Domaine Huber Gruner Veltiner 2016

From - Traisental, Austria
Grape -Grüner Veltliner
Alcohol - 12.5%
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £10.79 (currently £7.99 until 30 October 2017)

Appearance - Clear, medium- intensity, lemon-green.  Youthful.

Nose - Clean, medium intensity, citrus fruit of lime, green fruit of gooseberry, tropical fruit of kiwi, stone fruit of peach, stone minerality, spice of white pepper.

Palate - Dry, high acid, medium+ length, medium alcohol, medium body, medium+ intensity.

Drink now, will not benefit from further ageing.

 Grüner Veltliner is Austria's flagship wine grape.  You may not have tried it, but it is much loved in our house.  The palate is very complimentary to Asian dishes, especially Thai, but it should be considered a very versatile wine, with food, as it would match up to a whole host of dishes.

Grab a bottle of this as soon as you can.

Villa Blanche Terret Blanc 2016

From - Languedoc, France
Grape - Terret Blanc
Alcohol - 12%
Available from - Waitrose (selected stores)
Price - £8.49

Appearance - Clear, medium- intensity

Nose - Clean, medium+ intensity, herbal (nettle), green fruit (apple, gooseberry), citrus (lemon), mineral (smoky). Youthful.

Palate - Dry, medium alcohol, high acid,  medium+ length, medium+ intensity medium+body,  medium+ length.  As above, emphasis on the fruit.

Drink now.  Very good quality.

What excites me most about wine is the variety.  And this is something genuinely different.  Waitrose believe that this is the first varietal Terret Blanc widely available in the UK for a very long time.

It has a great nose, surprising complexity and pleasing length.  It is easy on the alcohol, and I think would appeal to drinkers of acidic, aromatic varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc.  I really enjoyed it, and I think it delivers a lot for the price.

Here is the (empty) bottle next to a Chameleons album with which it shares similar artwork!

Campo Viejo Rioja Blanco 2015

From Rioja, Spain
Grape - Viura, Tempranillo
Alcohol - 12% abv
Available from - Waitrose, Ocado, Tesco, Sainsbury's
Price - £7.50-£8.50 (although at time of writing, £6.36 at Waitrose)

Appearance - Clear, medium- intensity, lemon-green

Nose - Clean, medium+ intensity, youthful.  Stone fruit of white peach, floral (elderflower)

Palate - Dry, high acid, medium intensity and length, medium+ body, medium alcohol.  Flavours as nose, plus lemon citrus.

Good quality.  Drink now, not suitable for ageing.

This wine has a very agreeable bouquet, and a good acid backbone.  Ideal with lighter meals.  I would drink this as an aperitif or with an avocado salad with balsamic vinegar.

De Grendel Sauvignon Blanc 2016

From - Durbanville, SA
Grape - Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol - 13.5%
Available from - Waitrose, waitrosecellar.com, Ocado
Price - £11.99 (although £8.99 until Tuesday at Waitrose)

Appearance - Clear, lemon-green, medium- intensity

Nose - Clean, medium intensity, green fruits of pear and gooseberry, herbal (nettle).  Youthful.

Palate - Dry, high acid, medium+ alcohol, full bodied, medium+ length, medium+ intensity.  As nose, plus stone fruit and minerality.

Very good quality, drink now.

Delicious Sauvignon Blanc can be found outside of Loire, Bordeaux and Marlborough, as this award-winning example demonstrates.  This is a classy wine, with real weight in the mouth, a little bit more alcohol than you might find elsewhere, and agreeable complexity.

Puklavec & Friends Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio 2015

From - Slovenia
Grape - Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio
Alcohol - 12% abv
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £7.99 (although £5.99 at time of writing)

Appearance - Clear, lemon-green, medium intensity

Nose - Clean, medium + intensity, youthful.  Citrus (lemon-lime), herbal (grassy), gooseberries, a hint of stone and tropical fruit, and a touch of minerality.

