image from www.culinarymanager.com


The Chenin Blanc grape which originates from Anjou, in the Loire Valley of France, is a greatly underrated grape and is so versatile, it's almost schizophrenic. It can produce both honeyed dessert wines like Vouvray (though usually sweet, Vouvray also comes in dry versions) or dry wines like Saumur. Both these wines come in still or sparkling variants. And you thought it was only good for the inexpensive, undemanding, quaffers lining supermarket shelves?

If ...

image from Vins-Rhone


Alright, all you Dionysian degenerates (a group I am a very happy member of) here is an ancient variety that is thought to have originated from Greece. Bourboulenc is a little known grape outside of Southern France and one that is rarely made into a varietal wine.

It is a white, late-ripening, high-acid variety that is primarily used as a blending grape to lend acidity to both red and white wines, especially in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. It has a tendency to produce neutral w...

image from Cephas Picture Library


Albarino is the main grape used to make dry white wine in parts of Galicia, Northwestern Spain. It is widely credited as Spain's premier quality white wine. In Portugal, it is known as Alvarinho and is often included in the country's best examples of Vinho Verde, one of my favourite white wines and in my opinion, one of Portugal's best, for easy drinking.

These grapes have a relatively thick skin when grown in Galicia, resulting in lively wines with intense ...