Autumn Whites

This tantalising wine has been made especially for Lay & Wheeler from the deep sand and Löess soils from the Sandgrube vineyard. The nose displays wonderful aromas of citrus, crushed shells and white pepper. The acidity is crisp and refreshing, with an attractive saline palate. Such a great example of the indigenous grape, Grüner Veltliner, produced by a grower that is greatly admired in the region.

This brilliant-value Bourgogne Blanc comes from limestone parcels scattered around the Puligny side of Meursault. This wine always delivers: in 2023 it’s brimming with fresh pear on the nose. On the palate, it’s so textured and long, and particularly persistent for a Bourgogne. It sees 25% new oak, which is relatively high for a Bourgogne, adding savoury definition - you get a lot of bang for your buck here. It is a great introduction to the Côte d’Or.

A zesty, vibrant white with notes of white grapefruit, pear, and crushed rocks. There is a salinity and brightness here with a little herbal nettle twist. Refreshing and enjoyable with a touch of complexity and texture from the proportion of Sauvingon Gris.

This comes from various parcels of younger vines, aged around 20 years old. The name is a tongue-in-cheek nod to a dispute many years back with a neighbouring vigneron. In Savennières, the vignerons have a wicked sense of humour as well as great pride in their appellation. The grapes are picked at the beginning of harvest, and there is a pithy, salty tang to the dry, hugely textural palate. It's the lightest weight of the Closel wines, vinified 100% in stainless steel. This is fresh, with great tension and verve and an impressively long and evolving finish to it.

This delicious white comes from a plot of limestone soil high up on the hill. It’s floral, mineral and zippy, with fantastic energy. This delivers the quality and complexity of a village wine for the price not far off others’ Bourgogne Blancs.

The Bignon parcel has red clay soil, not dissimilar to that found in pockets of Pommard. It usually produces an easy-going, fruit-forward wine, but I’m struck by the excellent structure found in this 2022. It still has the signature smooth fruit, but with fine, lightly grippy tannins from well-handled 60% whole-bunch fruit.

The Fèvre Chablis comes from 40 parcels scattered across four hectares, from vines with an average age of 50 years. Much of these are grown around Chichée, near Vosgros, and give the quality you might expect in a Premier Cru. The result is a village Chablis of brilliant precision and nice freshness with a long voluminous finish.

From vineyards adjoining the legendary Sanford & Benedict vineyard, this cool climate Chardonnay has elegant aromas of grilled peach, lemon and toasted hazelnuts. The palate of bright fruit and honeycomb is beautifully framed by crisp acidity and has a rich texture that carries through to the long, clean finish.

Sourced from the younger vines of the Sommerberg Grand Cru and its environs, the 2024 Riesling Réserve is a triumph of precision timing. Despite a demanding growing season, Jean Boxler has delivered a wine defined by racy acidity and a high-toned aromatic profile of tangy grapefruit and lemon. The palate is lean and electric, offering a surge of citric energy underpinned by a firm granitic mineral core. Bone-dry and beautifully slender.

Widely regarded as one of New Zealand's absolute masters of the grape, Neudorf has crafted a brilliant 2023 Tiritiri Chardonnay that confidently walks a tightrope of fruit, minerality, and oak. Bright aromas of white peach, ripe nectarine, and candied citrus peel are interwoven with a cool thread of rockpool minerality and a hint of toasted almond. On the palate, it is beautifully shaped-voluminous and generous yet never heavy, carrying a chalky, salivating acidity and a creamy texture from partial malolactic fermentation and lees contact. The finish is remarkably clean, modern, and precise, leaving behind lingering notes of citrus oil and subtle savoury spice.

Crafted by the legendary Monforte d'Alba producer Elio Grasso, the 2025 Educato Langhe Chardonnay is a beautifully polished, Burgundy-inspired white that brings superb poise to the red-dominated Langhe. Intensely aromatic and beautifully fresh, the nose opens with lifted notes of wild herbs, delicate white flowers, and zesty lemon tart, balanced by fresh green apple, ripe pear, and a hint of white peach. On the palate, it balances crisp, mouthwatering acidity with a luxurious, silky creaminess and subtle sweet spice derived from perfectly integrated French oak. Boasting excellent structure and a stony, mineral energy, it drives forward into a long, beautifully clean, and refreshing finish.

The 2025 Red Slate Dry Riesling perfectly showcases Middle Mosel's rare, iron-rich red Devonian slate terroir. Hand-harvested from estate-owned vineyards averaging 60 years of age, the wine opens with highly expressive aromas of ruby red grapefruit, under-ripe apricot, and fresh herbs. On the palate, a juicy, concentrated orchard fruit entry seamlessly transitions into a bone-dry, mineral-driven finish marked by vibrant acidity, herbal complexity, and a mouth-watering, stony salinity.

Produced by one of the Loire Valley's most historic family-owned estates, the 2025 Château de Tracy Pouilly-Fumé is a Sauvignon Blanc of incredible purity and terroir-driven intensity. It opens with highly expressive, precise aromas of fresh pear, white peach, and zesty lemon muddled with aniseed, fresh mint, and the estate's signature smoky, flinty undertone. On the palate, a bright, dynamic entry drives into an ample and concentrated core of juicy citrus. It shows exceptional focus and structure, balanced by a vibrant, salivating acidity and a long, deeply saline, mineral finish.

Serving as a bright and highly approachable introduction to the cool-climate elegance of Victoria's first vineyard, the 2025 Little Yering Chardonnay beautifully captures the youthful vibrancy of the Yarra Valley. Aromas of fresh lemon, pink grapefruit, and white nectarine leap from the glass, complemented by delicate white florals and a touch of ripe papaya. On the palate, a crisp citrus drive of Meyer lemon and crisp melon is balanced by a subtle pastry-like spice and a luxurious texture. Bright, balanced, and instantly appealing, it finishes long and remarkably refreshing.

Named after the legendary companion of Charlemagne, the 2023 Saint-Joseph Le Grand Pompée Blanc is a beautifully structured blend of 75% Marsanne and 25% Roussanne. Grown on the steep, terraced granite slopes of the northern Rhône, it displays a brilliant pale-yellow color with subtle green reflections. The expressive nose reveals a complex bouquet of ripe pear, pineapple, and candied citrus peel, seamlessly layered with delicate notes of white flowers, honey, and toasted hazelnuts. On the palate, the wine is ample, rich, and creamy, perfectly balancing its ripe orchard fruit flavours with a vibrant, zesty freshness and a refined, mineral-driven finish with a touch of salinity.