Palate - off-dry, medium+ acid, medium alcohol, medium+ body, medium alcohol, medium+ length.
Good quality, best drunk now.

In response to reader requests for bargains, this is a cracker.  An unusual blend, which I am reliably informed was first made by accident (the producers discovering the unintentional blend worked well).

Produced on Slovenia's border with Austria, it represents excellent value for money, is surprisingly complex and refined.  If you took this to a party you would leave having more friends than you arrived with.

De Bortoli Daydream Chardonnay 2014

From - Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia
Grape - Chardonnay
Alcohol - 12.5% abv
Avaliable from - Waitrose
Price - £9.99

Appearance - Clear, medium- intensity, lemon-green.

Nose - Clean, medium- intensity, youthful.  Green fruit (pears), citrus (lemon), sweet spice (vanilla).

Palate - Dry, high acidity, medium intensity, medium length, medium+ body, medium+ alcohol.  Citrus flavour of lemon and grapefruit, subtle notes of kernel (hazelnut) and smoky minerality.

Good quality.  Ready to drink now, but may benefit from some ageing.

A very agreeable Chardonnay for food and fine weather, grown in the cooler climate of Australia's Yarra Valley.  It has a subtle nose, but gives more on the palate, and has some complexity.  

La Monacesca Verdicchio di Matelica 2014

From - Marche, Italy
Grape - Verdicchio
Alcohol - 13.5% abv
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £10.99

Appearance - clean, lemon-gold, medium+ intensity

Nose - Clean, medium intensity, youthful, apple - pear - stone fruit - citrus (lemon) - minerality.

Palate -  Dry, high acid, medium+ length, medium+ body, medium+ alcohol.  Profile as per the nose, with the green and citrus fruit dominant.

This is a subtle and classy wine with impressive complexity that makes it really good value at this price.  The fruit and acid would make it a match for all sorts of dishes.  One to try.

Waitrose Foundation Chenin Blanc 2014

From - Cederberg, SA
Grape - Chenin Blanc
Alcohol - 12.5%
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £8.99

Appearance - Clear, medium intensity, lemon-green

Nose - Clean, medium+ intensity, citrus, and apple.

Palate - Dry, medium alcohol, high acid, medium+ body, medium+ length. Medium+ intensity   Lime, stone fruit, apples, a touch of stone minerality and even a touch of petillance.

Oz Clarke reckons that, when the 'true' price of a wine can sometimes be in doubt, supermarkets' own label wines can often prove to be good value.  I found this wine to be really good, plenty of fruit and very refreshing.  I had it to accompany a tomato salad, which worked really well.  It also provides a good deal for the farmers.

Inama Vigneti di Foscarino Soave Classico 2012

From - Veneto, Italy
Grape - Garganega
Alcohol - 12.5% abv
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £18.99

Appearance - Clear, medium+ intensity, lemon-green

Nose - Clean, medium+ intensity, youthful with aroma of ripe pears, citrus (grapefruit and lime), and a touch floral.

Palate - Dry, medium+ acid, full body, medium+ length, medium+ intensity, with stone fruit (peach), ripe apples and pears, citrus (lime), stone minerality and maybe a touch of honey.

This is a beautiful, complex, full bodied wine, that I would be brilliant with a risotto, I reckon.

La Monetta Gavi del Commune Gavi 2014

From - Piedmont, Italy
Grape - Cortese
Alcohol - 11.5%
Available from - Waitrose, Ocado
Price - £10.99

Appearance - Clear, lemon-green with a medium intensity.

Nose - Clean, with medium intensity aroma of apples, limes and green herbs.  Youthful

Palate - Dry, with medium+ acid, medium body, medium alcohol, medium+ length and flavours as per the nose, plus a touch of almond.

This is a lovely, well balanced wine with plenty of length and a great match for oily or creamy dishes.  A treat.  Definitely a good one to go for if you fancy trying a Gavi.

