Just been looking through my notes from the recent tasting put on by The Wine Society, which is one of the very best places to buy wine in the UK. Here’s my choice of 12 whites. I’ll select some reds, too, later in the week.
Santa Venere Vescovado Guardavalle Bianco 2016 Calabria, Italy
13% alcohol. This intriguing Italian white is made from the Vescavado variety, organically farmed by the sea in Calabria. Generous, rounded textured melon and pear fruit with a hint of almonds and a subtle creamy edge. Lovely weight. 90/100 (£9.95 The Wine Society)
La Crotta di Vegneron Petite Arvine 2016 Val d’Aosta, Italy
13.5% alcohol. A Swiss white variety grown in Italy. This is expressive with tangerines, some herbs, a twist of citrus pith and some ripe apple notes. Really distinctive. 90/100 (£12.95 The Wine Society)
Domaine Turner Pageot Le Blanc 2016 Coteaux du Languedoc, France
14% alcohol. The Marsanne portion in this blend had 30 days skin contact. The Roussane is treated as a white wine, and then the two are blended in barrel. Deep yellow in colour with complex notes of apples, honeysuckle and pear skin. Very appealing and rounded with a bit of structure and a hint of cider. 90/100 (£11.95 The Wine Society)
Domaine Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux Vieilles Vignes 2014 Burgundy, France
13% alcohol. Fresh, quite mineral and stony, with lovely citrus fruit and good acidity. Tight and very typical, this is fabulous stuff. 91/100 (£20 The Wine Society)
The Society’s Exhibition Saint-Aubin Blanc 2015 Burgundy, France
13.5% alcohol. Made by Domaine Henri Prudhon, from Le Ban vineyard. Very sophisticated white peach and citrus fruit with subtle toast. Broad but balanced. 91/100 (£16 The Wine Society)
Château de Puligny Montrachet Saint-Aubin Blanc 1er Cru En Remilly 2014 Burgundy, France
14% alcohol. Very fine and expressive with white peach, citrus and minerals, with fine toastness. Very refined and mineral in style. 93/100 (£27 The Wine Society)
Domaine Peillot Roussette du Bugey-Montagnieu Altesse 2016 France
Thrilling Alpine fare: refined honeysuckle and herb nose leads to a fresh palate that’s mineral with good acidity but also a rounded, complete character with a stony finish. 93/100 (£16 The Wine Society)
Domaine de Roche Ville Saumur Clos de la Thibaudière Brézé 2013 Loire, France
12% alcohol. Stony limestone soils and Chenin are a fine combination here. Beautiful Chenin nose leads to a lively palate with brisk lemony acidity and a hint of cream, as well as straw and herbs. Very tight with high acidity. 92/100 (£17.50 The Wine Society)
Château Latour Martillac Blanc 2011 Pessac Léognan, Bordeaux
13.5% alcohol. Stunning white Bordeaux bringing together 65% Sauvignon and 35% Semillon, and now 6 years’ old. Lovely subtle waxy grapefruit nose. Stylish, textured palate with well integrated oak. Some structure and good balance. 93/100 (£29.50 The Wine Society)
Josmeyer Riesling ‘Le Kottabe’ 2015 Alsace, France
12.5% alcohol. Stylish, textured, honied citrus fruit with some pear and hints of spiciness. Very stony in the background with just a hint of cream. 91/100 (£18 The Wine Society)
Domaines Schlumberger Les Princes Abbés Gewurztraminer 2015 Alsace, France
13.5% alcohol. Very soft and broad and textural with nice lychee and grape flavours, and just a touch of rose petal. Very stylish wine. 91/100
The Society’s Hunter Valley Semillon 2017 Australia
11% alcohol. Made by Brokenwood. Lemony and refreshing with keen acidity. Direct and fruity with subtle herby hints accompanying the lemony fruit. Stylish and amazing value. 89/100
9 French Wines; An indication of a lack of breadth at wine society or just what you tend to drink? Not being critical, just curious.
I think there’s a lot of breadth at the Wine Society – these were just the wines that caught my attention from the press tasting, which did have quite a strong line-up of French wines – but these wines also fitted my palate well