Cabalié's popularity is down to a rare combination of imposing richness and easy drinking smoothness. Recreating that in white was no easy task. But Cabalié maestro Hervé Sabardeil has done it – years of searching, blending and hard work come to fruition in this, his ultimate expression of a southern French white. The magical grape mix is old-vine Viognier for intense honeysuckle aroma and soft texture, Muscat for dazzling grapey notes, and Colombard to keep it all zesty. And of course the other key ingredients are bright southern French sunshine, which ripens the grapes to perfection, sea breezes to keep them healthy and night harvesting to ensure maximum freshness. Bursting with tropical fruit, Cabalié is perfect with seafood or chicken.

Bernard Moreau has been in charge of his small family domaine in the Mâconnais since 1982 and is now assisted by his son, Alex, as winemaker. It lies very close to a village called Chardonnay, just like the grape! For this white, they use fruit from their 60-year-old vines, planted on calcareous soils and with excellent sun exposure. This is the perfect formula for wine with depth and concentration.

Plus, 2022 whites are blessed with richness, body and ripeness, a generous year. Bernard tends his vines with the utmost care, using sustainable, eco-friendly methods. This results in a wine with a balance of creamy roundness, ripe pear, crisp minerality and finesse. Serve cellar cool with creamy sauced dishes to best enjoy its subtle flavour.

For quality and value, Abbesse Sauvignon Blanc is hard to beat and an all-time customer favourite. It's from our friends, the Bougrier family, with whom we've worked for the last 20 years. Every year, they search out the best parcels of grapes from Touraine, the Pays Nantais (home to Muscadet) and other regions where the grape shines to get the perfect balance of bright fruit and elegant, citrus zip. They've named the wine in honour of the original Abbesse of the famous Abbaye de Fontevraud nearby, Louise de Bourbon, a major figure in Loire history. This delicious expression of the region's reigning grape is a fitting tribute to her. Delicious chilled as a glass on its own, it's also a classic with goat's cheese and all sorts of seafood.

There are documents showing that wine was made at this beautiful property as early as 1172, when it belonged to Ermengarde, Countess of Narbonne. We don’t know the exact style and quality then, but today it is exemplary – Corbières at its sensuous best! The estate has been in the same family now since 1803 – seven generations of women and now Guillaume Allien, the eighth generation. Despite being in his final year as a medical student, Guillaume gave it all up to restore the family estate and learn winemaking.

He works with consultant Gilles Dejean to make this luscious, dark-fruited red, which speaks clearly of its stony soils, the herbal-scented garrigue and its Corbières provenance. A warming red that’s perfect for a rich casserole.