Whites

The remarkable stony and sunny soils of the vineyards are captured in this powerful and complex wine. It flourishes with age and expresses mineral aromas reminiscent of gunflint. The wine is full and flavoursome but with a firm backbone of acidity. The Côte de Lechet is one of the Premiers Crus of the Chablisian vineyard with the most exceptional ageing potential.

Country: France

Region: Burgundy, Côte de Léchet

Grapes: Chardonnay

ABV: 13%

Food match: A beautiful wine which will enhance any dish, try it with fish dishes even in rich sauces, poultry, risotto…

An elegant Pouilly Fuissé showing aromas of fresh mint, peach and citrus that carry through to a fresh and mineral palate. A rich, complex and well balanced wine with remarkable vivacity on the finish.

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Grapes:  100% Chardonnay

ABV: 13.5%

Domaine Ferrand is situated in the village of Solutre ­Pouilly, in the heart of the Pouilly Fuisse appelation of Southern Burgundy. The domaine now comprises of just over 11 hectares of vineyards that have been passed down from Father to Son over 3 generations. Today the domaine is run by Madame Nadine Ferrand whose wines have been well reviewed by the Guide Hachette.

Aromas of white peach, citrus blossom and fresh green apple.  Fine lively bubbles, contributing to the elegant finish. To be enjoyed in its purest and natural form, without the restrictions of alcohol.

Country: South Africa

Region: Coastal Region, Western Cape

Grapes: Chardonnay

ABV: 0.45%

Reg Holder started his career with vintages in France, Australia and the USA before
returning to South Africa. He then spent 11 years as the winemaker at both Neil Ellis and
Delheim. In 2015, while his wife was pregnant with their first child, he started experimenting with de-alcoholised wine for her. When they were expecting their second, in 2017, Reg decided that he was going to move full time into the Lautus de-alcoholised project.
He uses a state of the art piece of machinery that combines centrifugal force and a
vacuum in order to extract the alcohol while leaving the wines' volatile flavour and aromatic essence intact. Unquestionably the best de-alcoholised wine we have tried!

Lemon yellow in colour. A fruity and intense nose, with hints of ripe bananas and tropical fruit like guava and kiwi. The palate is dry, medium-bodied, balanced with a long finish. A great example of elegant, unoaked Chardonnay from Northern Italy.

Country: Italy

Region: Alto Adige 

Grapes: Chardonnay

ABV: 13.5% 

Food Matches: Vegetable risottos or creamy root vegetable soups, pan fried sea bass or veal dishes.

Aromatics of note! Green fruit, spice and citrus also feature. Delicious wine.

Country: Spain

Region: Aragon,  Somontano

Grapes: Garnacha Blanca

ABV: 13.5%

A natural, beautifully golden sparkling wine. The aroma is dominated by apple, quince and citrus fruit notes. Medium-bodied, with a pleasantly fresh fruit-forward finish.

Country: Bulgaria

Region: Danube Plain

Grapes: Riesling 

ABV: 11,5 %

Food Match: Aperitif, shellfish, salads, fish & chips.

Walker Bay in South Africa is becoming a shining example of how Stellenbosch no longer holds the mantle of 'best region' in South Africa - there are now other contenders.

Abundantly fruity on the nose with fragrant white peach aromas mingling with a rich, creamy character. These follow well onto the palate and combine seamlessly with crisp minerality and natural acidity.

Country: South Africa

Region: Walker Bay

ABV: 13%

Grapes: Viognier

Since founding Creation in 2002, Jean-Claude and Carolyn have led conservation efforts for the area, becoming one of only nine wineries in South Africa to receive EnviroWines accreditation. It’s not simply an audit, but scientific measurement of every management practice.

Bright, light straw colour. Fragrant, fresh spring flowers on the nose and fresh fruit-driven palate of green apple, pear, white peach and grapefruit. Dry, crisp, and mineral, with a slight saline. The fruit and mineral balance is so delicious! Very long, clean and precise.

Country: Italy

Region: Tuscany

Grapes: 50% Petit Manseng 50% Viognier 

ABV: 13% 

Food Match: soups, aperitif, soft fresh cheese or antipasto.

