Dry, Nutty Whites

This intense, dry, nutty and powerful style is typified by oak-aged Chardonnay in the form of white Burgundy. These wines have a soft edge, with a backbone of dryness, with subtle nut and oatmeal flavours. New World wineries in California, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, produce many other Chardonnays with this same approach.

The Semillon grape also brings us wines in this style, with the best oak-aged wines coming from Graves and Pessac-Leognan in Bordeaux. These wines are blended with Sauvignon Blanc, giving a nutty, creamy wine with a hint of nectarines.

Good quality white Rioja from Spain will become lush and nutty on aging, and un-oaked Australian Semillon from the Hunter Valley will also mature to become waxy and rich.

All of these wines need a little aging to show their best, but Spanish Chardonnays from Navarra and Somontano are less expensive alternatives, and will give you an idea of the style.

For around £5 to £10, try:

Rioja Blanco CVNE, Viña Real (Spain): Light biscuit flavours, with hints of cinnamon and grapefruit.
Bourgogne Blanc Cuvée St Vincent, Vincent Girardin (Burgundy): Forwardly fruity and wonderfully balanced.
J McWilliam Semillon Chardonnay (Australia); Toasty, waxy notes and herbal and honey hints.

For around £10 to £20, try:

Château Carbonnieux, Classified Growth of Graves, Pessac-Léognan AOC, (Bordeaux): A wine with mineral and grapefruit aromas, and a floral and white fruits flavour.
Mercurey 1er Cru "Clos des Barrault", Domaine Juillot (Burgundy): A brilliant gold wine, with floral aromas, and ripe pear, peach, hazlenut and vanilla flavours.

To push the boat out (over £20), try: