£9, Oddbins

Australia: The Lodge Riesling 2016 Jim Barry

The famous Barry family bought The Lodge vineyard, one of the highest, coolest sites in 1977 – speculating that this area of the eastern ranges of Clare Valley at 480 metres altitude would create the steely, riesling style they were looking for. They were right – Clare has become a hot spot for the best Australian riesling – but it is usually pricier than this. At under £10 at the Co-op this is a brilliant buy – a firm, zingy, steely dry riesling with limey fruits. £9.99, Co-op; £10.99/£14.99, Majestic Wine

France: Cheverny 2016 Domaine du Salvard

Cheverny is so little known as an appellation – yet it combines two of our favourite grapes: sauvignon blanc and chardonnay in one glass. Zippy, aromatic and grassy from sauvignon blanc with a lemon flavour and oily texture from chardonnay – a clever unoaked blend by the Delaille family in Loire’s Touraine. £8.95, The Wine Society, www. thewinesociety.com

Italy: Exquisite Collection Gavi 2016

You usually have to pay nearer a tenner for this Piedmont white, which makes Aldi’s example something of a bargain. We tasted both Aldi and Lidl’s gavis alongside each other – and this was the clear winner. It’s a crisp, dry, unoaked quaffer from the little known cortese grape.

£5.49, Aldi

South Africa: Bastions V Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2016

A crisp, coastal Cape chenin blanc made by Marinda Kruger-eck, this ticks all the boxes for quaffability with its appley crispness, hints of tropical fruit and a dash of minerality. The perfect picnic refreshment. ■ £9.99, Virgin Wines, www.virginwines.co.uk Join Rose’s Loire & Rhone wine & charcuterie tasting at Abode Hotel, Glasgow on Friday 1 September, £42, www.rosemurraybrown. com