£5.10

Marktree Semillon/Sauvignon/Chardonnay2008

The Lizard Chardonnay Vin de Pays d'Oc 2006

No, not from Oz as you might think, but from France. For decades Languedoc-Roussillon was a vast sink of mediocre wines which filled the EU wine lake. Around ten years ago the light dawned that it didn’t have to be this way. Trained winemakers and viticulturists realised that it was a perfect region for producing high quality wines and that inappropriate varieties, lack of investment and a rather parochial attitude was all that was holding the area back. Lazy Lizard is produced from the chardonnay grape variety, and allegedly the vineyard lizards love to bask in the warmth of the late summer sun, which slowly ripens the chardonnay grapes to their full maturity, producing a zingy wine, full of flavours of grapefruit, melon and green apples. The open fruity style hasn’t needed any oak overlay and more than matches the Aussie competition at this price. Ref LL06

Ancora Pinot Grigio 2008

A truly delicious, bright and refreshing example of this popular Italian white. Pinot grigio is the Italian synonym for pinot gris and is grown all over northern Italy. A lovely concentration of fruit flavours, with some residual grape sugars which add to the appeal, balanced by a refreshing zingy finish, make this a versatile white - great as an aperitif or as a perfect accompaniment to your favourite white wine dishes. Ref PG08

Tesoro de los Andes Torrontés Chardonnay 2007

From the high altitude vineyards of Mendoza, and sold under the Tesoro do los Andes label (Treasures of the Andes), this is our first foray into Argentina. Fruit is sourced from Nieto Senetiner's vineyards and vinified by their team of winemakers to produce perfectly fresh, pure, balanced wines which capture the very best of Argentinian varietals with an international twist. The wine is light, fresh and dry with some attractive floral spice and an exotic mix of orange blossom, elderflower and lychees on the palate. It's increasingly rare to find a wine under £6 that is both characterful and different, but this is certainly one of them.  Ref TAT07

£5.95

Domaine de Nerleux AC Saumur Blanc 2007

From a small vineyard in the Loire, where the vines have an average age of 25 years, the oldest dating back to 1933. Made from 100% Chenin Blanc, these produce a wine with a hugely aromatic nose – quinces, pineapples, lychees - giving way to a delicious concentrated mouthful. Outstanding value for money. Ref DN07

Vineyard website -
www.domaine-de-nerleux.com

Domaine de Malavieille Charmille Blanc 2008

Close to Lac Salagou not far from Clermont – Hérault lie the vineyards of Domaine Malavieille owned and run by Mireille and André BERTRAND. The vineyard is entirely organic and has been in the Bertrand family since 1881. The wine is a blend of chardonnay, sauvignon, carignan blanc and viognier, and yields are low at 18 hl / ha.
Made from vines situated along the steep slopes which lead up to the base of the old 14th century château, the wine is vinified in stainless steel and left on the lees to extract maximum fruit flavours. It has a mouthwatering fresh floral nose, while on the palate it is vibrantly fruity with good concentration, with honeyed lemon zest flavours and lovely mineral acidity.  Ref DMCB08

http://www.domainemalavieille.com/

Domaine Girard Chardonnay 2008 Côtes de la Malepère Vin de Pays d’Oc

The region of Malepère has had a VDQS classification for many years but the consistent high quality of the wines resulted in its elevation to full appellation status just two years ago. Vine growing has been in the family for several generations with the grapes being sold to the local cooperative.  More recently Philippe, one of two brothers of the new generation has started to vinify and sell his wine separately.  Every year the quality seems to improve and this year we have shipped   this lovely, unoaked, pure Chardonnay. It makes a wonderful aperitif, and is the perfect partner for fish dishes. Growing the grapes at 200 metres of altitude allows them to maintain their acidity, avoiding the frequently overblown, blowsy style of some Languedoc Chardonnays.  It has a vibrant green apple nose with hints of summer hedgerows, while on the palate there is good concentration with great purity of fruit, and steely acidity. Delicious!  Ref DGC08

Domaine de Miselle Cotes de Gascogne 2005

Situated in the extreme south west of France between Bayonne and Toulouse, Domaine de Miselle is a small (28ha) property producing some outstandingly good value wines. Made from 60% Colombard and 40% Gros Manseng, the wine is ripe (the grapes weren’t harvested until the beginning of October 2005) and a lovely pale gold colour. The aromas of citrus, mandarin and grapefruit on the nose give way to an elegant and fruity palate. Drink as an aperitif or partner with salads, seafood and white fish. Unexpectedly, also a great match with hard cheese!Ref DM05

