Great Whites by Jancis Robinson
In Jancis Robinson’s penultimate round up of seasonal wines in the FT Weekend Magazine she highlights some of her selected ‘great whites’, to accompany the sparkling and red wines already published over the previous weekends.
There’s nothing quite like six of the best from Jancis!
South African Sauvignon with class:
Dombeya Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Stellenbosch £10.75 bottle / £9.75 by the case
Vibrant and well sculpted. Really racy. Much more guts and structure than the average Kiwi. Attractive dry finish. GV 13.5%, 16.5 Drink 2011-2012
Northern Italian for white truffle hunters:
I Clivi, Brazan 2008 Collio Goriziano £17.95 bottle / £15.95 by the case
Particularly old vines of the local Friulano variety from a producer I have long admired. Very intense and exciting with no shortage of rewarding fruit. 13.5% 17 Drink 2011-2015
An opulent Austrian for hedonistic pleasure:
Salomon Undhof, Von Stein Reserve Grüner Veltliner 2009 Kremstal £23.50 bottle / £20.95 by the case
2010 already released (and in stock). Quite evolved on the nose and lacking the precision of the 2010 Wachtberg but delivers lots of opulent pleasure. A hedonist wine with about 4 g/l RS. Long and quite rich. 14% 17 Drink 2012-2015
A trio of classic and great value white Burgundies:
Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot 2009 Montagny £18.50 bottle / £16.75 by the case
Smoky oak and lots of glamour and over delivery. You could accuse his wines of being too similar but to give Montagny this much appeal is quite a feat! VGV 13% 16.5 Drink 2011-2013
Domaine de la Bongran, Sélection EJ Thévenet 2004 Viré-Clessé £24.75 bottle / £22.50 by the case
Baked apples and real interest. Firm and dense and round and a real please-all. Look at that age! It must mature at a snail’s pace (as my botrytised 1983 from this address showed recently). Exceptional in every way. Fairly low acid. 14% 16.5 Drink 2009-2013. Also in Magnums!
Domaine Fernand & Laurent Pillot, Noyers Brets 2008 Puligny-Montrachet £30.95 bottle / £27.95 by the case
Very reductive nose. Quite different from the Chassagne village wine! Creamy and rewarding. Lots of fruit and yet structure too. GV 13.5% 17 Drink 2010-2013
Time is getting short now if you are planning to order online or by telephone for nationwide delivery (last orders Sunday 18th December), but of course our shops will be open up until 5.00pm on Christmas Eve.