Whites for the autumn need to have richness, intensity and spicy undertones to cope with the richer warming dishes served as our temperatures cool.  Ideal grapes to look for are classics like Pinot Gris or Chardonnay, Rhone grapes like Viognier, Roussanne or Grenache Blanc and spicy local grapes like Georgia’s Rkatsiteli or Sicily’s Grillo.

Rhone, France: VIOGNIER GRIGNAN-LES-ADHEMAR 2022 Domaine de Montine

£13.50 The Wine Society

Midway between north and south Rhone, Grignan can offer typically rich warm flavours at inexpensive prices.  Montine is run organically by fourth generation winemaker Melina Monteillet – who makes this enticingly smooth Viognier with its full flavours, dried apricot notes and succulently rich mouthfilling fruit.

Sicily, Italy: NERO ORO GRILLO APPASSIMENTO 2022

£9.99/£11.99 Majestic Wine

You usually only find red wines like Amarone made from the ‘appassimento’ method – but here is a surprisingly good value example of a white version.  Some local Grillo grape stems have been twisted whilst still on the vine when grapes are ripe – and then left on the vine to dry before adding to the blend.  The result is an attractive blossomy honey nose, dried banana and hazelnut flavours and rich spicy palate.

 

Bekaa Valley, Lebanon: B-Qa DE MARSYAS BLANC 2018 Chateau Marsyas

£18 Corney & Barrow

A good choice for autumnal dishes as Lebanese whites always have an underlying spicy savoury notes and plenty of rich ripe fruits.  This may be 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Chardonnay, but vines grown at the foot of Mount Barouk have left a definite stamp of the exotic east on its flavours: with rich pear and mango fruits, earthy nutty notes and spicy finish.

Gisborne, New Zealand: GISBORNE PINOT GRIS 2022  ***GREAT VALUE***

£7.99 Lidl

New Zealand does aromatic whites so well, but rarely at this knock-down price.  If you like off-dry whites with a hint of honey and sweet nectar, with rich ripe tangy lemony fruits and fresh acid grip, you will love this unusual Pinot Gris from the often-neglected north island wine region of Gisborne.  Superb value example of this quirky textured grape.

Rhone, France: VIOGNIER INTENSITE D’EXPRESSION 2022 Domaine Aime Arnoux

£9.99/£11.99 Majestic Wine

From sun-drenched Southern Rhone vineyards beneath the Dentelles de Montmirail, Viognier here has plenty of peachy aromas, succulent mouthfilling fruit, hints of savouriness and a sweet sour finish.  Ideal as an aperitif or to served with warm spicy Asian dishes.

Rias Baixas, NW Spain: VEIGADARES BRANCO DOS BRANCOS ‘PAZO DE ALMUINA’ 2020 Adegas Galegas

£20.50 Corney & Barrow

If you enjoy your Albarino richly textured and intense with smoky undertones, this barrel fermented white blend of Albarino with local grapes Treixadura, Loureira and Caino is superb.  Loved its herby aromas, rich vanilla notes, cinnamon and nutmeg flavours, zippy fresh minerally length with a hint of salinity to finish.  This is a very serious oaked Rias Baixas Albarino from winemaker Katie Alvarez.

Languedoc, France: CHARDONNAY VIN DE FRANCE ‘CHOSEN BY MAJESTIC’ 2022

£8.99/£9.99 Majestic Wine

Made by Burgundian family Maison Duvergey-Taboureau in the warmer south, expect a gentle floral nose, light citric fruits and rounded smooth palate.  A very easy-going unoaked savoury Chardonnay ideal as an aperitif, but it could cope with rich autumnal mezze platters with hummus dips, pita, tabbouleh and nuts.

Eden Valley, South Australia: CLOUDLINE CHARDONNAY 2022 ***STAR BUY***

£13 Co-op

From Heggies vineyard, one of Australia’s highest altitude vineyards at 500m. At this level you get such a finely poised example of Chardonnay with bright lemony fruit, tingling minerality on the palate and a soft smooth texture.  Delicious with rich textured seafood, pasta or rich creamy chicken dishes.

Rhone, France: VACQUEYRAS BLANC ‘LE CHEMIN BLANC’ 2019 Domaine La Ligiere

£22.40 L’Art du Vin

Impressive gently oaked white Rhone blend of Clairette, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc with a hint of honeyed nutty richness, nectarine fruits, earthy undertones and fresh unliftingly zippy finish.  From an organic and biodynamic vineyard in Beaumes de Venise in southern Rhone.

 

 

Gascony, France: LE FAITE SAINT MONT 2019 Plaimont ***STAR BUY***

£22 Corney & Barrow

Top scoring wine in our tasting – this hidden gem is made from the two Mansengs – Petit and Gros.  This blend of these rare native south west france grapes has a subtle combination of richness, poised ripe tangy citrus fruit, underlying crisp minerally acidity and smooth soft texture.  No label on the bottle also adds to the attraction – just an enscribed wooden plank is tied to the neck of the bottle.

Peloponnese, Greece: MANTINEA MOSCHOFILERO ‘A PRIORI’ 2022 Novus

£12.50 The Wine Society

Novus is a new winery created by Greek wine legend Leonidas Nassiakos – otherwise known as the ‘master of Moschofilero’ and previously winemaker at Semeli winery.  Moschofilero is a tricky grape with an expansive blossomy nose and floral notes on the palate – but Nassiakos has crafted it into an elegant combination of zesty citric fruit, vibrant acid and light spice.

Kakheti, Georgia: RKATSITELI 2021 Orgo

£22-£25 L’Art du Vin; Hedonism Wine; Weavers Wines; Cambridge Wine

One of the most accessible Georgian ‘amber’ wines on the market made by leading ‘qvevri’ winemaker Giorgi Dakishvili at his family winery near Telavi. Beautiful gold colour comes from skin contact in buried large clay pot (qvevri) for 6 months – giving spicy, honeyed notes, warm broad fruits and a fresh minerally palate.  Versatile Rkatsiteli grape is known as the ‘Chardonnay of the Caucasus’.

By Rose Murray Brown MW   Published in The Scotsman 21 October 2023

Join Rose’s Champagne v Sparkling Wine Tasting + Buffet at Rufflets Country House Hotel, nr St Andrews on Thursday 17 November  www.rosemurraybrown.com