Domaine Roc de Chateauvieux Touraine Sauvignon 2007

Made entirely from sauvignon blanc grapes grown on an estate near St Aignan in the little town of Chateauvieux in the Loire. The soil in the vineyard is a combination of clay and flint, with an average vine age of 30 years, perfect for achieving the classic Sauvignon flavours and producing a crisp, zesty sauvignon blanc with real nettley characteristics on the nose. After fermentation the wine is kept on the lees in order to extract further aromas.  Excellent as an aperitif, or with cooked meats and smoked or grilled fish. Ref.DRTS07

Vineyard website -
www.pierrechainier.com

Domaine du Pre Baron Sauvignon Blanc 2008

If you are one of the large number of fans of assertive Sauvignon Blanc, then this is the wine for you. The classic Sauvignon nose of hedgerows and blackcurrant leaf lead into a hugely concentrated mouthful of rich gooseberry flavour. The 2007 vintage proved to be one of the most successful in recent years and the good news is that the 2008 is even better! It is a very ripe vintage and the wine is more than a match for its more expensive neighbours in Menetou Salon or Sancerre. Ref PBSB08

Vineyard website -
http://www.domaineprebaron.com/

Chateau la Bastide Corbières Blanc 2006

From one of our favourite producers a lovely white Corbières made from classic southern French grape varieties Roussanne, Vermentino and Bourboulenc. Tropical fruit flavours are balanced by a lovely steely acidity. Great with fish in creamy sauces, chicken and other white meats.  Ref BCB06

Vineyard website -
www.chateau-la-bastide.fr

Serre de Guery Chardonnay 2005

It’s characteristic of the family’s obsession with  quality, that the grapes for this Chardonnay are picked at night to avoid possible oxidation. 40% of the wine is matured in lightly toasted new oak barrels and when the wine is bottled the following March, this blend of oaked and unoaked wine produces a great buttery Chardonnay with restrained oak. A beautifully balanced wine, with a lush mouthfeel and great length; quite capable of giving classic French burgundy at twice the price a run for its money!  Ref GC05

Vineyard website -
www.chateau-guery.com

£7.95

Alsace remains one of the most underrated wine producing regions in the world despite providing exceptional quality varietal wines that work with a range of cuisines. Gilbert Brandt, Directeur General de Cave de Turckheim adheres to strict criteria and believes in hard pruning and relatively low yields. French of course, despite the plethora of Germanic sounding names, this wine retains some residual sugar which is well balanced by acidity from the relatively cool climate production. It has a wonderfully spicy and aromatic nose, reminiscent of lychees, rose petals and most definitely Turkish delight! This wine will accompany fusion foods of all kinds, especially Thai cuisine and will even stand up to a curry. Ref TG07

Vineyard website -
www.cave-turckheim.com

Sepp Moser Gruner Veltliner 2006

The Sepp Moser Estate was founded by the famous, Austrian, wine producing pioneer, Lenz Moser. Lenz Moser's son, Sepp Moser, began operating under his own name in 1987 and handed over the direction of this family-owned estate to his own son Nikolaus in the year 2000. The Sepp Moser Estate comprises of 50 acres of vineyards in two prominent wine regions; Kremstal (22 ha) and Neusiedlersee (28 ha). Gruner Veltliner is becoming an increasingly fashionable wine in the UK, and drinking this example one can see why. With a light, early drinking style, the palate combines citrus fruit characters such as lime and grapefruit with a hint of spice and a backbone of steely acidity. Dry, crisp and the perfect partner for mildly spicy fusion cooking. Modern labelling and closed under screwcap. The 2006 vintage will continue to age well until around 2009. Match with cold starters or most mildly spicy dishes. Ref SMGV06

Vineyard website -
www.sepp-moser.at/

Denbies Surrey Gold NV

The best-selling English wine from England’s largest vineyard, Denbie’s in Surrey. Made from the little known Muller, Bacchus and Ortega grapes, this deliciously fragrant medium dry white wine is rich in fruit and floral aromas with subtle hints of spice. Unusually, the winemaker has decided to mix wine from two different vintages (normal practice with champagne but rarer with still wines) to achieve the desired result which has worked very well.With only 11.5% alcohol, gently refreshing. Ref DSGNV

