Heady aromas of passionfruit, orange blossom, ripe lemons and notes of tarragon mingle with a waft of vanilla derived from barrel fermentation. The palate is creamy and textural, with vibrant, flamboyant citrus flavours that finish crisp and clean, with great length and focus. Half of the grapes are sourced from estate vineyards and the other half from contract growers in the Margaret River region. Gravel laterite soils predominate in most of the best vineyards with some sandy loam soils in others. A range of canopy management strategies are employed, all with the objective of maximising sunlight into the fruiting zone. The most favoured technique is vertical shoot positioning with leaf removal which improves sunlight exposure, enhancing flavour development and providing a balanced leaf to fruit ratio for even ripening. Irrigation is used judiciously to maintain balanced vine growth and a steady rate of ripening. Grape: 53% Sauvignon, 47% Semillon.

Drawing on experience gained at their Algerian farm of vines, olives and citrus, Pierre Mari and son Laurent sought to revitalise an old vineyard in the Languedoc's Minervois region. Evidently relishing a challenge, they chose 26 hectares near the village of Aigne, planted over a series of rocky ridges, amid scented scrubland, whispering olive groves and Aleppo pines. In augmenting their existing holdings of Carignan, they found that Syrah, Grenache, MourvÞdre and Viognier were also suited to the marly soils on the ridges' wind-sheltered southerly slopes.

Southern French speciality that's tailor-made for mussels: light, crisp, scintillating lime and pear flavours. Languedoc grape 'Picpoul de Pinet' is the focus at Costières de Pomerols, one of the region's top co-operative wineries. Close to the mussel and oyster beds of the Etang de Thau, this high-powered outfit has just installed an ultra-modern cellar. Charismatic, quality conscious Jean Veyrier is careful to preserve local character in every wine, winning plaudits globally.

The Saumur Blanc Vieilles Vignes, from a particular gnarly old vineyard is an extraordinary wine and the definition of Chenin Blanc. Honeyed and floral with powerful fruit, well-judged oak and a herby hazelnut hint. The Saumur Blanc Vielles Vignes has a wonderful ability to accompany diverse fish dishes, especially white fish in cream sauces and where subsidiary flavours such as dill or almond become part of the dish. It would be equally at home accompanying one of northern France's soft ripe cheeses and will also pair well with oysters, scallops and other seafood. The Vieilles Vignes cuvèe is produced from two low yielding 1 hectare plots of Chenin Blanc, both well in excess of 35 years old. The soil is the characteristic Saumur mixture of sand and limestone, with a high calcium content vital for the preservation of the acidity in the fruit and therefore allowing for a longer ripening period which concentrates and enhances the flavours. The Langlois-Château Chenin vineyards are around St Florent. The grapes are hand harvested with several 'tries' - or passes through the vineyards - to ensure all fruit is of optimum ripeness. The fruit is gently pressed and fermented to dryness in barrel. The oak employed allows the Chenin flavours to shine, without being masked by excessive new oak character. Nevertheless barrel-fermentation allows for a gentler, longer and more extended flavour development. The wine rests on its lees for a further 10 months in barrel, which imparts a richness and nutty character to augment the fruit flavours. If further aged (for up to fifteen years) the wine will develop a deep honey colour and character with the richness and spicy nutty flavours complementing the deep, candied fruit characters of an aged wine.

Pale yellow with steely notes and tinges of green. A vibrant colour. Fresh, fragrant fruity aromas of green apple and lemon, typical of Viura. Bright and fresh on the palate, with good balancing clean acidity and a lingering rounded finish. Best if served between 8° and 12° with cold appetisers, salads, white meats and fishes. 100% Viura. Carefully selected Viura grapes were harvested at optimum ripeness to achieve a high level of aromatic extraction and a good concentration of terpene compounds. Fermentation was controlled at low temperatures in stainless steel vats, and the wine was monitored carefully, both analytically and in tasting to ensure that an aromatic, fresh and complex white wine is produced.

Abundant honeysuckle and herbaceous aromas, succulent ripe fruit and a long finish.

Aromas of vanilla oak, fresh limes and greengages, terrific with white wine-braised pork sausages, from this classic Graves estate. Christian Auney's pride in his estate's terroir is such that he's liable to scoop up a handful of rugged gravel and declare "Voila, le vrai Graves". 80-year-old vines and rigorously low yields result in concentrated flavours and consistent quality. Christian uses Sémillon for richness and a little Muscadelle to liven the final wine.

The wine has a bright colour with green tinge. Generous whiffs of tropical fruits, asparagus, green figs, gooseberries and green peppers characterize the nose. The flavours on the nose follow through to the palate to create a well balanced wine with a lingering aftertaste. Grapes were harvested early in the morning to retain their cool temperatures. Loads were protected en-route to the winery and dry ice pellets were applied to create a reductive environment during processing. After destemming and crushing the mash was pumped through a mash cooler to the press. Inline sparging with nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide was applied to protect the juice from oxidation. A brief moment of skin contact was allowed and light pressing followed. Pressings were separated from the first run and fermented separately. The wines were fermented between 13 and 15°C with the aid of chosen yeast strains. 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Semillon.

Sauvignon Reserva, the latest addition to our Casa Rivas range (showcase for Chilean brilliance) come courtesy of grandiose, century-old Viña Tarapacá. They've 2,600 hectares of vines at Rosario de Naltagua plot in a loop of the Maipo River, 40 minutes' invigorating drive south of Santiago. Ideal growing conditions, notably cold nights and hot days, produce intensly ripe fruit which, after some six months barrel ageing, produces a flavoursome and moreish wine like this.