White Wine

Beblenheim Reisling ’13, 12.5% alc/vol, Domaine Trapet, Colmar, Alsace-Lorraine, France, £39.75
Alsace’s diverse history – the country has changed hands six times in 300 years – is reflected in the style of its wines. There are obvious Germanic influences but they are more powerful and drier with a unique mineral definition formed by the Graben, a deep trough through which the Rhine flows. Alsace is protected by the Vosages mountains to the west and the Black Forest to the east providing a semi-continental climate that is drier and warmer than would otherwise be the case. 2007 was a very fine year in Alsace and this is a beautifully controlled Riesling. Pale straw in colour and wonderfully aromatic with delicate floral notes of orchard fruit and crushed stone minerals. Aged for 10 to 12 months in traditional Alsatian barrels.

Grape: 100% Reisling
Style: White: Rich & aromatic
Closure: Cork
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Pot-roasted partridge

Gewurztraminer ’12-’13, 14% alc/vol, Hugel et Fils, Alsace-Lorraine, France, £41.25
Produced by the Hugel family who have 12 generations of unbroken winegrowing tradition since 1639. Alsace is the driest wine region in France with a cool and long growing season giving unique dry wines with great finesse and unequalled intensity. Originally from Northern Italy Gewurztraminer is the great speciality of the region with a unique, full expression. Made exclusively from hand-harvested grapes from predominantly clay and limestone vineyards the wine is lightly filtered and bottle-aged in the Hugel cellars. Spicy and suave it can be enjoyed as an aperitif or with your meal. This wine may show a slight sediment of tartrate crystals, a sign of a natural non-treated wine.

Grape: 100% Gewurtraminer
Style: White: Intensely aromatic
Closure: Natural Cork
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Lightly spiced dishes, white meats, veal, pork, game birds & strong cheeses

Chateau Argadens ’13, 12.5% alc/vol, Bordeaux, France, £31.15
Maison Sichel bought the property in 2002 and named it in memory of the noble family who founded the estate in the thirteenth century. The vineyard has worked vigorously to bring out the very best of this outstanding terroir yielding a balanced, fresh, and fruity wine. A major investment programme was launched at Château Argadens to restructure the vineyard, increase plantation density, modernise the winery and build an ageing cellar. Efforts are going on to ensure that this work is carried out with the greatest precision and care, the objective being to allow the quality of the terroir to be expressed to the full.

Grape variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Style: White: Medium-bodied
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking: Now / Now or Keep / Keep
Food Match: Plain roast or grilled chicken, roast or pan fried duck & game

Macon-Solutre ’13, 13% alc/vol, Le Moulin de Pont, Maison Auvigne, Maconnais, Burgundy, France, £34.85
The grapes used in this Macon grow around the rock of Solutre, a spectacular prehistoric limestone cliff with soils rich in limestone and clay – the type best suited to Chardonnay grapes – on south east facing vines aged between 5-17 years old. This wine is bottled early, in the spring following a hand harvest, helping to preserve fruit and freshness. Pal-lemon in colour with a nose showing ripe stone fruit, mixed with almond and marzipan. A high quality Maconnais with all the qualities of top Burgundian wines without the price tag.

Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Style: White: Rich, rounded white
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking: Now-2021
Food Match: Ham, gammon & pork, white flaky fish like halibut, turbot or sea bass

Macon-Lugny ’15, 13% alc/vol, Les Genièvres, Louis Latour, Burgundy, France, £32.75
The village of Lugny sits among wooded hills about twelve miles north of Mâcon, where the limestone soils and sheltered climate of the ‘Les Genièvres’ vineyard are justly renowned. With a brilliant pale yellow colour and a beautiful nose of white fruit, this is a fresh and balanced wine, round and full in the mouth – ideal for easy drinking.

Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Style: White: Rich, rounded white
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking: Now-2021
Food Match: Crab thermidor, pasta dishes

Rully Rabource 1er Cru, ’16, 12.5% alc/vol, Olivier Leflaive, Burgundy, France, £55.00
This Rabource shows exactly what the Cote Chalaonnaise is capable of achieving. Rabource is one of around twenty Premier Cru vineyards within the commune of Rully, in the Cote Chalonnaise sub-region of Burgundy. Powerful and concentrated with a firm mineral core, this delicious Premier Cru offers rich buttercream-hazlenut layers and a characteristic, tantalising orange flower scent that lingers deliciously in the mouth. Exotic and fine.

Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Style: White: Dry
Closure: Natural Cork
Drinking: Now until 2022
Food Match: Creamy mussels, rich fish such as salmon & tuna), shellfish & goat cheese

Chablis “Les Serres” ’16, 12.5% alc/vol, Domaine Oudin, Burgundy, France, £33.55
Nathalie Oudin has recently taken over from her parents Jean-Claude and Christiane. The family now possess eight hectares of vines near the tiny village of Chichée, just south of Chablis; most have a south and south-west exposure on the hilltops surrounding the village. Nathalie is not afraid to allow the wine good exposure to air during the malolactic fermentation — the wine has very precise citrus fruit, good texture and a saline quality suggestive of the limestone bedrock. A fine Chablis sure to provide a satisfying accompaniment to good fresh food.

Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Style: White: Crisp & minerally
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking: Now-2021
Food Match: Sea bass, creamy cheeses

Bourgogne Blanc Les Setilles ’13, 12.5% alc/vol, Olivier Leflaive, Burgundy, France, £41.55
Olivier Leflaive started his own negociant business in Puligny Montrachet in 1984, applying his knowledge and skill to make high quality wines from appellations all over Burgundy. This wine is a blend of grapes from the vineyards of Puligny Montrachet and Mersault, mixed roughly 60% to 40%. All the grapes are chardonnay with fermentation two-thirds in French oak barrels and one-third in stainless steel tanks. This arrangement delivers complexity and roundness from the former and freshness form the latter and because the wine is fermented in oak, rather than matured, the flavours are well integrated and subtle. This Bourgogne is bright lemon in colour with citrus and apple notes, balanced with hints of creamy vanilla to give a long and lifted finish.

Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Colour: White: Crisp, fresh & minerally
Closure: Guala cork
Drinking: Now-2021
Food Match: Ham, gammon & pork, white flaky fish like halibut, turbot or sea bass

Montagny 1er Cru ‘La Grande Roche’ ’15, 13% alc/vol, Louis Latour, Burgundy, France, £38.45
The appellation of Montagny lies approximately thirty kilometres south of Beaune in the rolling folds and hills of the southern Côte Chalonnaise. The vineyard of ‘la Grande Roche’ is on sloping ground, catching plenty of sunshine which aids the great concentration of flavours. Rich but refined tropical fruit combine with almost savoury and nutty hints, balanced with structured acidity and a lingering finish. Grand Vin de Bourgogne worth savouring

Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Style: White: Rich, rounded white
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking: Now-2021
Food Match: Smoked duck, eggs Benedict.

Montagny 1er Cru Bonneveaux ’14, 13% alc/vol, Olivier Leflaive, Burgundy, France, £51.50
The grapes used in this wine are from the Montagny vineyards in the Côte Chalonnaise. They face south-east and therefore benefit from the best exposure to the sun, this combined with the continental climate of very cold winters and hot summers enables the grapes to ripen fully while still preserving delicate flavours and freshness. Fermentation takes place 80% in French oak barrels and 20% in stainless steel tanks, as such the wine benefits from the complexity and roundness of oak and also the freshness of steel. This Montagny is bright lemon in colour with flashes of green and exhibits great minerality balanced with plenty of concentrated, creamy fruit on the palate.

Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Style: White: Rich, rounded white
Closure: Guala cork
Drinking: Now-2021
Food Match: Smoked duck, eggs Benedict

Meursault ’13, 12.5% alc/vol, Louis Latour, Burgundy, France, £65.00
Situated just south of Volnay and Pommard in the Côte de Beaune, Meursault is the largest white wine commune of the southern Côte d’Or. The perfect exposure and stony marl soil of vineyards located high on the hillside overlooking Puligny-Montrachet contribute greatly to the remarkable finesse of this wine, whose distinct and fresh nose mixes aromas of lemon and acacia honey. An excellent wine from Maison Latour combining quality and style.

Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Style: White: Rich, rounded white
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking: Now-2025
Food Match: Lobster, guinea fowl
Languedoc

Picpoul de Pinet ’17, 12.5% alc/vol, Domaine de Morin-Langaran, Languedoc, France, £22.45
Picpoul is an old Languedoc grape variety and it has grown here on the banks of Lake Thau, in sight of the famous oyster-beds of Bouzigues, for generations. Produced from vines that are aired by the salty sea breeze, this wine is unmistakably Mediterranean with a pale lemon appearance and a discreet nose of white flowers and citrus aromas. The palate is gentle and refreshing with apricot kernel and lime notes, crisp acidity and a silky mouth-feel.

Grape: 100% Picpoul
Style: White: Easy-drinking, elegant and fresh
Closure: Cork
Drinking: Now-2021
Food Match: The perfect aperitif, or great with grilled fish or Mediterranean vegetables

Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine ’16, 12% alc/vol, Chateau La Noe, Loire, France, £20.25
From mature vines on an unusual terroir of granitic sand, this is very pale with delicate aromas of wet stones and citrus. Slow fermentation and ageing on the lees makes for a delicious creamy texture that beautifully complements the freshness and tension delivered by crisp acidity. Subtle, refreshing and with a long finish this is a pleasing Muscadet with great balance.

Grape: 100% Melon de Bourgogne
Style: White: Lively, mineral white
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Moules marinières, crabcakes

Sauvignon de Touraine ’15, 12% alc/vol, La Noblette, Loire, France, £23.50
While Touraine is a favoured terroir for Sauvignon Blanc and may, in fact, be where the variety originated, the region is a patchwork of sandy, gravel and flinty clay soils. Gooseberry and blackcurrant leaf are the most obvious notes here, set against a refreshing citrus bite. Clean & crisp, a fine modern French wine that is superb on its own or with a range of foods.

Grape: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Style: White: Lively, mineral white
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Vegetable risotto, salade Niçoise, seafood

Mont de Joie Sauvignon Blanc ’17, 12.5% alc/vol, Domaine Henri Bourgeois, Loire, France, £25.75
This delicious Sauvignon Blanc is made by Henri Bourgeois, Sancerre’s star producer, from vineyards very close to Sancerre. This zesty wine offers much of the class of Bourgeois Sancerre’s without the price tag! The vines grow on chalky-clay over Kimmeridge soils helping to give fresh acidity and bright flavours. A short period of cold maceration maximises fruit aromas before long and slow fermentation takes place in stainless steel at low temperature (16-18c) to preserve the delicate, complex aromas and flavours. Bright pale and gold colour the palate is fresh and lively with a rich, incisive mineral acidity and impressive length.

Grape: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Colour: White: Medium, zesty & fruity
Closure: Screw cap
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Stir-fried pork & sweet & sour dishes, white flaky fish like halibut, turbot or sea bass

Vouvray ’16, 12.5% alc/vol, Marc Bredif, Loire, France, £33.50
From the most important white wine appellation in the Touraine district this Vouvray is made from Chenin Blanc in the dry style. Temperature controlled fermentation is used to retain fresh structure and aromatic finish and is then matured on its lees for a further six months. Intense peach and apricot on the nose. On the palate it shows fresh acidity, rich rounded with peachy fresh fruit and a herbaceous complexity.

Grape: 100% Chenin Blanc
Style: White: Lively, mineral white
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking: Now-2025
Food Match: Vegetable risotto, salade Niçoise, seafood

Sancerre ’14-’16, 13.5% alc/vol, Gitton Pere & Fils, Loire, France, £33.95
Founded in 1945 by Marcus Gitton the vineyard is now run by Pascal Gitton. This is an unusual domaine in that the Gitton’s have a huge portfolio of Loire vineyards under their control – not only 27 hectares in Sancerre but also 7.5 hectares in Pouilly-Fumé and a little over 2 hectares in the Coteaux du Giennois – he also has ownership of a 13-hectare domaine in the Côtes de Duras. This appellation lies in France’s south-west, to the east of Bordeaux and the Entre Deux Mer, as a consequence the range of wines made at this particular address is very broad. On the whole the fruit is picked by machine, but thereafter Pascal works in finer detail, fermenting plot-by-plot, without recourse to added enzymes or yeasts. A number of his wines reflect the terroir or lieu-dit of origin, with his top cuvées all coming from the east-facing slopes above Ménétréol-sous-Sancerre (a small town close to Sancerre, and one of the fourteen communes of the Sancerre appellation). Medium-bodied and dry, a lovely colour followed by an intense nose and palate of currants, citrus fruit, flint and a touch of herb.