Casa Valduga Leopoldina Chardonnay 2013

From - Campanha, Brazil
Grape - Chardonnay
Alc - 12%
Available from - Waitrose
Price £13.99 (although £10.11 until Tues 7th April)

Appearance - Clean; medium intensity; lemon-green

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; youthful; apple and stone fruit.

Palate - dry; high acid; medium alcohol, medium intensity; medium body, medium+ length, apples and pears, citrus (lemon) and tropical (kiwi).

This is a classy, elegant, cool climate Chardonnay.  Lovely fruit flavours with the oak influence being only subtle.  If this were made in France  it'd be much more expensive.  Excellent.

Many thanks to all my recent readers in Ukraine and Russia.

Terredora Falanghina 2013

From - Campania, Italy
Grape - Falanghina
Alcohol - 13% abv
Available from - Majestic
Price - £11.99 (or £8.99 as part of a multi buy)

Appearance - Clean, lemon-green, medium intensity

Nose - Clean, medium- intensity, youthful, green fruit (apple), citrus (lemon),

Palate - Dry, medium+ acid, medium intensity, medium+ alcohol, medium+ body, medium length.  Green fruit (apple), citrus (lemon & lime), tropical fruit (kiwi, papaya).

An agreeable, fruity, refreshing wine with subtle complexity.  It has been lees aged, which influences the palate, but only just a touch.

Black Cottage Pinot Gris 2014

From - Marlborough, NZ
Grape - Pinot Gris
Alcohol - 12.5%
Available from - Majestic
Price - £12.99

Appearance - A white wine with a pale, lemon colour.

Nose - A clean, youthful nose, with medium intensity.  Aromas of pears, peaches and a touch of floral.

Palate - The palate is dry, with medium+ acidity, medium alcohol and body, and medium intensity. With green fruit of apples and pears; peaches and a touch of stone minerality.

This is a very nice example of a New World Pinot Gris, with subtle flavour and aroma, well balanced with not too much alcohol.  Currently on a 'buy two save 25%' at Majestic which makes it good value.  Fruity enough to match up with a bit of spice in your dinner.

Domaine Begude Terroir 11300 Organic Chardonnay

From - Limoux, France
Grape - Chardonnay
Alcohol - 13%
Available from - Waitrose,
Price - £9.99

Appearance - Clear, medium intensity, golden.

Nose - Clean, medium intensity, youthful, green fruit (apple and pear), stone fruit (peach), minerality (stone)

Palate - Dry, medium+ acid, medium+ body, medium  alcohol, medium+ length.  Green fruit (apples and pears), citrus (lemon), minerality (stone).

Organically produced Chardonnay from a relatively cool part of the Languedoc, which allows slow ripening, and retention of acidity.  This is a classy one and ideal for an aperitif.  Really good, and well worth a tenner.

Laboure-Roi Mersault 2012

From - Burgundy, France
Grape - Chardonnay
Alcohol 13% abv
From - waitrose.com (not waitrosecellar.com)
Price - £16.99

Appearance - Pale, clear, gold

Nose - Clean, pronounced, tropical fruit (melon), green fruit (apple), citrus (lemon), stone fruit (melon).  Youthful

Palate - Dry, high acid, medium+ alcohol, medium+ body, medium+ intensity, long finish.  Citrus fruit (lemon), green fruit (apple), mineral (steely),

Conclusions -  good, can drink now but suitable for further ageing.  High priced.

This is really good, with great body, lots of zingy acid, and plenty of length.  I would imagine that this would be a bigger treat in a few years.  I imagine drinking this with something in a creamy sauce, for a great match.

Photo copyright Jenny Hynes 2015.

Chateau Roumieu Sauternes 2009

From - Bordeaux, France
Grape - Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon
Alcohol - 13.5%
Available from - Christopher Keiller Fine Wine
Price - £116 for 6x 37.5cl

Appearance - Clear, medium intensity, gold

Nose - Clean; medium+ intensity; citrus (lemon); candied peel; marmalde; kernel (hazelnut).