Vineyard website -
www.denbiesvineyard.co.uk

Klur Riesling Cuvée Katz 2004

Good Riesling has a distinctive aroma which is often described as having “kerosene” or “petrol” notes. Indeed, a more imaginative wine writer than me once described the aroma of a good Riesling as like “standing behind a fully loaded 747 just before take off”. We eschew such hyperbole, merely noting that this is a complex and interesting wine: the nose is floral and aromatic – yes, perhaps with a dash of those characteristic petrol flavours – and on the palate it is concentrated with good acidity and minerality. The wine has flavours of spice and honey, and great length. Made by one of Alsace’s premier producers, Klur, it is highly recommended. If you’re new to Riesling – never to be confused, by the way, with Lutomer Laski Rizling from Slovenia and several rungs down the quality ladder – try some as part of a your next mixed case! Ref KR04

Vineyard website -
www.klur.net

Domaine Treloar One Block Muscat 2006

Jonathan Hesford, the owner and winemaker at Domaine Treloar, used to work for an investment bank in New York as an IT specialist. On September 11th 2001 he was working one block away from the World Trade Center. The aftermath of this prompted a fundamental re-appraisal of what he and his Kiwi wife Rachel Treloar wanted from life, and after subsequent study and training, he followed his wine passion and bought a vineyard in Roussillon in France. The name also reflects the fact that this wine is made from a single block of vines.

The wine is light, fresh and aromatic, with an array of aromas - spring flowers, passionfruit, lemongrass and a hint of aniseed.

It tantalizes the tongue with crisp fruit and a touch of honey but the palate has a creamy texture. It is a long and complex wine, very drinkable either on its own or with food - seafood, salad with fruits and fresh goats' cheese seem to work especially well. Ref TOB06 

Domaine de Malavieille  “Les Petits Dragons” NV

This wine strays so far from the rules of the local appellation that it cannot even be classified as a vin de pay nor even advertise a vintage! Eric, the domaine’s new winemaker, uses a blend of 60% Petit Manseng (often found in the Jurançon area) and 40% Chenin Blanc (the great white grape of the Loire, along with Sauvignon Blanc). The Chenin Blanc comes from two sites, one to produce maximum ripeness and the other to add minerality.  It is a blend of 2007 and 2008 vintages and parts of it are barrel-fermented. There is some subtle use of oak. The nose is very ripe, with apricot and honey, and this carries through onto the palate, where there is great concentration, flavours of honey and apricots and great mineral acidity. It has a long finish.  A marvellous wine with real individuality and character, which can easily be drunk on its own but goes beautifully with many dishes, including spicy ones.Ref DMPD

http://www.domainemalavieille.com/

Ninth Island Chardonnay 2006

100% Chardonnay with 13.5% abv this wine is a million miles away from the headache inducing over-oaked Aussie Chardonnays you may have tasted. The wine is completely unoaked. The juice is fermented slowly at low temperatures in stainless steel vats and the resultant wine is bottled early to capture fruitiness and freshness. This result is a very pale straw colour, with fragrant aromas of fresh peach, melon and tropical fruits. A delicate palate with tropical fruit flavours and cool climate acidity dominates the finish, and a crisp mineral edge gives a fresh, dry aftertaste. Try with seafood, especially mussels, and all firm fleshed white fish. Ref NIC06

Vineyard website -
www.kreglingerwineestates.com

Catalina Sounds Sauvignon Blanc 2008

With initial aromas of lemon, lime and a hint of cut grass, this wine from Marlborough opens up in the glass to reveal passionfruit, pineapple, honey and melon with a full and round palate due to the extended lees contact and influence of oak. This wine has great intensity, complexity and real interest with a fine mineral edge and fresh acidity providing natural balance. Drinking at its best after 2-3 months in bottle, this wine will develop greater complexity to around 12 months, but has enough weight and natural acidity, plus complexity to last past this. This wine can be enjoyed on its own, or accompanying a variety of foods such as oysters, grilled fish or spicy thai (but serve it cold to make it more zingy) where it will complement and not overwhelm the food. Decanter magazine reviewed this wine (July 2006) and commented, “"Dry, herbaceous. Dry, mineral, restrained, gooseberry-citric interplay, really quite refined, elegant, zesty, persistent, fine finish, really elegant style. Ref"CSSB08

