The Lizard Chardonnay Vin de Pays d'Oc 2010

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.

Pico Mas Alto Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Medium bodied and dry this wine has great freshness and flavour intensity with green apple character and aromas of cut grass. An elegant and refined wine with a  long finish providing some minerality on the finish. Why such good value? This wine is actually the overstocks, relabelled, from one of Chile’s best known and respected wine brands. More than that we cannot say! The wine is made near Casablanca just a few miles from the Pacific which provides a perfect environment to produce fresh and fragrant Sauvignon Blanc. Made on stainless steel, fermentation took place at low temperatures and was left on the lees for four months to provide additional character and richness. Ref PMSB11

£5.95

Marktree Semillon/Sauvignon 2010

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

£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 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 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/

Les Vignerons de Pomerol Beavignac Viognier 2009

Founded in 1932, this co-operative in the Herault region has never ceased to grow and modernise. Merging with two other local co-operatives in 2003 and 2007, they now represent 450 vignerons and make a variety of wines. We’ve chosen this viognier, which has a typical nose and palate of apricots, greengages and lychees, with a citrus twist on the finish. A wine for drinking fairly young, it will nevertheless keep until 2012. Ref  PBV09

Vineyard website -
www.cave-pomerols.com

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

Domaine La Madeleine Saint Jean  Chardonnay 2010 

Marseillan, the home of the famous vermouth Noilly Prat is situated just 25 miles west of Montpellier, where the Canal du Midi enters the Bassin de Thau.  Marseillan is a beautiful little fishing port. It is here that the family run domaine of Madeleine Saint Jean is situated. Consisting of 30 hectares of vines, it has been in the family for many generations, and they grow a wide range of grapes, ranging from familiar reds like Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, to the frankly obscure Marselan, l’Arinarnoa and l’Egiodola. The whites include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Muscat petit grain. It is run by two brothers, Max and Jeremy, together with their sons. Jeremy is responsible for viticulture and vinification and has wide experience both in the Languedoc and the Rhone which he brings to bear in his winemaking here.

Much maligned, Chardonnay at its best is wonderful, and this wine proves it. On the nose the wine has concentrated fruit with aromas of toasted hazelnuts. On the palate it is full and buttery with flavours of honey and green apple, underpinned with nice acidity and showing good length. In the words of the producer “it will seduce those who are lovers of proper chardonnay” Ref DMSJC10

Clos Bagatelle Quatre Vents 2009 £7.50

A well judged blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, Roussanne, Chardonnay and  Muscat, the grapes are pressed gently with a pneumatic press and the fermentation occurs at a low temperature to maximise the fruit flavours.  There is a pretty floral nose, the palate is bursting with grapey flavours and there is long aftertaste with enticing hints of aniseed.  This is a delightfully quaffable white full of character and fantastic value for money.  Ref BQV09

Château Bastide Abondance Blanc AC Corbières 2010

Between the towns of Narbonne and Carcassonne stands the imposing Château la Bastide, owned and run by Guilhelm Durand. This is a new wine from Guilhelm, which successfully blends 80% Roussanne with 20% Vermentino. It has a pretty floral nose with a hint of menthol, which leads into a juicy mouthful of exotic fruit salad flavours, ending with a crisp finish and good length. Ref BAB10

Domaine La Madeleine Saint Jean  Viognier 2010 

Marseillan, the home of the famous vermouth Noilly Prat is situated just 25 miles west of Montpellier, where the Canal du Midi enters the Bassin de Thau.  Marseillan is a beautiful little fishing port. It is here that the family run domaine of Madeleine Saint Jean is situated. Consisting of 30 hectares of vines, it has been in the family for many generations, and they grow a wide range of grapes, ranging from familiar reds like Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, to the frankly obscure Marselan, l’Arinarnoa and l’Egiodola. The whites include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Muscat petit grain. It is run by two brothers, Max and Jeremy, together with their sons. Jeremy is responsible for viticulture and vinification and has wide experience both in the Languedoc and the Rhone which he brings to bear in his winemaking here.

