Full, oaky white wine

There's a myth that sauvignon blanc doesn't age when in fact the best examples from the Loire and beyond can develop beautifully. Time in the bottle has added subtle honey and nut notes to the crunchy fresh fruit. There's really nothing better with shellfish or goat's cheese.

Meursault, a village in the Cote d'Or, is famous for producing some of the ripest, most opulent white wines in Burgundy. Made from old vine 100% chardonnay, this comes from the ever reliable Domaine Vincent Girardin and is aged in French oak barrels. It's full and toasty with a delicious freshness.

The wines aren't often seen over here but the Finger Lakes in New York State produces some fine wines. This example from Nathan Kendall is made with 40 year old chardonnay vines, and fermented with wild yeasts in old oak casks. The cool climate of this region really shows through in the glass. If yo

The Rothschild family, owners of Lafite, have wineries all over the world making high quality wines which are somewhat more accessible that the ones from Bordeaux. They have been making wines at Los Vascos in Chile since 1988. This chardonnay shows the quality coming out of this estate. It's made in

A lovely 2004 vintage from Sainte-Croix-Du-Mont, Gironde.

A Burgundy from Meursault in the Côte de Beaune area made with 100% Chardonnay grapes.