Grape: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Style: White: Medium-bodied & dry
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Goat’s cheese, Pork & Spicy food, quiche Lorraine, Oysters

Pouilly-Fume ’16, 12.5% alc/vol, Domaine des Berthiers, Loire, France, £33.85
Jean-Claude Dagueneau is the largest of producers in the Dagueneau winemaking family making great wines in small quantities. The Pouilly Fume name is compased of two parts; ‘Pouilly’ is short for Pouilly-sur-loire, the village where the wines come from, and ‘Fume’ is short for Blanc Fume, the local nickname for Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is refined with a lively medium-bodied citrus palate, some flinty minerality, and a dry, elegant finish.

Grape: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Style: White: Medium-bodied & dry
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking: Now-2021
Food Match: Salmon en croute, potted shrimps, crisp salads

Rhone

Cotes du Rhone ’14, alc/vol 13.5%, Etienne Guigal, Chateau D’Ampuis, Southern Rhone, France, £30.25
Founded in 1946 Guigal is one of the foremost producers in the Rhone and today, Philippe Guigal, oenologist, is the third generation to continue the family endeavour to produce some of the Rhone Valley’s greatest wines. Produced from Southern Rhone grapes purchased under long term contracts – Guigal pay the highest price for the fruit, as much as three times the standard price, to ensure the highest quality. This dry white wine is creamy in the mouth, rounded and textured with a brisk acidity. With aromas of peach and apricot it has a medium finish.

Grape: 65% Viognier, 15% Roussane, 10% Marsanne, 8 % Clairette, 2% Bourboulenc
Style: White: Dry
Closure: Natural Cork
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Bouillabaisse, snapper, roast & smoked chicken, paella

Crozes-Hermitage ’14, Etienne Guigal, Chateau D’Ampuis, Northern Rhone, France, £43.95
Crozes- Hermitage is an appellation of the Northern Rhone valley covering a relatively large area on the eastern bank of the Rhone river, to the North and South of Tain L’Hermitage town. The fertile soil encourages the vines to focus on developing their wood and leaves rather than their roots and grapes resulting in bright fruity aromas with relatively low structure and complexity. This initial simplicity is enhanced by 12 months ageing, partially in oak barrels. Golden yellow with aromas of white flowers such as hawthorn blossom and acacia with delicate oak. Fine and elegant on the palate with a full-bodied, round and rich finish.

Grape: 95% Marsanne, 5% Roussanne
Style: White: Full-bodied, round and rich
Closure: Natural Cork
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Flavoursome fish – octopus, sole & tuna, white meats – roast chicken, pheasant & pork

Regional

Domaine de Pellehaut ’17, 11% alc/vol, Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne, France
£17.50 per bottle, 50cl Carafe £13.25, by the glass 175ml £4.75 & 250ml £6.75
Owned by the Beraut family for over 300 years Pellehaut is named after the Roman pila haut or high point with the vines growing 180 metres above the quaint village of Montreal-d-Gers. Gaston oversees the domaine, which includes cattle, wheat and sunflowers with sons Martin and Mathieu acting as vineyard manager and winemaker respectively. With some 617 acres planted the family has one of the most extensive vineyard holdings in the Cotes de Gascogne region of southwestern France. Red grapefruit, citrus fruits and an intriguing herbal note make for an ideal flavour combination. This highly regarded white sees no malolactic fermentation which guards its acidity. Striking aromatic intensity with a refreshing, clean palate.

Grape: 40% Ugni Blanc, 20% Gros Manseng, 20% Colombard, 15% Chardonnay, 5% Sauv. Blanc
Style: White: Medium dry
Closure: Screw cap
Drinking: Now / Now or Keep / Keep
Food Match: Antipasti, chicken, hams & salmon

Sauvignon Blanc ’17, 12% alc/vol, Cheval Imperial, Vin de Pays d’Oc, France
£17.50 per bottle, 50cl Carafe £13.25, by the glass 175ml £4.75 & 250ml £6.75
Produced by Vignobles Foncalieu a rapidly rising wine cooperative. The award-winning winemaker Delphine Glangetas joined as chief winemaker in 2010 with the cooperative being named Winegrower of the Year 2012. The ripeness of this Languedoc sauvignon is balanced by a tangy green acidity. Relatively full-bodied, this wine is deliciously long and fresh and well reflects the “savoir vivre” of the Languedoc.

