Vintage whites to keep an eye out for

WINE:Here are some bargain white wines worth searching out, as well as a couple of splurges that won't leave you feeling short-changed

CONTINUING MY ROUND-UPof the early-season tastings, this week a look at a few white wines. I came across a few new wines, but more than ever, it was new vintages of old favourites that impressed me most. The 2009 vintage of Trimbach Riesling is every bit as good as the stunning 2008. At €16, it must rank as one of the best bargains around. The Mount Horrocks Semillon 2009 from Australia is a wonderful mix of lime and new oak, a combination that few producers seem to be able to master. From my cellar, a bottle of Birgit Eichinger Grüner Veltliner Wechselberg 2009 (€18.95), one of my wines of the year in 2010, seems to have improved even further. It went down a treat at a recent family dinner.

A more unusual find was a 100 per cent Semillon from Domaine Grange Brûlée in Bordeaux. Normally this grape variety needs a few years to show its paces (or the addition of a dollop of Sauvignon), but this was already showing lovely succulent, rich, soft fruits. It is imported by Terroirs in Donnybrook, and represents very good value at €11.95.

At the pricier end of things, two Chardonnays stood out as being worth the lofty price tag; the Drouhin Arthur Chardonnay 2006 (€45) from Oregon has matured beautifully and is certainly the match of many white Burgundies at a similar price; which brings me on the Puligny-Montrachet 2007 (€47) from Louis Carillon, one of the finest producers in Burgundy. If you are having a splurge, this racy, crisp Chardonnay is also worth taking into consideration. Other than the Grange Brûlée, the above wines are available mainly through independent off-licences and wine shops.

JN White Burgundy 2009, 12.5%, €13.95 (€10.95 with case discount); £12.56 (£9.86 with case discount) in Northern IrelandOwn-label wines can mean all sorts of things. The gold standard was Berry Brothers & Rudd (whose wines are still available online in Ireland) whose generic range was frequently superior to many domaine-labelled wines. In recent years, Superquinn has introduced the very comprehensive Classic range of own-label wines, all keenly priced, some of which are very good. This is a new addition to the JN range from James Nicholson, which shone at their recent tasting. It is a beautifully textured, almost creamy wine, filled with rich peach fruits, lightly toasted nuts, and fresh citrus acidity. A very attractive wine at an equally attractive price. Serve with salmon, black sole or turbot. Stockist: James Nicholson, Crossgar, jnwines.com

Domaine Sainte Rose Le Sirocco Chardonnay 2009, 13.5%, €11.99 (€10.79 with case discount); £7.99 (£7.19 with case discount) in Northern IrelandI featured a red from this estate last week, but I was also very impressed by the Sainte Rose Chardonnay. Southern French Chardonnay can be a bit hit-and-miss, but when it comes from slightly cooler parts of the Languedoc, it can be great value. This is an un-oaked version, but it certainly does not suffer as a result. There are lovely, pure peach fruits, cut through perfectly with a razor-sharp, crisp edge. It is clean and fresh with an excellent intensity of flavour, and a great finish for a wine at this price. Stockist: James Nicholson, Crossgar, jnwines.com

Pieropan Soave 2009, 12%, €17.99Regular readers will know of my love for this wine, made by one of Italy's greatest white winemakers. In an ideal world, you would drink his Calvarino after a few years bottle age, but a glass of this, his basic Soave, served with shellfish, is one of life's great pleasures. Light, but fine, with elegant lifted green fruits cut through by a cleansing lemon minerality. Stockists: Red Nose Wines, Clonmel; La Touche Wines, Greystones; World Wide Wines, Waterford; 64 Wine, Glasthule; Donnybrook Fair; Red Island Wine, Skerries; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Anderson's, Drumcondra; Sweeney's, Dublin 11; Fallon & Byrne, Exchequer Street; On the Grapevine, Dalkey; Harvey Nichols, Dundrum; Lord Mayor's, Swords

Le Grand Vincent 2009 Sauvignon de Touraine, 12.5%, €12.50A mouth-wateringly fresh, clean-cut Sauvignon with racy green fruits and a crisp mineral streak, finishing dry. It is new to the market. Drink on its own, or better still with fish and shellfish. Stockists: Sweeney's, Dublin 11; Jus De Vine, Portmarnock; Bin No 9, Goatstown; Liston's, Camden Street; Lilac Wines, Fairview; Morton's, Ranelagh; Kelly's, Clontarf. Next Door off-licences in Enniscorthy, Kilkee, Rathangan, Clane, Salthill; Mac's, Limerick; 1601 Kinsale; Mill Wine Cellar, Maynooth; The Wine Centre, Kilkenny; Butler's, Mullingar

TWO UNDER €12

Alpha Zeta 'G' Garganega 2010, 13%, €8.99Plump, juicy, lightly textured pears, with a soft rounded finish. A good party wine or for sipping in the spring sunshine. Stockists: World Wide Wines, Waterford; 64 Wine, Glasthule; Red Island Wines, Skerries; Lilac Wines, Fairview; Cellar Master, Stillorgan Industrial Park, cellarmaster.ie

Domaine Couillaud Chardonnay Cuvée Prestige 2009 Vin de pays du Val de Loire, 12%, €10.95An earlier vintage of this wine has featured in this column before, but the 2009 is even be better, as far as I am concerned. Light and fresh, but with delicious, textured pear fruits and zesty lemon notes. A great all-purpose wine for parties, nibbles and fish dishes and an absolute steal at under €11. Stockist: Terroirs, Donnybrook, terroirs.ie

BEER OF THE WEEK

Haymaker Pale Ale, Hook Norton Brewery, 5%, €2.65A medium gold colour, with a lightly fruity nose, medium-bodied on the palate, with good bitter notes, plenty of power, but not too assertive, and some pithy grapefruit too. A good thirst-quenching beer with character.

Wine events

Next Monday, Ely bar brasserie in the IFSC in Dublin 1 will present a masterclass in global wine styles, featuring guest speaker Michele Jordan. The New World versus Old World tasting will feature four flights of wine, including classics from all corners of the globe. Tickets cost €45. To book, telephone Michelle Lawlor on 01-6787867.

On Thursday, April 14th, As part of the Waterford Food Festival, The Cliff House Hotel will host a wine masterclass with Felix Meyer of Domaine Meyer-Fonné, one of the leading estates of Alsace, followed by dinner in their Michelin-starred restaurant. The cost per person is €95 inclusive of dinner and wines, or two people can enjoy the masterclass, dinner, B&B for €360. To book, telephone 024-87803