We do hope you’re enjoying your ‘staycation’ summer holiday’s wherever you may be spending it – and managing to dodge the British summer rain showers. As I write the rain has stopped play at the cricket test and based on our first innings display it’s probably a good thing!

So, Riesling. The Grape variety you think you may or may not know?

In our opinion it is the ideal white wine for the summer drinking. Gone (or almost) are the stereotypical sweet /off dry Rieslings that you may have been introduced to in the past. I am still very much a fan of these wines when made well and in truth the wines introduced to the UK in the 1980’s were not. Fast forward some 40 years and we have some cracking Riesling wines not just from the traditional stronghold of Germany, but New Zealand, Australia, Alsace, Slovenia, Chile and South Africa all making some dry, racy lime thirst quenching beauties!

The majority of our Riesling wines have that classic fresh lime, lemon citrus nose, Saline elements that invite you into the glass, the diesel/ petrol notes (yes it really does exist) comes with more age and appreciate this can be off putting to the consumer being introduced to the grape variety for the first time, as who would want to drink something that smells of a petrol forecourt. But trust me they do not taste of petrol!

We have a great selection to tempt you from around the globe. Some stunners from German producers such as:

S A Prum, (£12.95) Oliver Zeter (£14.95) and Grauhaus Maximin (19.95) , World famous Jeff Grosset Polish Hill Riesling (£29.95)* a bargin when you consider his latest release rrp is £40 (for the collector and aficionado’s) as well as more affordable Peter Lehamnn Hill & Valley Riesling (£14.95) from Australia; Pacifico Sur Reserva Riesling (£9.95)  from Chile and Emiliana Novas organic Riesling (£11.95).

Verus Riesling from Slovenia (£14.95) Verus (Latin for “true”) is an exciting new winery founded in 2007 and owned by three friends who now produce some of the most exciting white wines coming out of Slovenia. The 12 hectare vineyards are located around Ormoz in the appellation of Styria (Stajerska) on the Jeruzalem-Ormoz hills close to the Hungarian-Croatian borders. The cool climate here is influenced by the Alps, the Adriatic Sea and the Pannonian Plain.

Go on and join the Riesling revolution and hopefully it will prove a positive revelation!