Viré-Clessé Cuvée à l'Ancienne 2005

A wonderfully balanced wine which is expressive, creamy, rich textured and complex. Chardonnay grapes were carefully selected from 50 year old vines in the vineyards of the villages of Viré and Clessé in the famous Pouilly-Fuisse region of Burgundy. Viré-Clessé is a relatively new appellation, granted its own AOC status as recently as 1997 in recognition of its relentless focus on quality. The wine was vinifed and matured for 12 months in new French oak (Francois Frères) barrels in the cellars of Vallet Frères in Chambolle-Musigny. The wine is surprisingly rich with a buttery nose and a pleasant streak of lemon and stone fruit. The palate is soft and rounded with a buttery texture balanced with good acidity making for good mouthfeel and length. Great with a chicken in a creamy sauce. Ref VCC05

Domaine Chenu Savigny Blanc 2005 AC Savigny-les-Beaune 

This fourth generation vineyard is now managed by Louis Chenu’s daughters, Juliette and Caroline.Together the two sisters have moved this respected Burgundy domaine on to another level. Situated only a few minutes walk from the picturesque Château de Savigny-les-Beaune, the Chenu vineyard is made up from 9 hectares, which includes three Premier Cru plots.  The oldest vines are 60 years old.  Caroline is responsible for the vineyard and wines, while Juliette manages the marketing.  They are wines of great concentration yet with the finesse and freshness, that underlines their femininity.  We have been fortunate to have been offered a small parcel of these lovely 2005s. They are almost impossible to find now, and for Burgundy of this quality are simply amazing value. As with all White Burgundy, this barrel fermented wine is made from 100% Chardonnay.  It has a gentle toasted brioche nose, while on the palate there are flavours of nuts, apples and honey, with a hint of vanilla. Lovely to drink now, but it will develop and become more complex over the next five years.

Ref DCSB05

Domaine de Nerleux Les Loups Blancs 2007 AC Saumur

Domaine de Nerleux is home to Elisabeth and Régis Neau, who are the eighth generation of winemakers to reside in the 17th Century mansion that lies at the hub of the domaine. We have imported sparkling wines as well as a Saumur from them for many years now, but this wine was a new discovery at the annual Loire Wine Faire held in Angers which John visited in 2009. The average age of the vines is 25 years, the oldest vines having been planted in1933. The terroir is largely limestone. Since 1996, and only in great vintages, they have made a concentrated Saumur Blanc, carefully harvested from selected parcels of Chenin Blanc grapes.  Matured partly in new barrels, the wine is rich and beautifully balanced with aromas of tropical fruits. Whilst drinking beautifully now it will continue to mature until 2015. Ref DNLB07

Vineyard website -
www.domaine-de-nerleux.com

£16.95

Pernand-Vergelesses Blanc Vallet Frères 2006

The real deal! From the Gevrey-Chambertin area of Burgundy, this winery represents everything that we are proud to be associated with; attention to detail, delicate selection of the best grapes and above all a passion for making superb wines. The Vallet family own holdings in Gevrey-Chambertin - the entire single vineyard of Clos de la Justice - Beaune Epenottes (Premier Cru) and Charmes-Chambertin (Grand Cru). They also source the best grapes from growers in other areas, with whom they have worked closely for many years.

The wine is fine bright golden in colour with rich and complex aromas of hazelnuts and honey followed by an intense and persistent flavour. A versatile wine that would match fish, poultry or cheese. Try with a traditional Burgundian dish such as pike dumplings in a sorrel sauce, or with baked Epoisses cheese.

Gordon Ramsay is a great fan of this producer and has sourced five of their wines for his restaurants - although you'll pay a little more than £16.95 there!  Noel Young, another independent and wine merchant of the year in 2004 has written of it: "I had never tried any of this particular Burgundy before but I will certainly be on the look out for more if this is an indication of quality. Cracking nose to start with of toasty, nutty oak and a squeeze of citrus. This leads onto a hugely rich palate laden with melon and nectarine and a really classy amount of just the right oak. Not at all alcoholic or overblown. Terrifically long in the mouth with again the lovely nutty toasty character going on for ever. Having tried it before knowing the price I wouldn't have been surprised if this had a Burgundy price tag of £30-40 so was overjoyed to find it was £16". Ref VBPV06