Twelve classy whites for a real Christmas treat Over £20
Under £15 Durbanville,
South Africa:
Cape Town Sauvignon Semillon 2019 Diemersdal
I was expecting this to be zippy and light, but this is a classy white Bordeaux-style Cape blend with fleshy ripe fruits, rich creamy texture, and honeyed notes. Tastes quite complex for the price.
£7.99, Aldi
Loire, France: Sauvignon De Touraine ‘Fleur De Printemps’ 2018 Domaine de la Rochette
For those who normally buy sancerre, snap up this delicate, sauvignon with tangy acidity from a lesser-known corner of Loire for a fraction of the price. Made by Francis Leclair, an enterprising winemaker who created and steered a group to create a new appellation, Chenonceaux.
£10.75, L’art du Vin; £14.50, Swig
Burgundy, France: Vire Clesse 2018 Florent Rouve
An exceptionally good value Maconnais for those who like lightly oaked chardonnay. Ticks all the boxes for a crisp, dry white with peach and white flower aromas. Winemaker Florent Rouve is an emerging superstar in southern Burgundy; here he uses 30-year-old vines with 11 months lees contact and old barrels to give soft oak notes. £14, Marks & Spencer
Under £20 Burgundy, France: Chablis 2016 Domaine de Claude Ecuelle
Claire & Gerald Vilain run Chaude Ecuelle – which translates as ‘hot bowl’ referring to the terracotta bowls that workers used to heat up their meals out in the vineyards. Stylish chablis with honeyed notes and a deliciously rounded texture. £15.99, Raeburn Wines Edinburgh
Loire, France: Muscadet de Sevre et Maine ‘Prestige’ 2016 Guilbaud
Mature oaked muscadet is a bit of a rarity – this beautiful rich, dense, smoky muscadet is made by Frederic Guilbaud at Chateau de la Bretonnerie with grapes from his vineyard at La Haye-fouassiere – with French oak barrique ferment and long lees ageing.
£15.99, Luvians, St Andrews and Cupar; Graft Wines
Marlborough, NZ: Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Kevin Judd
Kevin Judd is famous for his work in establishing Cloudy Bay on the world’s wine map. This is one of his best in an opulent, vibrantly fruity style with spicy aromas, ginger and citrus fruits finishing long, from grapes from Southern Valleys, central Wairau plains and upper Awatere. £16-£18.99, Woodwinters; Majestic Wine; Laithwaites; Exel Wines; The Wine Society; Luvians; NZ House of Wine
Rheingau, Germany: Mellifluous Elements Riesling 2018 Eva Fricke
Now based in Kiedrich, this well-travelled winemaker makes really stylish minerally whites, in this case from 40-year-old vines – 50 per cent from her own personallytended organic vineyards and 50 per cent from bought in grapes from a mix of soils from loess, slate to quartzite. £19.95, Berry Bros & Rudd
Alsace, France: Pinot Gris ‘Estate’ 2015 Hugel
‘Estate’ Pinot Gris is from a dozen plots near Riquewihr grown in the exceptionally warm vintage of 2015. Of all Alsace varieties, Hugel believe that pinot gris has the greatest ageing potential. This could last another four years in the cellar, but is delicious now with its rich smoky tones and rich fruit concentration. £16.50, Tanners Wine; The Wine Society
Greyton, South Africa: Lismore Chardonnay 2016
Californian expat Samantha O’keefe made this barrelfermented French oak matured chardonnay from the hot, dry 2016 vintage: orange and apricot notes, smoky and toasty with rich citric fruit concentration. Very complex for the price.
£25.99, Exel Wines, Perth; Hay Wines; Strictly Wine
Wachau, Austria: Riesling Kellerberg 2015 Pichler-krutzler
Juicy baroque style from the warm 2015 vintage made by the dynamic duo of Elisabeth Pichler and Erich Krutzler, one of the new power couples on the Austrian wine scene. This exquisite riesling is rich and succulent, with very ripe orange aromas, sleek minerally notes and lovely long finish interwoven with lemon acidity.
£42.20, Raeburn Wines Edinburgh
Veneto, Italy: Lugana I Frati 2018 Ca dei Frati
Anna Maria Dal Cero focuses on high density planting, low yields and long lees ageing. The result is an enchanting white blossom and lemony white with zippy freshness and a creamy leesy texture – very popular with our tasters. £21.49, Valvona & Crolla, Edinburgh
Napa, California: Hyde de Villaine Chardonnay 2013
Outstanding Carneros chardonnay, my favourite at a recent Californian tasting. Made by famous Burgundian winemaker Aubert de Villaine using fruit from a range of Burgundian clones at the Hyde family vineyard. Beautifully focused fruits, citrusy nose with very rich toasty palate and incredibly long minerally finish. ■
£56.95, Corney & Barrow Scotland