Better wine-making skills mean it's possible to find inexpensive whites that are worth drinking, writes John Wilson
UNTIL FAIRLY RECENTLY, drinking inexpensive white wines could be dangerous to your health. Too often they were thin and acidic; and whatever flavour they had tended to be very confected. We should be thankful for advances in technology, and for the increased competition worldwide; it is now possible to find plenty of very attractive wines at under €11. Bone dry, fairly neutral wines are made to go with seafood. By themselves, they can be a bit nerve-jangling, but with a plate of shellfish they become a vinuous squeeze of lemon, giving a burst of life to the food. If you want to drink a wine without food, look for something with a bit of fruit. It can still be tangy and fresh, just not quite so severe.
At this price level it is best to avoid wines that claim to have been aged in oak; proper oak barrels, and indeed oak staves cost money. You will end up with a wine that has been “chipped” or had a few spoonfuls of oak chips added to the tank. Most have an off-putting aroma and flavour of sawdust.
For inexpensive whites, I tend to look first to France; the Côtes de Gascogne in the south-west, white Bordeaux, and parts of the Loire Valley are all capable of producing great value, everyday white wines. French Sauvignon tends to be less exuberant that those from the new world, fewer gooseberries, more minerals. The new world tends to be more brand-dominated, although this is not always a bad thing. Chile makes some good fruity Sauvignon, and a very attractive exchange rate has made both Australian and New Zealand wines even more affordable. This week, 10 inexpensive white wines all available through independent wine shops and off-licences. As I mentioned last week, most of the specialist wine stores have great wines at affordable prices.
Honoré de Berticot Sauvignon, Côtes de Duras 2007, 12%, €10.50Nicely aromatic, with some grassy, herby notes. On the palate there is a tanginess, and a minerality, both of which sit nicely with the clean green fruits. A good all-rounder, and excellent value for money. Stockists: Searsons Wine Merchants, Monkstown; Ardkeen Stores, Waterford; Macs, Limerick; Next Door, Enniscorthy; Shamrock Off-Licence, Newcastle West.
Haut Poitou Sauvignon 2007 VDQS, Loire Valley, 12.5%, €10.99The Cave du Haut-Poitou has been making some of the best-value Sauvignon on the market for some time now. This is a beautifully light, clean, mouth-watering wine that works well as an aperitif or with lighter fish dishes. I had mine with a crab salad. Stockists: 64 Wine, Glasthule; Fresh Stores; Corkscrew, Chatham Street; The Village Off-licence, Castleknock; The Mill Wine Cellar, Maynooth; Kelly's, Vernon Ave; McPhails, Drogheda; The Vintry, Rathgar; Morton's, Ranalegh; Selected Spar and Londis outlets.
Peter Lehmann Chenin Blanc 2006, Barossa Valley, South Australia, 12%, €9.99I was certain that I had mentioned this wine before; but looking back through previous articles I can find no record. The cheaper end of the Lehmann portfolio offers some of the best value around, and none more so than the Chenin Blanc. Light lean, melon and grapefruits, and a brisk, crisp finish. The perfect wine to blow away a bad day at the office. Stockists: Superquinn; Molloy's; O'Donovan's, Cork; O'Briens branches; Redmond's, Ranelagh; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Coman's, Rathgar; Nolan's, Clontarf; Higgins', Clonskeagh; Shields', Dorset Street; Unwined, Swords.
Vistamar Sepia Sauvignon Blanc Curicó Valley, Chile 2008, 13%, €10A good pre-dinner sipper, or for drinking solo with friends, this has very gluggable pear and herby fruits, with a touch of refinement. Clean, fruity and dry, this is textbook Chilean Sauvignon at a very affordable price. Stockists: Power and Smullen, Lucan; 64 Wine, Glasthule; Redmond's, Ranelagh; Vineyard Wine Co, Galway.
