£9, Marks & Spencer
Perfectly timed for the asparagus season, but equally tuned into seafood, chicken, salads and vegetable dishes, comes a vibrant, aromatic dry white from deep down in the southwest corner of Gascony, itself deep into southwest France. The mouthwatering flavours of pink grapefruit, quince and fresh herbs come from personality-packed local grape varieties, Gros Manseng, Petit Courbu and Arrufiac, whose future until quite recently was threatened by the global surge to the likes of Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio, but which are now benefiting from the pendulum swing back to authentic indigenous varieties. This wine, from the small Saint Mont region, is made for Marks & Spencer by the pioneering Plaimont co-operative, which has rescued all sorts of ancient varieties from near-extinction and is responsible for almost all Saint Mont – white, red and rosé.
Plaimont Producteurs Saint Mont 2015, Saint Mont, France
£9, Marks & Spencer