Perfect match Expand your wine horizons with these alternatives

EXPAND YOUR WINE HORIZONS WITH THESE ALTERNATIVES TO YOUR FAVOURITE DROP

A white grape that originates from Southern Italy, fiano is a well-rounded varietal. “It has all the ripeness you’d get in a sauvignon blanc, but with less of those tropical fruit notes, so it’s a bit more refined,” says Virginia Selleck, sommelier and owner of Magnum + Queens Wine. Our pick: Jericho Wines Fiano, $27, jerichowines.com.au.

Originating from south-west France, malbec is more commonly associated with Argentina – though it has a growing presence in Australia. “For the texture, a malbec has some lovely tannins that a lot of cab sav drinkers look for in a wine,” says Amy. Our pick: 2016 Peacock’s Fan Clare Valley Malbec, $22.50, Peacock’s Fan.

Thought to be the very oldest version of a sparkling wine, pétillant naturel is bottled before primary fermentation is finished, so secondary fermentation happens in the bottle without any additional yeast or sugar, carbonating the liquid. Our pick: Scott Pét-Nat Pinot Noir 2017, $26, Scott Wines.

Two of the select grape varieties from the Rhone Valley, marsanne and roussanne are a perfect pair for a well-balanced blend. “They are always super full-bodied like chardonnay, really dry and textural, with loads of background flavour,” says Virginia. Our pick: Glen Lofty GO Marsanne Roussanne, $32, Glen Lofty Wines.

Now one of the most widely planted red grapes in its country of origin, Austria, blaufränkisch dates back to the 18th century. “It’s a red grape that really loves cold weather,” says Virginia. “It has a light spiciness to it, and is usually around a medium-bodied weight.” Our pick: Blueblood Blaufrankisch 2016, $45, Hahndorf Hill Winery.

A French sparkling from Burgundy (famous for chardonnay and pinot noir), crémant de Bourgogne falls 200km short of being classified as Champagne. “Try a blanc de blanc, which means it’s made entirely from chardonnay grapes,” says Virginia. Our pick: Andre Delorme Crémant de Bourgogne Blanc de Blancs Brut, $29.99, Wine Republic.

Grown primarily in Austria, this is a versatile dry white that can range from light and zesty to rich and nutty. “It’s on quite a few wine lists at the moment – it’s got amazing acidity and lovely citrus fruits,” says Amy Hayes, media manager of McWilliam’s Wines. Our pick: 2018 Tumbarumba Gruner Veltliner, $30, Nick Spencer Wines.

This Portuguese varietal is commonly used in Port and other blends, but is becoming more prevalent as a single-blend wine. “It’s really pretty, smells like violets and tastes like cherries and bright, red fruits,” says Amy. “You can also chill it down.” Our pick: McWilliam’s McW Alternis Touriga 2017, $25, McWilliam’s Wines.

It might be Spain’s answer to Champagne, but cava can be either white (blanc) or rosè (rosat) and varies in sweetness. “It’s really quite dry though, and is more about the texture,” says Virginia. Light, dry and a little fruity – a perfect celebratory summer drink. Our pick: Vallformosa NV ‘MVSA’ Cava Rosado, $25.41*, Dan Murphy’s.