Grape: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Style: White: Dry, aromatic, fruity white
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Fish & shellfish, Thai green curry, linguine with pesto

Les Escasses ’13, 11.5% alc/vol, Prodcteurs Plaimont, Vin de Pays du Gers, Gascony, France, £21.75
A great example of the bright, citrussy white wine styles now emerging from the Gascony region, this fresh, lively blend based on local grape varieties also represents excellent value. Andre Dubusc has brought together like-minded winegrowers whose Plaimont vineyards benefit from long warm summers, tempered by cool breezes from the Pyrenees, which encourage the grapes to ripen slowly and gently – the true key to quality. The vineyards also have a westerly exposure, sheltering them from sunburn and preserving the pristine acidity and delicate fruit of the grapes. Lees ageing for a short period gives body and character, enriching palate texture as well as increasing longevity. Pale lemon in colour, fresh-cut grass on the nose with hints of green apple.

Grape: 80% Colombard, 10% Ugni Blanc, 10% Sauvignon Blanc
Style: White: Dry
Closure: Screw cap
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Pesto linguine

Cotes du Rhone ’14, alc/vol 13.5%, Etienne Guigal, Chateau D’Ampuis, Southern Rhone, France, £30.25
Founded in 1946 Guigal is one of the foremost producers in the Rhone and today, Philippe Guigal, oenologist, is the third generation to continue the family endeavour to produce some of the Rhone Valley’s greatest wines. Produced from Southern Rhone grapes purchased under long term contracts – Guigal pay the highest price for the fruit, as much as three times the standard price, to ensure the highest quality. This dry white wine is creamy in the mouth, rounded and textured with a brisk acidity. With aromas of peach and apricot it has a medium finish.

Grape: 65% Viognier, 15% Roussane, 10% Marsanne, 8 % Clairette, 2% Bourboulenc
Style: White: Dry
Closure: Natural Cork
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Bouillabaisse, snapper, roast & smoked chicken, paella

Crozes-Hermitage ’14, Etienne Guigal, Chateau D’Ampuis, Northern Rhone, France, £43.95
Crozes- Hermitage is an appellation of the Northern Rhone valley covering a relatively large area on the eastern bank of the Rhone river, to the North and South of Tain L’Hermitage town. The fertile soil encourages the vines to focus on developing their wood and leaves rather than their roots and grapes resulting in bright fruity aromas with relatively low structure and complexity. This initial simplicity is enhanced by 12 months ageing, partially in oak barrels. Golden yellow with aromas of white flowers such as hawthorn blossom and acacia with delicate oak. Fine and elegant on the palate with a full-bodied, round and rich finish.

Grape: 95% Marsanne, 5% Roussanne
Style: White: Full-bodied, round and rich
Closure: Natural Cork
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Flavoursome fish – octopus, sole & tuna, white meats – roast chicken, pheasant & pork

Reserve Chardonnay ’18, 13% alc/vol, Riddle Creek, New South Wales, Australia
£18.95 per bottle, 50cl Carafe £13.85, by the glass 175ml £5.40 & 250ml £7.15
This lively fruit-driven wine has been enhanced by lees stirring, giving a great texture and balance to the mid-palate. Subtle oak-ageing gives added structure without being overpowering. A pale straw colour with lemon, citrus and green apples on the nose this thoroughly appealing modern wine has long fresh acidity.

Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Style: White: Rich & rounded
Closure: Screw cap
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Spaghetti carbonara, frittata

Casa Felipe Sauvignon Blanc ’17, 12% alc/vol, Vina Luis Felipe Edwards, Valle Central, Chile, £20.75
Luis Felipe is one of Chile’s leading winemakers based in the Valle Central, approximately 350km south of Santiago between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes. This area experiences a Mediterranean style climate with warm days and cool nights – a diurnal temperature variation which allows grapes to fully ripen whilst still preserving the natural acidity. There are a variety of soils albeit predominantly alluvial and loamy with gravel subsoil which are favourable for optimum wine growing. The grapes are handpicked and de-stemmed, pressed then cool fermented in stainless steel tanks for 3 weeks and maturated for 2 months on the lees to impart complexity and texture. Bright pale yellow this light-bodied wine is zesty and vibrant with citurs fruit aromas, particularly grapefruit and lemon.