Good Viognier is always enjoyable, but can be hard to find. This wine is easy to appreciate, with concentrated fruit. On the nose it has delicious flavours of guava, melon and pineapple and finishes with good length. Ref DMSJV10

Chateau la Bastide Corbières Blanc 2008

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 BCB08

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

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

Domaine Cros Minervois Blanc 2010

Ex-rugby player Pierre Cros grows traditional Languedoc varieties of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Carignan as well as the more exotic old varieties of  Aramon, Alicante, and Picquepoul Noir. Located in Badens, about 15 minutes from Carcassonne, Pierre Cros has been building and steadily improving his vineyard since 1985. This fabulous white is made from a carefully select mix of five grape varieties – Vermentino, Grenache Blanc, Picpoul, Muscat and Grenache Gris. It has an enticing floral nose with good concentration, stone fruit flavours and an underlying minerality, which finishes with a hint of lemon zest. Ref DCMB10

Domaine La Madeleine Saint Jean La Maison Blanche 2010

Marseillan, the home of the famous vermouth Noilly Prat is situated just 25 miles west of Montpellier, where the Canal du Midi enters the Bassin de Thau.  Marseillan is a beautiful little fishing port. It is here that the family run domaine of Madeleine Saint Jean is situated. Consisting of 30 hectares of vines, it has been in the family for many generations, and they grow a wide range of grapes, ranging from familiar reds like Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, to the frankly obscure Marselan, l’Arinarnoa and l’Egiodola. The whites include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Muscat petit grain. It is run by two brothers, Max and Jeremy, together with their sons. Jeremy is responsible for viticulture and vinification and has wide experience both in the Languedoc and the Rhone which he brings to bear in his winemaking here.

This is their top wine, and is made from a fascinating blend of Chardonnay and Viognier with a little Sauvignon Blanc to add freshness and acidity. It was awarded a Coup de Coeur this year in the prestigious Guide Hachette, and justifiably so! It has a complex floral nose with hints of exotic fruits, which leads into a big, silky-textured,  mouthful of delicate stone fruit flavours with apricot and hints of grapefruit and minerality at the finish. It has great length with a lovely aftertaste. Ref DMSJLMB10

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 Meyer Fonné Gentil 2009

Located in the pretty village of Katzenthal which lies at the base of the beautiful sloping vineyards of the Vosges mountains. Meyer- Fonné’s wines are always in demand but this year we’ve managed to lay our hands on some! Until Autumn 2009 they were represented by Lay & Wheeler, who have now closed down their agencies.

The vineyard of 12 hectares has been in the same family for three generations and covers 12 communes, which gives them a marvellous range of terroirs to craft the wines lovingly. The rest of the family all contribute towards the running of the vineyard, and Felix returned to the domaine in 1992 to modernise the equipment, breathing new life into the wines.  They pride themselves on using organic farming, with no use of chemical fertilisers. Over the years Alsace wines have become perceptibly sweeter and a major priority for us has been to find wines with residual sugar kept to a bare minimum.

This is a wonderful mix of Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Muscat and Gewürztraminer.  On the nose there are lovely rose petal aromas, which lead into a clean, fruity wine with slight muskiness, hints of violets and a long dry finish. Perfect aperitif!  Ref MFG09

Vineyard website -
www.meyer-fonne.com

Ninth Island Chardonnay 2009

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.

Vineyard website -
www.kreglingerwineestates.com

£10.75

Domaine Fonne Meyer Riesling Reserve 2008

Located in the pretty village of Katzenthal which lies at the base of the beautiful sloping vineyards of the Vosges mountains. Meyer- Fonné’s wines are always in demand but this year we’ve managed to lay our hands on some! Until Autumn 2009 they were represented by Lay & Wheeler, who have now closed down their agencies.

The vineyard of 12 hectares has been in the same family for three generations and covers 12 communes, which gives them a marvellous palette of terroirs to craft the wines lovingly. The rest of the family all contribute towards the running of the vineyard, and Felix returned to the domaine in 1992 to modernise the equipment, breathing new life into the wines.  They pride themselves on using organic farming, with no use of chemical fertilisers. Over the years Alsace wines have become perceptibly sweeter and a major priority for us has been to find wines with residual sugar kept to a bare minimum.

A lovely archetypal citrus/lime nose with hints of aniseed leads into a racy, ripe and concentrated lime/lemon zest fruity mouthful of almost Australian proportions.  A dry wine with great minerality and length, that cries out for shellfish or fish. Ref  MFR08

Vineyard website -
www.meyer-fonne.com

Domaine Chenu Savigny Blanc 2008 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 2008s. 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.

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

£18.95

Pernand-Vergelesses Blanc Vallet Frères 2008

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 £18.95 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".