Porquerolles, Côtes de Provence Blanc, Domaine de l'Ile Porquerolles 2023

100% Rolle; 13.5% alc.; Harvest dates: 20th & 23rd August 2023This is sheer heaven. It is one of my favourite white wines in the whole of France, not just in the South and the islands. Rolle (Vermentino) thrives in the finest Mediterranean climates, and the ratio of heavenly fruit to epic acidity and salinity is ravishing. Luxuriously perfumed, with hints of jasmine, and stone fruit, it promises opulence and exoticism, but it is so nipped in and controlled on the palate that it takes the breath away. With more solids employed in this vintage than in the delicious 2022, there is even more raspingly delicious traction here, too. While this wine will need a little explanation to coax a punter into trading up from a bulky Chardonnay to this catwalk-ready beauty, it is worth the effort. Every self-respecting sommelier in the UK ought to be championing this wine and passionate wine lovers ought to be straining every sinew to own stock. I will keep banging the drum until everyone who cares about serious fine wine hears about this wine because one sip is all it needs to convert you into a lifelong fan. 18.5/20 (Drink now – 2026)

The 2023 Cotes de Provence Blanc Porquerolles, made entirely from Rolle (Vermentino), presents a lively, delicate bouquet of iodine, flowers, lemon confit, peach and white pepper. Medium to full-bodied, round and precise, it possesses a pure and crystalline character, a seamless structure and a juicy core of fruit. It concludes with a long, mouthwatering finish enhanced by a delicate hint of iodine. This precise and impeccably crafted white wine from Provence is ideally suited for pairing with seafood.