Know Your Whites Tasting Kit

First made in 1995, Finca Allende Blanco is one of the benchmark examples of modern white Rioja, where tradition, passion, heritage and finesse come together beautifully. Estate-grown viura with a splash of old malvasía are lovingly tended (the vines still ploughed by mule) and hand-harvested before being barrel-fermented and aged for fourteen months in Miguel Ángel de Gregorio’s French barrels. The 2021 is a beautifully balanced fine white, toasty, subtly nutty and delicately savoury, with layers of white peach, citrus and sweet spice.

Kevin Judd was a key figure during Cloudy Bay's heyday and has decades of experience making wine in Marlborough, so it should be no surprise that his own label, Greywacke, is one of the most highly regarded in the region. This is one of the finest examples of sauvignon blanc from Marlborough and a reminder that this can, indeed, be a fine wine style. This has smart zesty aromas with lime, a hint of passion fruit and a mouthwatering salinity. The palate is focused and fresh with lemon zest, pithy apple and an elegant minerality. Textured and accomplished.

Jacky Blot`s 2019 Rémus was one of our Wine Champions last year and this is just as delicious. Elegantly barrel-fermented, fresh, appley, rounded but beautifully balanced wine.

A blend from around Eltville and Lorch, this is always incredibly good value, displaying lots of lemon and lime combined with white-blossom and pear notes. There is so much energy and saltiness coming from this wine, where young-vine fruit from Eva Fricke’s single vineyards can often be found. Drink from 2026 to 2032. 12%

Vicky Mareque Bueno compares Spain's Rías Baixas region to the UK due to the fact that we both receive a lot of rainfall! However, Galicia also gets ample sunshine that ripens the flinty, mineral albariño grape to perfection. A pristine example of albariño from the country's best region for the grape. This dry white has peachy fruit, with no oak, and is an excellent expression of modern Spanish white winemaking, a joy to sip on its own, and it also has a natural affinity with seafood like the local pulpo a la gallego, tender octopus sliced and simply sprinkled with sea salt, smokled paprika with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice.

A fresh, taut and lemony chardonnay with good grip. Fermented and matured half in foudres of about 2,000 litres and half in 500-litre barrels. Drink from 2024 to 2026. 14%