Whether you’re fond of an elegant white wine, a casual, neutral style, or something as sharp as a whistle, summertime always signals bright, young things to sip in the sunshine. Refreshing and ready to drink now, here are some top picks to pour under shimmering blue skies…
SAY IT WITH A BOTTLE
A floral and grapey muscat that’s laced with a mild sweetness, Torres Days of Summer 2013, Chile (£5.99 from £6.99, now until August 26, The Co-op) is deliciously juicy and exuberant with honeysuckle notes and a lovely lift of yellow apples and lemon on the gentle finish. Ideal for picnics and finger sandwiches – even the white label resembles a wicker basket.
UNDER THE SPANISH SUN
The trendy grape from Galicia that devotees are labelling the new sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio, albarino is fresh and breezy with a touch of saline minerality and crisp, citrus fruit flavours that pair so well with shellfish and seafood. Try Sendero des Santos Albarino 2012, Rias Baixas DO, Spain (£12.99, www.laithwaites.co.uk) which is aromatic and classy with peach, grapefruit and a hint of lemon on the energetic finish.
MADE IN ITALY
Flavoursome and silky with bags of appeal, A Mano Fiano, Greco Bianco, Puglia, Italy (£7.95, www.thewinesociety.com, available end of August) marries southern Italy’s two best indigenous grapes – fiano and greco – to deliver a lively and zesty Campanian white with enough body and weight to keep it interesting. Fresh and floral with apple, pear and blanched nut flavours, a hint of smoke and good minerality.
POSTCARD FROM PORTUGAL
A terrific southern white from the heart of Portugal’s cork-growing region, Marques De Borba White 2013, DOC Alentejo, Portugal (£8.95, www.tanners-wines.co.uk) balances two local varieties with viognier for a flattering style that’s soft and round with fragrant honeysuckle, apricot and peach flavours, ending with a gentle, delicate finish and juicy acidity.
BOURDEAUX BLONDE
Dourthe have a knack for producing consistently good wines and Dourthe Number 1 Sauvignon Blanc 2013, France (£7.95, www.thewinesociety.com) has a real kick to it with a bracing, citrusy palate and concentrated gooseberry and grapefruit up front with gooseberry and nettly notes following through to the herbaceous, flinty finish.
MEURSAULT WITH THE MOSTEST
Goedhuis & Co romped home with this year’s International Wine Challenge (IWC) Specialist Merchant Award for Burgundy, and with top drawer Meursaults on their listing, such as Meursault Jean Philippe Fichet 2011, Burgundy, France (£29.92 per bottle, £359 per case of 12, www.goedhuis.com) from talented winemaker Jean-Philippe Fichet, it’s easy to see why. Utterly delicious from beginning to end, it’s less rich, buttery and oaky than some and elegant and linear enough to enjoy at lunchtime… bring on the lobster.
KIWI THAT WEARS THE CROWN
New Zealand’s most awarded winery, Villa Maria have just released the latest vintage of their best seller, Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Marlborough, NZ (£10.99 or 9.34 when you buy two Majestic). A glass of sunshine-scorched gooseberries and passion fruit, balanced by notes of fresh lime, it’s fruitier and more intense than its 2013 predecessor and perfect with Thai chicken kebabs or seared salmon.
REACH DOWN UNDER
If you like a fruity, fresh white but think you don’t like chardonnay, think again. An unoaked style from Wirra Wirra’s winning portfolio of well made wines, Wirra Wirra Scrubby Rise Unwooded Chardonnay 2013, McLaren Vale, Australia (£9.99, Tesco) fuses subtle pineapple with white peach and juicy, ripe pear with blossomy lemon and citrus notes, and doesn’t scrimp on flavour without the use of oak. The pretty blue boating label just makes it even more appealing.
CALIFORNIAN CLASSIC
America’s number one, bestselling chardonnay for more than 20 years, Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay 2012, California, USA (£15.99, www.henningswine.co.uk) has a rich core of baked apple, honeydew melon and custard pie, with wafts of tropical fruits, vanilla and honey. An easy drinking chard that’s smooth, creamy and with vanilla-laced oak on the finish.