Palate - Clean; luscious; medium+ alcohol; full body; pronounced; long in length; marmalade; tropical fruit (pineapple); citrus (lemon).  A nicely balanced wine.

Outstanding; can be drunk now, but potential for ageing.

La Vis Vigneti Pinot Grigio 2013

From - Veneto, Italy
Grape - Pinot Grigio
Alcohol - 12.5%
Available from - Waitrose
Price - £9.99

Appearance - Clear and pale.  Lemon coloured.  Legs observed.

Nose - Clean, with medium+ intensity; youthful.  Green fruit (apples and pears), sweet spice (cloves) plus stone fruit (melon) and floral (honeysuckle)

Palate - Dry, medium alcohol, medium+  acid; medium body; medium intensity; medium+ length.  Green fruit (apple), citrus (lemon),

Good quality; can drink now, not suitable for further ageing.  Mid-priced.

I must admit this is one I tried before and was impressed.  This is very good value for money.  It retails at a tenner and is often cheaper.  It is surprisingly and very pleasantly aromatic, has good acid levels and reasonable length.  You could easily spend a bit more for a wine this agreeable.  Pinot Grigio fans, try this as soon as you can.

Torres Las Mulas Sauvignon Blanc 2012

From - Central Valley, Chile
Grape - Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol - 12%
Available from - Waitrose; Ocado
Price - £8.99 (currently £7.19)

Appearance - Clear; medium- intensity; lemon-green

Nose - Clean; medium intensity; developing, grass and lime.

Medium intensity; medium+ acid; medium alcohol; medium body; medium length; apples, limes, nettle, papaya and banana.

Balance - 8  Length - 6.5  Intensity - 6  Complexity - 6.5

A delicious new world Sauvignon Blanc.  My partner's favourite so I must be even more positive than usual.  Made by the famous Torres family from Spain, this is from their Chilean concern.  Made from organically grown grapes, it is packed with typical Sauvignon Blanc flavours and high acid levels making it refreshing and zingy.

If you like Sauvignon Blanc (and a lot of people do, it seems) you should consider sometimes looking beyond Loire and Marlborough and try something from Chile.

Valdo Oro Puro Prosecco Superiore

From - Valdobbiadene, Italy
Grape - Glera
Alcohol - 12% abv
Available from - Waitrose; Ocado
Price - £13.49 (currently one-third off this price)

Appearance - Clear; pale; lemon-green

Nose - Clean; medium- intensity; developed; pears and grapes

Palate - Dry; medium+ acidity; medium alcohol; medium- intensity medium mousse; medium body; medium length; Green fruit, lemon finish.

Balance - 8  Length - 6.5  Intensity - 4.5  Complexity - 4

This is a very nice, refreshing bottle of that wine that is all the rage currently.  It seems to be on fairly regular discount, as well, and has won a 'best sparkling' gong from Which? magazine.  A wine to drink as an aperitif, in my opinion, and  it has served this purpose as a pre-Christmas breakfast aperitif, today!

Cederberg Bukettraube 2013

From - Cederberg, South Africa
Grape - Bukettraube
Alcohol - 12.5%
Available from - Maruis (www.jouwwijnvriend.nl - pic of store below!) 12Euro; www.sawinesonline.co.uk £12

Appearance - Clear; medium- intensity; lemon-green

Nose - Clean; medum+ intensity; developing; pear and apple, stone fruit, floral.

Palate - Medium-dry; medium+ acid; medium alcohol; medium+ body; medium+ length;  medium intensity; medium alcohol.  Pear, peach, lime, spicy

Balance - 7 Length - 7.5  Intensity - 6.5 Complexity - 6

A new grape for me.  I picked up this wine on my last trip to Holland after a chat with a very helpful lady at Marius in Wassenaar.  Bukettraube is described as being similar to Muscat, and this seems true,  as this has the stone fruit flavours and floral boquet.  Medium-dry, with a decent level of acid, this was a great match for our balti following a delicious glass as an aperitif.  We loved it.