Certified Organic

Completely lovely Sauvignon from an unexpected location. This has aromas of fresh cut grass and flint.  A fresh, crisp backbone adds structure and elegance. Wonderful match for shellfish, scallops and salads.

Country: Germany

Region: Rheinhessen

Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc

ABV: 12.5%

Notes of  bay leaf, citrus zest, and grapefruit on the nose followed by a gentle, textural palate with bright citrus acidity and green apple.

Country: Chile

Region: Wine of Chile

Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc

ABV:12.5%

Food Match: Shellfish and seafood dishes

A brilliant example of Pinot Gris from a top English winemaker. Beats some of the best French or Italian examples!

A dry white with fragrant aromas of citrus, apple, grapefruit, and pear, which follows through onto the palate, with a wonderful richness and slightly honeyed character. It has a crisp, fresh acidity with a hint of white pepper spice accompanied by a creamy freshness and long, velvety finish

Country: England

Region: Sussex

ABV: 12%

Grape: Pinot Gris

Made with fruit from the legendary first growth vineyard Mezes Maly.

Mézes Mály's characteristics are based around its translation as 'honey pot'. Its incredibly long and exquisitely balanced aromas and flavours combine the very essence of aszu wines.

Apricot and honey on the nose, beautiful fruit driven depth of palate which is bone dry, followed by a gorgeous minerally finish. If you love white Burgundy - this one's for you.

Country: Hungary

Region: Tokaji

ABV: 13%

Grapes: Furmint, Hárslevelû, Muscat

Co-founded in 1990 by wine writer Hugh Johnson, Royal Tokaji has quickly become one of the most important wineries in Tokaj, producing sweet and dry wines.

Light yellow-straw. The nose is reminiscent of apricot, peach and quince with hints of litchi and cardamom. Citrus and stone fruit follow on the palate rounded by subtle oak and punchy lime acidity. The finish is long and dry. Medium to full bodied.

Country: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Grapes: Chenin blanc and Grenache blanc
ABV: 13.5%

Food Match: Wild mushroom risotto, Moroccan chicken tagine or herb crusted rack of lamb.

Superb concentration, complexity, amplified aromatics, and depth of flavour going on in this Georgian qvevri wine. Dried apricots and ripe peaches. Well rounded, with a sophisticated tannic structure, vibrant acidity with a long honeyed finish.

Country: Georgia

Region: Kakheti

Grapes: Kisi

ABV: 13%

Food Match: Spicy dishes, seafood such as shellfish and salmon, aged hard cheeses.

"Amber in colour with kumquat, sun-dried apricot and marzipan on the nose, candied orange peel, dried peach and tangerine zest on the palate, supported by muscular but polished tannins, thanks to controlled extraction. Fantastic depth, the lovely dried apricot notes follow to the long finish." 92 points, Sylvia Wu, Decanter (September 2022)

Read all about Penny's recent trip to the cradle of wine, Georgia in her blog here.

A wonderfully complex and textured barrel fermented white Douro with a long, fresh and minerally finish. Made from four different indigenous grape varieties from very high altitude vineyards.

Country: Portugal

Region: Douro Valley

Grapes: 46% Rabigato, 29% Viosinho, 24% Gouveio,1% Fernão Pires

ABV: 12.5%

Food Matches: Great with seafood or fleshy pan fried white fish dishes.

Jamie Goode in Wine Anorak: 12.5% alcohol. A blend of local white varieties from Pedra Alta’s highest plots. Complex and nicely restrained with taut lemony fruit and some notes of pear and white peach. Lively and precise with good acidity and nice purity, this has the potential to develop with time, and it’s almost Burgundian in style. 94/100 

Yummy Burgundian Chardonnay from next door to Pouilly-Fuissé. Clean, fleshy white fruit aroma with a subtle honeyed finish.

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Grapes: Chardonnay

ABV: 13%

Intense savoury nose with notes of dried citrus peel, marmalade, brown spice and almond skin. Full flavoured and textural on the palate with flavours of apricot kernel and fruit peel followed by a fine bitter orange finish.

Country: South Africa

Region: Breedekloof

Grapes: 90% Chenin Blanc, 10% Muscat D'Alexandria

ABV: 12.5%

Dachbosch Wine

Food match: 

The grapes are sorted, de-stemmed and crushed. Fermentation process started with juice still on the grape skins, whereafter the wine was left on the grape skins for a further 6 months. The clear wine was then racked, blended and bottled.