The Stump Jump 2007, Mclaren Vale, South Australia, 13%, €10.50D'Arenberg, which produces some seriously good wines at more elevated prices, also put together an eclectic mix of grapes (probably left-overs from the pricier wines) to make their "house wines", at an amazingly cheap price. The red has lovely bouncy ripe fruits, the white is crowd-pleasing rounded and brimful of tasty fruits, a wine that slips down all too easily. Stockists: Martin's, Fairview; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Gibney's, Malahide: Red Island, Skerries: Cheers Silver Granite, Palmerstown: Bin No. 9, Goatstown; McCabe's, Blackrock; The Vintry, Rathgar; Village Off-Licence, Castleknock; Holland's, Bray; O'Briens Off-Licences; The Old Stand, Mullingar; Grenham's, Ballinasloe; Morton's, Galway; Fahy's, Ballina; Langan's, Kiltimagh; Currid's, Sligo; Dicey's Bottle Shop, Ballyshannon; Egan's Food Wines, Portlaoise; Eldon's, Clonmel; Jayne's, Ennis: Keller's, Roscrea: Florrie's, Tramore: Boggan's, Wexford; Worldwide Wines, Waterford; Ui Loinsigh's, Cork; Drinagh Superstore, Skibbereen; Connoisseur Wine Shop, Dundalk; Wine Centre, Kilkenny.
Alpha Zeta G Garganega, 2008, Italy, 13%, €9.99Think of this wine as a squeeze of lemon; zesty crisp and refreshing, perfect to drink alongside all manner of fish and seafood. It even has some plump melon fruits, too. For a tenner, this is a steal. Stockists: Cellar Master; 64 Wine, Glasthule; Red Island, Skerries; Sweeney's, Glasnevin: The House, Howth; Lilac Wines, Fairview.
Prova Régia Arinto, Bucelas, Portugal 2007, 13% €10-€12The price fluctuates a bit from shop to shop, but a number of retailers now have the Prova Régia at a really competitive price. The wine is absolutely gorgeous, full of lovely plump peaches and pineapple, shot through with a tingling acidity. Great on its own, but I reckon this would go perfectly with mildly spicy or herby fish, chicken and pork dishes.Stockists: Donnybrook Fair; Fallon Byrne, Exchequer St; O'Briens; McCabe's, Blackrock and Foxrock; Corkscrew, Chatham St; Bin No9, Goatstown; Morton's, Ranelagh; Jus De Vine, Portmarnock; The Wine Boutique, Ringsend; The Wicklow Arms, Delgany; Cheers, Ballinteer and Perrystown; Mitchell Son; Cellars, The Big Wine Warehouse, Naas Road; Fresh Outlets; Deveney's, Dundrum, D6; and The Hole in The Wall, Blackhorse Ave.
Cortello Vinho Branco, Vinho regional Estremadura, Portugal 2007, 12%, €10.50Another Portugese white, this one a bit lighter, medium-bodied, with bananas in custard, and some canned peaches thrown in for good measure. Good on its own or with mussels. Stockists: The Wicklow Wine Co; 64 Wine Glasthule; Lisotns, Camden St; Power and Smullen, Lucan; Probus Wines, Oughterard.
Chardet 2007, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire, 12%, €10.95Made from an incongruous-sounding blend of Muscadet and Chardonnay by Château de la Ragotière, one of the leading Muscadet producers, this makes you wonder why more producers don't try it. It has crisp, focussed green fruits, with a lovely tart minerality. I could see myself quaffing copious quantities of this with a plateful of oysters, or a bowl of moules. If you want to push the boat out a little further, the Muscadet at €11.95 is even better. Stockist: Terroirs, Donnybrook.
Domaine d'Esperance Cuvée d'Or, 12.5%, €10.50Customers in Mitchell Son face a difficult choice; do they buy the Domaine de Pellehaut Blanc or do they go for the Mitchell Son own-label Bordeaux Sauvignon? Both are amongst the very best-value white wines in the country. In the unlikely event that they tire of both, then can move on to the Domaine d'Esperance, another delicious, light, crisp white, with a distinctive sherberty note. A good all-purpose wine, with or without food. Stockist: Mitchell Son, Chq, Glasthule and Rathfarnham.
jwilson@irishtimes.com