Domaine du Haut Perron, Touraine Sauvignon Blanc

A Staple.

Simply never out of our heads when it comes to recommendations for something easy, fruity, dry and versatile. It's a considerable feat for a wine at this price point but the quality in the appellation is such that this is just a belter and proper value too. Crisp apple, citrus and grassy notes lead to a vibrant and mouth-watering palate. Lovely as aperitif, but it's a match made in Chavignol, with, of course, Crottin de Chavignol - the incredible local goat's cheese.

Touraine is the region around the city of Tours on the Loire Valley. It is situated between the appellations of Saumur and The Central Vineyards, which is where you'll find Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé. This then is some of the heartland of some of the best, most mineral, vibrant, classy red and white wines in France. Limestone and clayey soils are dotted with areas of the legendary Silex soils that give some of the most revered whites their structure (and elevate them from ordinary Sauvignon Blanc to a different orbit...). This domaine seek to enhance the qualities that they love in Sauvignon Blanc: finesse, aromatic freshness, white floral notes, balance and notes of grapefruit and passion fruit on the palate. They nail it.

This is also one of the wines that we heartily recommend for functions too, because it strikes such a good balance between intensity and class. Not that the two are always mutually exclusive, of course...