Caldora Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2011

Trebbiano is one of the highest yield grape varieties you can get. So it's always pretty cheap. Would it help if I called it Bombino Bianco? That sounds better than common cheap white, doesn't it? And it should - this is a quite explosive little number. The equivalent in Italy of a cheap grassy Antipodaen Sauvignon Blanc, but better, more lemony, subtler, yet still aromatic. This particular one has about 15% Malvasia, which lends it a little strength and backbone. It's citrussy, has some herby spicy notes - more thyme and straw than the grass you often find in Sauvignon. It has a ripe and pear like front palate, and considering its price, a very reasonable length. Great every-day drinking wine.

Drink now
35AED + tax
14/20

False Bay Chenin Blanc 2011

The 2010 release of this wine was fab at the price, and this is a good follow-up. Interestingly though, the brighter season has provided a little more fruit ripeness that in my view tips the balance to sweet just a little over the well weighed wine of last year. Lovely yeast characters (wild yeast only), creamy and tropical, and ever so slightly like salted caramel apple pie. Would be perfect with barbecued crays or at least some sweet prawn flesh with old school dipping sauce. In fact, great BBQ wine to replace cheap Aussie Chardonnay if you feel like something different. Good value.

Drink Now or next year
40AED + Tax
15/20

La Grand Chapelle Bordeaux Sauvignon Semillon 2009 (Antoine Moueix)

A lesson for all buying wine in very hot countries - always check the vintage. Even when it's fresh stock, this kind of wine (low priced Bordeaux Blanc) is really supposed to be consumed within the first year or so of bottling. There could have been a little bottle variation here, but I doubt it. This wine is simply past its use-by. It's the colour of urine and smells like a dirty wet haystack. Relegated to cooking wine (maybe) Bring on the 2011 please...

Drink 2 years ago
30AED + tax
9/20

Sauvion Plaisir de Vigne Muscadet 2010

This is a simple Muscadet, so does not have the "sur lies" specification, meaning it does not rest "on lees" - on the spent yeast, but may be filtered. It's therefore a clean neutral wine. It's beautifully crisp, very mineral, and has a lovely flor sherry character (which, incidentally comes from the yeast). It's absolutely perfect for oysters. But don't stop there - it's a food wine, and will go with almost anything, particularly if its seafood or herb based. A great dinner party wine for connoisseurs if you can't afford Champagne. Careful though - you'll throw it back like lemonade.

Drink now or over next 2 years
40AED +
14/20

GPG Garganega Pinot Grigio 2011

I picked this one up for three reasons - one, it was cheap, two, it has Garganega in it, and I'm a big fan of Soave (Garganega is the main grape variety of this great value dry, fragrant and yet neutral white wine), and it's a joint operation between a UK merchant I know little about, but more importantly, a Piemontesi wine producer by the name of Araldica, who are improving their quality by leaps and bounds. It's a simple wine, but well made. The nose is full of stewed apples and pears, and the palate has some lovely acidity. It's a fab everyday wine, and definitely worth the money.

Drink now
35AED + tax
13.5/20