Wines for the week: June 2023

Lots of aromas fighting for position here: scorched lemons and green apple melding into smoky, bready, flinty characters. Complex toast and candlewax notes edge their way in on the palate, too. Impressive concentration and intensity; for under £20, you’re snapping up a bargain.

Bruce Dukes is a Margaret River legend, so even this, one of his entry-level wines, punches well above its weight, offering real complexity and interest. The 17% Semillon makes its presence felt with pithy citrus and cut grass to support the Sauvignon's bright acidity and exotic tropical richness, and there's a compelling texture and toastiness thanks to judicious time in oak. White Bordeaux fans will love this.

Lay & Wheeler recently launched an own-label range and this Riesling, made by Rheingau pioneer Eva Fricke, is one of the top examples. The nose blooms with sultry honeyed apples, limes, beeswax and lemon posset, impressing with its perfect balance of ripe, lush fruit and clean acidity. Moreish and succulent.

In 2005, Austrian family estate Tement established a winery next door – in Slovenia. The vineyards abut one another yet Ciringa is just over the border. From limestone soils (Fosilni Breg means fossil mountain), this is a strikingly mineral wine with lemon juice purity and sweeter orchard fruit depth. Suitable for vegetarians.

One of Aldi's most talked about wines of the past two years was the Aspri Petra Assyrtiko from this producer. Decanter rated the 2020 and 2021 vintages highly, and while there is sadly no 2022 on Aldi's shelves, there is this lovely single-vineyard Chardonnay instead. Very youthful, with great intensity of green apple, white blossom and cashew creaminess and perky citrus acidity. It should age well so stock up while you can, and enjoy a bottle with the Sunday roast chicken.

Nouveau is a new brand that aims to make 'fresh expressions of small-batch, low-intervention wines'. Of its four current releases this Pinot Grigio is the best: attractive texture and grip, zingy green apple acidity, crunchy pear flavours and a creamy finish. A gentle introduction to 'natural' wine. Vegan.

This unusual field blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Nascetta features pithy green and yellow fruits with some cream and tangerine inflections. Intense, spicy and complex. Luigi Baudana has been managed by G.D Vajra since 2009.

There’s an enticing vibrancy to this wine (with a dollop each of Riesling and Pinot Gris) which lingers on the palate with spicy notes of wild fennel and cayenne pepper. The core is of classic lime zest, green apple, crunchy pear and gooseberry. An acid presence on the mid-palate makes it a good food companion.

This ancient grape is unrelated to Austria's Grüner Veltliner – and rarely seen due to its fickle nature in the vineyard. But this is a tasty example that offers real interest at this price: exotic papaya and honeydew melon, juicy pear and a gently spiced creamy length.

Made in Bergerac, Monbazillac is far more affordable than Sauternes but made in the same style. This example is made entirely from Semillon, and is perfectly balanced, fully sweet but with freshening acidity, lifted peach fruit flavours and a hint of barley sugar. A chilled glass as an aperitif on a warm summer's day – heavenly.

Graham’s white Port is fine indeed, unpretentiously balancing fleshy, sweet stone fruit with notes of fresh almonds, camomile and apple blossom. The perfect base for a Port & Tonic or simply on the rocks, this is a compulsory presence in one’s fridge door throughout spring and summer.