Vasse Felix 2025 Classic Dry White

Vasse Felix is a pioneering winery in Margaret River that produces some of our finest wines - but it also makes this budget "Classic" range that offers excellent value for summer quaffing. This is a classic regional blend of semillon and sauvignon blanc. It's dry, fruit-driven and very crisp - perfect for enjoying with a seafood platter or fish and chips. Vasse Felix has been making this blend for close to 30 years and this vintage is 2/3rds semillon and 1/3rd savvy, made from sustainably grown fruit. Think pithy lemon and Asian spice notes leading on to a palate that is crunchy, lively, super-refreshing and dangerously moreish. $20. https://www.vassefelix.com.au/

Longview 2025 The Whippet Sauvignon Blanc

 

Sauvignon blanc may no longer be as fashionable as it once was, but when it is as impressive as this one, it still merits a place in wine fridges for summer. From a reliably excellent family-owned producer at Macclesfield in the Adelaide Hills, this is lighter-bodied, quite dry, and impressively varietal; a perfect companion for fish and chips, or salt and pepper squid. This has a nice balance between herbaceous and tropical fruit notes and finishes brisk and crisp. The 2025 vintage was very dry and the fruit was picked early but thankfully quality is impressive. Fermented in stainless steel but a small portion went through barrel ferment and underwent some lees stirring to build a little complexity. Lovely stuff. $28. https://www.longviewvineyard.com.au/

Rewild of Murray Darling 2025 Sauvignon Blanc

 

This is an ideal choice for anyone looking for a cheap and cheerful bottle of white wine in the fridge for when friends drop around. Or for quaffing well chilled on the back deck after a long day at work, It is a bargain buy from the "sustainable" wine brand from Duxton Vineyards in the Murray Darling region, presumably picked early to preserve some zingy, zesty varietal fruit characters. I like its clean, pure tropical fruit notes, bright acid - and the price. It is available nationally at Dan Murphy’s and selected BWS stores nationally at an RRP from $9.99. Pair with fish and chips. https://rewildwine.com.au/

Craggy Range 2024 Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc

 

Craggy Range is based in Hawke's Bay but this appealing sauvignon blanc is made from fruit sourced from the Te Muna Road vineyard in Martinborough. Most of the top Kiwi savvys come from Marlborough, but this is well worth looking out for with its intense palate and impressive minerality. I'm told the cooler climate of Martinborough aids its aromatic appeal and steely characters. Matured in a combo of stainless steel tanks and French oak barriques and puncheons that have added texture, it pairs well with everything from pan-fried scallops to a Thai stir fry. It also has more personality than a lot of its Kiwi siblings. Lovely stuff. $38. https://craggyrange.com/