Grape: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Style: White: Light-bodied
Closure: Screw cap
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Seafood, salads & pasta

Puertas Antiguas Viognier ’16, 13.5% alc/vol , Luis Felipe Edwards, Valle Central, Chile, £20.75
Luis Felipe Edward is one of Chile’s leading family-owned wineries. This fruity, fresh Viognier is blended from handpicked grapes at their optimum ripeness. The Mediterranean-type climtate with warm days and cool nights and its diurnal temperature variation allows the grapes to fully ripen whilst preserving the natural acidity. Cool fermentation (15-17 degrees) in stainless steel tanks lasts approximately three weeks and preserves subtle aromatic and freshness. Maturation: 2 months on the lees to impart complexity and texture on the palate. Made from a special selection of grapes from the producer’s best sites in the Valle Central, this wine bursts with flavours of stone fruit over notes of jasmine and hazelnuts, culminating in a fresh, long finish.

Grape: 100% Viognier
Style: White: Soft & fresh
Closure: Screw cap
Drinking: Now-2021
Food Match: Light fish & chicken dishes, Asian inspired cuisine

Southern Lights Sauvignon Blanc, ’17, 11.5% alc/vol, Marlborough, New Zealand, £25.50
Winemaker Ian Marchant created this great wine for Omaka Springs Estates, the sole producer of estate wines in the Omaka Valley, part of the Southern Valleys of Marlborough. “Omaka” is a Maori word meaning “where the springs flow” and reflects the mineral-rich natural springs that meander through the vineyards of the 180 acre estate, feeding the soils and ultimately imparting a distinct nuance of minerality. Fresh and vibrant passion fruit, gooseberry and some melon characters this wine has a balanced richness of fruit with a floral note through the palate, with intense depth of flavour and a crisp finish.

Grape: 95% Sauvignon Blanc 5% Pinot Gris
Style: White: Unoaked, Dry
Closure: Screw cap
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Green salads, shellfish, grilled & roasted chicken, seafood & vegetables

Ana Sauvignon Blanc ’18, 13.5% alc/vol, Wairau Plains, Marlborough, New Zealand, £31.75
Grown by the Eradus family on their estate in the unique microclimate of the Awatere Valley on alluvial, free-draining stony soil. Machine harvested to preserve freshness and aromatics the juice is cold settled to maximise natural flavours and left to rest for 3days. This wine is filtered but not fined. Pale lemon in colour with a fresh clean palate showing minerality and expression of flavours.

Grape: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Style: White: Fresh, fruity & minerally
Closure: Screw cap
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Seafood & pastas

Eradus Single Vineyard Pinot Gris ’15, 14% alc/vol, Awatere Valley, Marloborough, New Zealand, £28.75
Another Eradus family wine showcasing their viticultural philosophy of ‘balance’, in particular during pruning and cropping where vines are treated individually, helping to ensure each one produces the very best fruit possible. The Pinot Gris is 50% hand and 50% machine harvested from mid-March to mid-April and quickly transferred to the winery preserving freshness and aromatics. The result is a fresh, fruity wine with mouth-watering minerality and expression of flavours.

Grape: 100% Pinot Gris
Style: White: Smooth, zesty & fresh
Closure: Screw cap
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Flaky white fish & chicken

Round Stone Bay, ’16, 12.5% alc/vol, Nelson, New Zealand, £27.75
Crafted by the Waimea Estates using high quality grapes from ten year old vines. Winding 100km north west from Marlborough, Nelson is a region exploiting the fresh, crisp and fragrant conditions of its coastal position. This helps make it different in style to the better known Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs having a slightly fresher, more lifted and more subtly aromatic edge. A really classy Sauvignon from the lesser well known Nelson area. Rich tropical aromas of mango and ripe citrus. The wine is equally lush on the palate with excellent fruit concentration, a mineral derived texture and a long juicy finish.

Grape: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Style: White: Unoaked
Closure: Screw cap
Drinking: Now
Food Match: Fragrant Asian dishes, crab cakes or barbequed prawns with mango salsa