If you’ve ever been called a “lightweight” for choosing white over red, now’s the time for you to shine and break out that chilled bottle as the days get hotter, sunnier, and significantly stickier. While the air feels heavy enough to weigh on your shoulders, the recent weather presents the perfect opportunity to swap out the usual bold reds for something more crisp and refreshing.
White wines have often been given a reputation for being “girly” or “not for serious drinkers” – but they are anything but. Keep reading to find out which are our top ten white wines to sit back and enjoy with this year – whether you’re looking to expand your collection or try something new that won’t leave you feeling hot and bothered.
Schloss Domaene Gobelsburg Grüner Vetltliner
Easy to drink and refreshing, the Kamptal Grüner Veltliner is a highly underrated and organic Austrian white wine. On the nose it displays an exciting bouquet of delicate herbs and sweet florals, enhanced by faint spice and a mineral character. Bright citrus, stone fruits, and verdant green flavours on the palate make this an essential summer wine. Best paired with the usual white wine suspects such as pork, cured meats, fish, and poultry – but it’s also great with flavourful salads. W straitswine.com.my
Pete’s Pure Pinot Grigio
While the Pete’s Pure Rosé is a strong and widely beloved wine, the winery’s Pinot Grigio is not one to be slept on either. Dry and soft on the palate, this wine expresses a delicate, enjoyable sweetness from bright summer fruits such as kiwi and melon. Hints of banana add a touch of weight and creaminess to this Pinot Grigio, while fragrant honeysuckle and pear complement its rich acidity. Ripe, funky cheeses, cured meat, spicy food, or hearty roasts will go well with this one. W straitswine.com.my
Côté Mas Blanc Méditerranée
To evoke moments spent in the great outdoors, this Languedoc-Roussillon white offers a fine balance between fruitiness and mineral flavours, with a soft green bouquet on the nose. Juicy pears and green apples make up the most prominent notes, before making way for refreshing acidity and lemon-grapefruit brightness. Hints of honey and a salty, mineral note softens the wine. Perfectly dry, refreshing, and ridiculously easy to drink – this goes particularly well with light pastas (perhaps that trending Feta Pasta), poultry, fish, or paella. W straitswine.com.my
Can Sumoi Perfum
A blend of Malvasia, Macabeo, Parellada and Moscatel grapes, this biodynamic-natural Spanish white brings out the fine complexities from green and stone fruits such as peach, green apple, apricot, and pear. Meyer lemons, fresh orange rind, and a touch of salt make up its tangy, citrusy backbone – lending to its dry, soft quality. But what makes this wine so unique and enjoyable is its subtle savoury quality, where toasted nuttiness and a hint of cheese(?) can be detected in fine threads. Savour this on its own or with seafood, foie gras, smoked meats, or raw fish. W purovinokl.company.site
You may also like: Your ultimate guide to: natural, organic, sustainable, and biodynamic wines.
Schloss Vollrads ‘Alte Reben’ Riesling Trocken
While Rieslings have a reputation for being sticky and sweet, this particular vintage from Schloss Vollrads may just change your mind. The ‘Alte Reben’ leans more on the dry side, with a bold acidity and slightly saline quality which makes it a very balanced, drinkable wine. On the nose it presents a fine vegetal aroma, which a strong presence of straw and grass. Tropical fruits such as pineapple and mango mingle with the more mineral, stony notes of chalk. Pair this with roasted meats, spicy food, cured meats, and shellfish. W albertwines2u.com.my
La Chablisienne, Chablis Grand Cru ‘Bougros’
Light, floral, exciting, oaky, rich, mineral – just a few words to describe this widely beloved wine. This white wine has been regarded as one of the best Grand Crus by the producer, thanks to its rich and aromatic complexities. It excites the softness of light florals with a touch of spice and oak, and once aerated, unveils a fine mineral quality. Soft, ripe stone fruits, butter, and vanilla add texture and richness. To complement this powerful wine and its long finish, drink it with rich foods such as pork, shellfish, salmon, or soft cheeses. W albertwines2u.com.my
Pascal Jolivet ‘Attitude’ Sauvignon Blanc
If you’re a big fan of the soft yet zesty Sauvignon Blanc, Pascal Jolivet’s Attitude is a fantastic, no-nonsense bottle that you can enjoy alone, or paired with seafood or funky cheese. It’s wonderfully fresh, full of delicate green and citrus flavours that you can expect from an exemplary and straightforward Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is further strengthened by a rich minerality and a long, elegant finish. W albertwines2u.com.my
Caillou Blanc de Chateau Talbot
This medium-bodied Bordeaux white boasts the elegance and softness of Sauvignon Blanc, but gets a bolder character thanks to the inclusion of Sémillon grapes. Fresh and complex, it’s ripe with fleshy stone fruits and citrus notes, while hints of vanilla, butter, oak and smoke provide a deeper flavour profile. While its perfectly balanced in acidity, it’s definitely drier than what you would expect from a Sauvignon Blanc, with a somewhat oilier texture from the Sémillon. W albertwines2u.com.my
Pasqua Passimento Romeo & Juliet IGT Bianco
For fans of white wine that pack a bit more punch, this bold Northern Italian displays intense fruity and nutty aromas, reminiscent of citrus fruits, peaches, apricots, almond, passionfruit, and pineapple. It gives a good amount of acidity, with the sweetness of honey and a touch of minerality giving it a long and pleasant finish. W straitswine.com.my
Smallfry Barossa Riesling
Another Riesling that’s more refreshing than saccharine is this South Australian that’s bold enough to stand up to our local punchy, spicy foods. On the nose it exudes a deliciously rich , citrusy tropical aroma enhanced by musk and spice. Its chewy texture invites you to literally bite down on the wine, revealing its cordial sweetness bolstered by bright lemon-lime acidity before ending with a clean, acidic finish. W straitswine.com.my
