Keep a sunny outlook with these cracking whites

Now that spring has sprung, here are a dozen white crackers from around the world to quench our thirst in the coming warm months – with many of the merchants listed online and still delivering to your door:

South West France: Tesco Finest St Mont 2017 Plaimont

Deliciously juicy and zesty with crunchy grapefruit flavours and finishing with a good creamy weight of fruit. This brilliant value blend from the little-known St Mont appellation is made from rare native grapes: gros manseng, petit manseng, petit courbu and arrufiac.

£6.50, Tesco

Rias Baixas, NW Spain: Albarino Pazo Torrado 2019 Terra de Asorei

Spain’s albarino grape has become a mass crowd-pleaser – and this is a fabulously priced example. Typical of the grape is its vibrant acidity, peachy bouquet and a richly textured mouthfeel.

£10, St Andrews Wine; Fountain Hall Wines, Aberdeen; Wine Trust 100

Languedoc, France: Villa Blanche Picpoul De Pinet 2018 Calmel & Joseph

The famous “lip-stinger” grape, picpoul, was named after its naturally high acid and traditionally used in the Cognac and Armagnac regions. Now with its own appellation stretching along the Mediterranean’s Thau lagoon, there are ample good examples. Calmel & Joseph make a range of superbly affordable wines; this has floral notes, zingy freshness, light spice and green apple fruit palate.

£11.49, De Burgh Wines

Loire, France: Muscadet de

Sèvre et Maine Sue Lie 2018 Ch de la Bretonnerie

Muscadet fell out of favour due to over-production, marginal climate and competition from elsewhere. Now it is swinging back into fashion, thanks to excellent small growers like Frederic Guilbaud in the Sèvre et Maine heartland, helping revive and reinvent this forgotten appellation.

£11.99, Luvians; Red Squirrel Wine

Western Cape, South Africa: Blanc de Mer 2018 Bouchard Finlayson

This smells like nothing I have tasted before – basically because it is made from such a cocktail of grapes. Most prominent on the nose is riesling with floral hints and apricot peachy notes from viognier – on the palate it has pristine grapefruit and zippy length.

£12.49, Great Grog; Frontier Fine Wines; Lea & Sandeman

Wagram, Austria: Ried Eisenhut Roter Veltliner

2018 Eschenhof Holzer

For those who like exotically fruity whites with plenty of spice and honey on the palate. Roter veltliner makes more complex richer styles than gruner veltliner (no relation). An excellent example made by Arnold Holzer, who grows this rare grape on loess clay soils in the grape’s home region of Wagram, west of Vienna. £13.99, Luvians; Red Squirrel Wine

Stellenbosch, South Africa: Chenin Blanc 2019 Kaapzicht

I am a big fan of Danie Steytler’s Kaapzicht wines – particularly for his muscular pinotage – but this old bush vine chenin blanc from weathered granite soils is a really well-made example. Pineapple and mango notes, with a hint of savouriness. £11.85, Great Grog; Gerrard Seel

Niederösterreich, Austria: The Dot Austrian Peach Riesling 2019 Pfaffl

Austrian riesling from a warm site has such power and charm; I loved the combination of rich intensity, juicy freshness and sweet floral notes with a rich dry finish and pronounced peachy flavours.

£11.50, St Andrews Wine; £10, Villeneuve Wines

Martinborough, New Zealand: The Edge Pinot Gris 2018 Escarpment

Mckenna’s wines are always affordable and beautifully made – like this aromatic, zesty, unoaked pinot gris, just off dry with a broad palate. £11.85, Great Grog; Frontier Fine Wines; £12.50, Stone Vine &Sun

Marlborough, New Zealand: Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2019

Passionfruit and mango on the nose with lovely citric core of fruit; zippy, weighty with a touch of minerality.

£11.59, Waitrose

Waipara, New Zealand: Organic Pinot Gris 2019 Greystone

Waipara in North Canterbury offers some of New Zealand’s best aromatic whites. This honeyed, lightly spicy pinot gris comes from a single block of vines grown on a mix of sea fossils and limestone picked over four passes, aged with a touch of oak and lees contact to add complexity.

£18, Great Grog; Frontier Fine Wines

Campania, Italy: Greco Janare La Guardiense

My favourite from the Janare range from Campania’s San Giorgio del Sannio subzone. This unoaked dry Greco has a beautiful floral nose, lemon peel, grapefruit and pineapple notes with honeyed creamy notes and a pleasing saline twist to finish. ■

£10.49, De Burgh Wines

Join Rose’s Springtime Wines virtual wine tasting via Zoom in the comfort of your own home on Friday 1 & 8 May, www.rosemurraybrown.com