Joelle Thomson's Amazing Value Picks: New wave whites

Like most of the world’s classic wines, the best whites have traditionally been considered to come from France but times they are achanging. In fact, they have changed. Argentina, Spain, California and the south of France are all now home to some of the world’s tastiest and best value for money white wines – and these countries’ wines are all present and counted in this week’s top bunch. Each of these countries and regions were once looked down on as poor cousins to the world’s great classic wine regions but the following wines show that an exciting new story is emerging. Star wine of the week - 2018 Finca Martha Chardonnay 4 stars, 17.5/20 Chardonnay is king of Argentina’s new wave white wines. It’s the world’s most popular white wine and this one highlights that there’s far more to Argentina than big beautiful Malbecs. It’s refreshing to taste top shelf, high quality dry Chardonnays, such as this powerful citrusy and beautifully balanced wine. It’s proof that the world’s most popular white wine can come from many different places today, including so-called ‘new world’ wine countries. Sealed with a screwcap. 2018 Casa Safra Verdejo Spain 17/20, 4 stars If you’re all over Spanish reds, try this tasty dry Spanish white made from the great Verdejo grape – one of Spain’s rock stars of the wine world. If you’re a fan of Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, then this wine’s bright fresh acidity and full body will wow you. It’s a different wine in taste but easy to relate to – a stunner and sealed with a screwcap, which retains freshness. 2016 Domaine de Sainte Cécile Chardonnay 19/20, 4.5 stars Fab big, beautiful, creamy Chardonnay from the sun drenched Languedoc, which winds its way around France’s southern Mediterranean coast where the climate provides consistent warmth for grapes to ripen into deliciously flavoursome drops such as this one. It’s rich peachy flavours, full bodied, dry, smooth and lingering on the finish. Outstanding value. 2016 Crosby California Chardonnay 17.5/20, 4 stars Meet another crowd pleasing Chardonnay, this time from California – a warm, dry, Mediterranean-like climate, which produces whites with big, rich, peachy flavours. This wine shows Chardonnay from a warm climate at its best, thanks to the balancing fresh acidity in the wine, which give this wine its lingering finish. 2018 Philippe Bouchard Macon Villages AOP 17/20, 4 stars This classic dry, full bodied Chardonnay comes from the grape’s traditional French home in Burgundy, only it’s from southern Burgundy rather than the north – which has long been home to the most highly priced (and prized) Chardonnays in the world. By contrast, this wine comes from the vast Macon region, south of the golden slopes of the Cotes d’Or. It’s tropical and peachy with freshness to burn. Great value. 2018 Domaine de Sainte-Cecile Viognier Pays d’Oc 17.5/20, 4 stars Viognier is one of the great whites of the world and this popular, full bodied wine comes from the south of France, not far from Viognier’s traditional home in the northern Rhone Valley. This wine is dry, flavoursome with great depth of flavour – apricots and peach – and a full body. A decadent and delicious alternate white wine. Joelle Thomson is a wine writer, journalist and author. She’s an avid lover of wine and currently writes for Capital magazine, Good magazine, NZ Winegrower, Drinksbiz, and her own site, www.joellethomson.com. She also teaches, works in radio, and more, so we've enlisted her help to sniff out our amazing value wines!