Located in the quintessential txakoli town of Getaria overlooking the Bay of Biscay, Akarregi Txiki is an extremely traditional winery which has been making wine in this farmhouse for generations. Fermented in stainless steel vats and left on lees with for minimum 3 months. Bottled with some residual CO2 pressure to give it the characteristic spritz. Crisp and delicate with hints of lemon leaves, lime and salty freshness, complimented by a delicate spritz.

Country: Spain

Region: Getariako Txakolina

Grapes: Hondarrabi zuri  

ABV: 11.5%

Straw yellow with slight green notes. Intense and complex sweet apple and pear perfume with some soft orange flora. Dry, well structured and a palate that reflects the delicious aroma.

Country: Italy

Region: Manduria

Grapes: Fiano 85%

Fiano Minutolo 15%

ABV: 13%

Food Matching

Fish and shellfish, it also goes well with chicken, pork and veal.

Fresh and zesty aromas with notes of almond skin, fennel and even a little jasmine. A bright natural acidity on the palate with a teasing top note of grassy fennel, almond nuttiness and the residual salinity of an old dry grown vineyard. Drink slowly to take all this in.

Country: South Africa

Region: Piekenierskloof

Grapes: Palomino

ABV: 12.5%

Wonderful, fresh, but textured white made from Biodynamically grown grapes and with minimal intervention in the winery. Citrus, white flowers and stone fruits on the nose, creamy and rounded on the palate from the time spent on it's lees. Lively, zesty finish.

Country: Spain

Region: Bierzo

Grapes: Godello

ABV: 14%

One of the most unique and long-lived white wines in the world. A blend of indigenous grapes Obaideh and Merwah, with a deep golden colour and honeyed aromas, full of tropical fruits; pineapple, banana with warm, toasty creamy notes. Pale golden colour with aromas of pear, lemon zest and apple and vanilla on the nose. Hints  of lemon, orange with good body, concentration and mouthfeel , tangy acidity with ripe fruit. 

Country: Lebanon

Region: Bekaa Valley

Grapes: Obaideh and Merwah

ABV:12%

The very scarce 2015 vintage is clean and pure with a lovely vibrant energy. It is a stunning example of the indigenous Merwah grape with its origins in the mountains of Lebanon – it is a rare light skinned grape variety, closely related to Semillon in Bordeaux and gives wines of great ageing potential and elegance.

Dry, zesty and super fresh. Wonderful with spicy middle eastern dishes or hot Indian curries.

Country: Germany

Region: Rheingau

Grapes: Riesling

ABV: 13%

Read all about Victoria's recent trip to Germany in her blog here.

This wine has an attractive shiny light ruby colour. It is both refined and very frank on the nose and palate. It opens to aromas of red fruits. Its silky tannins support the balance of a wine, such that it can be kept for some time (5 to 7 years) while remaining pleasant in its youth.

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Grapes: Pinot Noir

Food Match:  Serves well as an aperitif for fresh and savoury tapas, soft-boiled eggs or roasted fish.

Maison Chanzy is a highly respected Burgundian producer, their wines are a classical demonstration of premium vineyard sites in Côte Chalonnaise, Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits.

Their range has been carefully engineered by winemaker Max Blondelle, whose primary task is to create wines that eloquently communicate their respective terroir, whilst remaining hands-off in his approach. As such, Chanzy are one of the few Burgundy producers to achieve Haute Valeur Environnementale level 3; the most highly regarded certification for agriculture in France.

Pinot noir is the heritage of Red Burgundy. The pinot noir grape was born in Burgundy and has carried the name since 1375. Pinot noir is the hereditary source to all of the great red wines from Burgundy vineyards. Pinot noir is jealously desired, but it is fragile and it requires very careful care during its vegetative period.

From a warm vintage, this wine has beautiful aromatics of guava and passion fruit paired with a wonderful freshness, which combined with its weight,  intensity and complexity makes this a finely balanced, terroir focused, dry white from North East Italy.

Country: Italy

Region: Soave

Grapes: Garganega 70% and Chardonnay 30%

ABV: 12.5%

Food match: this would work well with rich fish dishes or creamy risottos.