White Wines
France
Alsace
Alsace wines seem to be destined for the restaurant table; the tall elegant fluted bottles matching the finesse and balance of the wines themselves. Asian food in particular seems to be a perfect partner, and with sales increasing, it could easily be the next big thing. Why not be a trailblazer and try some now? We feature a range of varietals from the Riefle family, who have been making wine for three centuries. The winery is located in Pfaffenhein, Haut-Rhin.
| Name | Year | Description | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riefle Pinot Blanc | 2006 | Clean, full white, not dissimilar to Chardonnay | 75cl | £8.75 |
| Riefle Riesling | 2006 | The most planted grape in the region. Steely & dry | 75cl | £10.15 |
| Riefle Pinot Gris | 2006 | Light-years removed from Pinot Grigio. Rich and unctuous | 75cl | £10.85 |
| Riefle Gewurztraminer | 2006 | A typical example of this spicy lychee-scented grape | 75cl | £11.39 |
Burgundy
Our Burgundy selection has been chosen with the quality of product and reputation of producer, in mind, rather than commune. Etienne Boileau makes one of our favourite Chablis, producing a classic, steely, unoaked Chardonnay. The Cuvee L'Ancienne is a great example of Bourgogne Chardonnay.
| Name | Year | Description | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chablis La Colombe | 2006 | Entry-level Chablis | 75cl | £8.75 |
| Petit Chablis Brocard | 2006 | Classic Chablis from the periphery of the village | 75cl | £9.39 |
| Pouilly Fuissé, Cuvée l'Ancienne | 2005 | Follow-on vintage from IWC award-winner | 75cl | £10.19 |
| Chablis, Domaine Malandes | 2006 | Non-interventionist winemaking at it's best | 75cl | £10.19 |
| Chablis, Boileau | 2006 | One up in complexity from the Petit model | 75cl | £11.75 |
Loire
The Loire region is synonymous with Sauvignon Blanc and we've got four different examples of the grape; the grassy, aromatic Touraine, the award-winning Levin and the two contrasting styles from Bailly - Quincy and the rather-better known Sancerre.
| Name | Year | Description | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Touraine Sauvignon Chateauvieux | 2006 | Green, aromatic Sauvignon | 75cl | £6.09 |
| Levin Sauvignon, VdP jardin de la france | 2006 | Brit owned, Sancerre-busting Sauvignon | 75cl | £8.59 |
| Sancerre Bailly | 2006 | Elegant and refined Sancerre | 75cl | £10.59 |
| Quincy, Bailly | 2006 | Riper, fuller Sauvignon | 75cl | £10.25 |
Rhône
Whilst red wines from the Rhône have existed on restaurant wine lists since the dawn of time, whites from the region tend to be much rarer. They generally offer a good alternative to the Chardonnay/Sauvignon/Pinot Grigio varietals from elsewhere and our white Châteauneuf is simply stunning.
| Name | Year | Description | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Chante-Cigale | 2004 | Distinct white - herby, vegetal and unique | 75cl | £14.79 |
South / Regional France
This section covers all the "non-famous" areas of France. The Richelieu wines offer exceptional value for money - modern style wines for everyday drinking. The Le Charme Sauvignon has been a staple of our list since we started, and it's still as good as ever. Etoile is a cracking Colombard/Sauvignon blend from Gascogny, whilst our pick of the bunch has to be the Sept Saisons Viognier, with its ripe apricot fruit - marvellous!
| Name | Year | Description | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richelieu Colombard/Ugni | NV | Varietal-labelled house white | 75cl | £3.99 |
| Le Charme Sauvignon | NV | Excellent white with a Kiwi-esque appeal | 75cl | £4.79 |
| Le Charme Chardonnay | NV | Another excellent varietal from Le Charme | 75cl | £4.78 |
| Pasquiers Sauvignon/Vermentino | 2006 | Crisp,dry, blended white | 75cl | £4.89 |
| Pasquiers Piquepoul | 2006 | Drinkable white from unusual/traditional varietal | 75cl | £4.89 |
| Le Soleil des Bastides Sauvignon | 2006 | Entry-level vdP Sauvignon | 75cl | £4.89 |
| Pure Chardonnay | NV | Unoaked Chardonnay sourced from the d'Oc region | 75cl | £5.15 |
| Pure Sauvignon | NV | Refreshing Sauvigon Blanc which is very modern in style | 75cl | £5.15 |
| Etoile, VdP Cotes de Gascogne | 2006 | Gascogny white from the Gessler stable | 75cl | £5.39 |
| Sept Saisons Viognier | 2006 | Apricot--like Viognier from Edouard Labbeye | 75cl | £5.69 |
| Montarels Viognier | 2004 | Co-operative white from the Cotes de Thongue | 75cl | £7.19 |