As good as ever, this textbook Marlborough Sauvignon has more depth and layers than most local examples, combining grapefruit and guava fruit with pithy acidity and notes of green herbs, green pepper and zing. These Sauvignons age surprisingly well, too.
Retailer: The Wine Society
2010 Marc Colin & Fils, En Créot, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru, Burgundy
( £24, 13.5%, The Wine Society )If you’re on the hunt for comparative bargains in th Côte de Beaune, Marc Colin in Saint Aubin should be at the top of your list. This is everything I love about 2012 white Burgundies: focused, yet generous, with citrus rind acidity, a touch of oatmeal, subtle oak and a core of stony, chalky fruit. Superb white Burgundy at a very affordable price.
2011 Herdade do Esporão, Verdelho, Vinho Regional Alentejano
( £8.95, 13.5%, The Wine Society )White wines from the baking plains of southern Portugal are often rather flabby and dull, but this perky number from one of the region’s best producers is anything but, showing tangy acidity, bright, citrus peel flavours and a minerality that wouldn’t look out of place in Chablis. Bring on the seafood.
2012 Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
( £12.50, 13.5%, The Wine Society )The guys behind this outstanding Marlborough operation stopped emphasising their historic link with Cloudy Bay some time ago, and you can see why. These days Dog Point is cheaper and invariably better than the wine that inspired it. Where many local Sauvignons are one dimensional, this one has layers and nuances, with notes of struck match and minerals, some pink grapefruit and beautiful line and length.
2012 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
( £14.95, 13%, The Wine Society )The fourth release from Kevin Judd’s Marlborough winery is an example of what great winemakers can achieve in tricky vintages. It’s a more restrained style than in the past, owing to a cooler season, but it’s still a lovely wine: fresh, focused and long with attractive gooseberry, pear and orange peel complexity.
2012 Stoneburn Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
( £7.25, 13%, The Wine Society )This is a little sweet and commercial, but it’s a lot less so than many Kiwi Sauvignons at the price. It’s bright and well crafted with classic goosberry fool and tropical fruit exuberance and mouthwatering acidity.
2010 Porta Velha, Valle Pradinhos, Trás-os-Montes
( £7.50, 13%, The Wine Society )If you’re looking for a glass of something unusual, yet also uncomplicated, this is for you. It’s a gloriously juicy Portuguese red with bright bramble and raspberry flavours, a smidgeon of tannin and enough acidity to slice its way through lamb or pork. Great value.
2010 Terrenus, Vinho Regional Alentejano
( £10.95, 13%, The Wine Society )The oak is fairly prominent on this three-way blend of native Portuguese grape varieties, but there’s enough flavour and texture to cope with it. It’s a spicy, herbal number with notes of fresh bread, aniseed and wild thyme. The acidity is deliciously mouthwatering, giving the wine a sappy, refreshing finish.
2011 Valle Pradinhos Branco, Transmontano
( £10.95, 13.5%, The Wine Society )It’s remarkable to discover that Rui Cunha’s innovative white blend of Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Malvasia Fina comes from the Upper Douro, a region usually better known for full-throated reds. But there you go. This tastes as good as it looks: spicy and aromatic with a hint of Burgundian style struck match, notes of lime and ginger, plenty of minerality and a long, nuanced finish.
NV The Society's Reserva Brut Cava, Penedès
( £7.50, 11.5%, The Wine Society )Sourced from a small family estate in the Penedès region near Barcelona, this is a traditional style of Cava made from three local grapes and a hint of more international Chardonnay. It’s aromatic and yeasty, with notes of white pepper and fresh earth, a dry, tapering finish and good balance. Ideal as a party fizz instead of more expensive Champagne.
2009 Kumeu River Coddington Vineyard Chardonnay, Kumeu
( £20, 13.5%, The Wine Society )Master of Wine Michael Brajkovich crafts some of the finest whites in New Zealand, wines that wouldn’t look out of place in Burgundy but also have a Kiwi edge to them. This is typically fresh and refined with adeptly integrated oak, a hint of toasty, a creamy texture and pure, focused, citrus and mineral flavours. These wines age extremely well, too.
2011 The Society's Verdicchio Dei Castelli di Jesi, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Marche
( £6.25, 12.5%, The Wine Society )Good value Italian drinking from the Wine Society, made without oak to allow the variety to express itself, this is fresh and zesty with some weight and texture, notes of aniseed and spice and a breezy, zesty finish.