WWF Spring Worldwide Whites Case

Brian Bicknell has been an instrumental figure in shaping top-quality Marlborough wine as we know it today. A million miles removed from the huge scale entry level bulk producers that the region is now overrun with, Brian's winery, Mahi, is a small-quantity high-quality operation. This is Brian's flagship sauvignon blanc, which demonstrates the class which can still be achieved by the best producers and grape growers in this now very famous corner of New Zealand. A small dash (2%) of semillon brings more complexity and length to the wine and the clever use of 7% old French barriques for fermentation and 20% wild fermented adds to he texture and complexity without moving away from a crisp fruit-driven style. The nose is immediately enticing, with notes of stone fruit and fresh-squeezed lime. The palate is fresh, crisp and dry but with a generosity and unctuousness which makes it a good option with or without food. Peaches, pears and limes combine on the palate.

Weingut Eymann were trailblazers in Germany in working biodynamically. Young winemaker Vincent Eymann is transforming the estate in the Pfalz to a producer of high quality and well made wines, as well as focusing on sustainability. This is a fantastic, Germanic take on an Edelzwicker more commonly found in Alsace, with sauvignon blanc, muskateller, gewurztraminer and riesling making the blend. Lots of florals, peach, fresh apricot and a hint of rose with hints of spice on the palate.

Papa Figos Branco is a bright and refined Douro white, shaped by a fantastic vintage that delivered superb acidity and real clarity of flavour. Sourced from high-altitude schist vineyards in the Cima Corgo and Douro Superior, it opens with an inviting mix of white stone fruit, gentle tropical notes and a touch of citrus, all lifted by a subtle floral edge and a clean mineral thread. Fermented cool and matured in stainless steel to preserve purity, the palate is fresh, elegant and beautifully composed, with crisp acidity and a juicy pear note at its core. Long, poised and quietly impressive, this is a deliciously drinkable Douro white with real class for the price.

Fresh and aromatic, this is pure Bordeaux sauvignon made without the use of oak in a crisp and fruity modern style that allows its fruit to shine. Citrus on the nose with stone fruit and peach blossom meets a fresh, light body and mineral palate. It is blended from a range of sources according to the vintage to achieve a consistent level of complexity. Versatile enough to enjoy with or without a meal, it is bottled with a screwcap closure to retain maximum freshness. The label carries an image of a great Bordeaux landmark, the Pont de Pierre bridge that crosses the River Garonne in the heart of the city.

Elegant, mineral Soave Classico showing the intensity of lower yields and organically farmed older vines. This has a weighty palate with orchard fruit, sage and lemon balm, and a saline finish. Lively and fresh. Coffele’s innovative commitment to locally relevant solutions in managing environmental sustainability means we are happy to name them a Wine Society Pioneer. From using a local sheep breed to graze cover crops in the vineyards and investments in soil management (in tandem with the University of Verona), to supporting a local NGO, which runs a farm which provides job and rehabilitation opportunities to people facing social, physical and economic hardship, the family are doing a great job.

Fresh, fragrant moschofilero brimming with lime-zest, stone-fruit and rose-hip aromas, zingy acidity and an underlying spice on the palate. A real taste of Greece that transcends its price tag.