Floral notes are quite noticeable on the nose with suggestions of peach, ripe apple and a light whiff of oak. More typical crisp green apple shows up on the palate with attractively creamy rounded texture imparted by oak aging.
Floral and exotic ripe fruit scents yield to surprisingly crisp green apple and citrus flavours delivered with supple rounded mouthfeel, refreshing mineral grip and lightly tart acidity. Good as an aperitif or will pair with a variety of seafood and white meat dishes.
This dry white blend comes from France’s Southwest region of Gascony, famous for the brandy Armagnac. The passion fruit, tomato vine, honey and lime on the nose meets up with minerals, white flowers and fruit salad on the taste buds. Crisp acidity and lengthy aftertaste round everything out.
Few producers can reach this level of expression with the often-neutral Aligoté grape. Bright yellow colour with notes of citrus, apple/pear, sweet corn and a touch of wet wool underlined by soft minerality. Lively acidity, dry and slightly fatty middle palate, good balance and a clean finish of medium length. Ready to drink.
Muscat is one of those wines that you either love or hate. It’s highly perfumed with notes of cardamom and orange blossom, and it can be either sweet or dry. In Alsace they make it dry, and I happen to love it. This wine has that wonderful grapey, orange-blossom nose and flavour that finishes dry.
This is one very elegant Champagne (25% barrel-aged Chardonnay in the blend). Straw colour; creamy nose of white flowers, apple, ginger and a leesy note. Round on the palate, very dry, white peach and green apple flavours, finishing with a nutty, chalky note.
Fans of the bigger-styled Chardonnays of Chablis in France will adore this wine that sees some oak aging. The nose is complex with citrus, salty sea breeze, flinty minerality and just a whiff of smoke and oak. It is tight and nuanced on the palate and built in a perfectly austere and dry style. The hallmark of this impressive Chablis is the mineral structure and the subtle fruit that builds in momentum with each sip. I can’t help but think this will evolve and open up over time.