Great white wine to order for the lockdown | Alistair Gibson
One of the great attractions of wine for me is the amazing diversity that is available out there to enjoy.
There are countless different grape varieties and so many different wine-producing regions around the world.
And now increasingly there are different philosophies on how to farm vineyards and indeed how to make wine in the cellar.
So this week we look at two white wines that almost the only thing they have in common is that they are made of grapes!
There is no question that Argentina has become the home of malbec in most consumers’ eyes.
Indeed, it would be fair to say that without Argentina, malbec would be a virtually unknown grape variety.
Sadly this has led to other wines from this South American country being put very much in the shade and in particular white wines.
If truth be told, there are still relatively few really interesting or world class white wines coming out of Argentina so I was delighted to come across this wine this week.
Zuccardi Chardonnay Apélacion Tupungato 2018, Mendoza (tanners-wines.co.uk £15.95, frazierswine.co.uk £16) is made by one of Argentina’s leading wine families.
To my mind, this is one of the most interesting white wines that they have made.
The grapes come from the Tupungato Vineyards and while there is some oak in the background it is barely perceptible.
This is all about freshness and elegance.
The nose offers some green pear, citrus, apricot and some cashew nuts, before a nicely textured palate with some minerality and crisp acidity.
This would be a wonderful accompaniment to roast chicken with lemon.
Terra Madre Catarratto 2019,Organic, Sicily (Co-op £6.50) couldn’t be more different.
It is made from the indigenous Sicilian grape, catarratto, and it is a certified organic wine which has been made with as little intervention as possible.
It is unfiltered and has a slightly cloudy haze, but don’t let that put you off.
The nose is very fresh with lots of citrus fruit, a hint of tropical fruits, herbs and more than a touch of cider apples, followed by a fresh, crisp, textured palate with some minerality on the finish.
This is potentially a bit of a Marmite wine but I think it is really interesting and delicious, and great value for money.
Huge kudos to the Co-op for introducing this to their wine shelves.
Serve it with some simple Mediterranean grilled vegetables or a warming and delicious and Moroccan chickpea soup.