Wines of the Year 2026 | White Box

Assyrtiko The North is a strikingly fresh Greek white wine with vibrant lemon peel, green apple and a distinctive mineral edge that gives it real tension and precision. It is crisp, dry and beautifully structured, with a saline twist that makes it incredibly food friendly and refreshing. If you love Chablis or lean, citrus driven Sauvignon Blanc, this Assyrtiko offers that same clarity with a Mediterranean soul.

Produced in northern Greece, this expression of Assyrtiko shows how the grape thrives beyond its island origins, delivering freshness with clarity and depth. Assyrtiko is one of Greece’s most celebrated native varieties, prized for its natural acidity and ageing potential. The cooler northern conditions help preserve vibrant citrus character while allowing full flavour development. It is a confident, modern Greek white wine that balances elegance, structure and unmistakable regional identity.

If you love a really vibrant Albariño, this Tohu Whenua Matua is one to try, super unique and refreshing. Layers of citrus peel and juicy stonefruit meet a hint of beeswax, with a lively palate that's bright with acidity and minerality, carrying through to a long, lingering finish. It's a single vineyard wine from a tiny 1.4 hectare block, hand harvested and bottled early to keep its freshness while allowing it to develop real complexity in the bottle. A wonderfully aromatic, characterful white for anyone who loves Albariño with a bit more depth.

Tohu comes from Upper Moutere in Nelson, New Zealand, grown on ancient alluvial clay soils threaded with weathered gravels. The name means "sign" or "landmark" in Māori, and reflects the winery's philosophy as tangata whenua, people of the land, deeply connected to protecting and nurturing the vineyards they farm. This particular block was planted in 2011 and benefited from a near perfect growing season, even flowering, a dry summer with cool nights, and a harvest picked at exactly the right moment. With only 4,280 bottles produced, it's a genuinely rare expression of New Zealand Albariño, and a lovely one to seek out.

If you love Grüner Veltliner with real character, this Schloss Gobelsburg is one to try. It opens with an intense, vinous bouquet of yellow seed fruits, laced with saline, crushed rock notes and a touch of green leaf. The palate is round and charming, medium-bodied with tender minerality and fine, bitter tannins on the finish, making it a properly textured, food-friendly white. It's an excellent example of classical Kamptal Grüner, easy drinking yet layered with plenty to discover.

Award-winning Kamptal Grüner Veltliner from one of Austria's most prestigious estates. Recent vintages have earned Gold medals, a Gold at the WINE100 Challenge and consistent 90+ point scores from James Suckling and Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

Schloss Gobelsburg is one of Austria's oldest wineries, with historical vineyards ranging from the sun-drenched terraces of Zobinger Heiligenstein to the gardens surrounding the castle itself. This wine blends grapes from the lower Kamp Valley, which bring ripeness, with fruit from the higher, cooler sites that bring freshness, all grown on the region's distinctive loess and calcareous soils. Under Michael Moosbrugger, who took over in 1996, the winery has built its philosophy around minimal intervention, favouring individuality over uniformity, a tradition rooted in the estate's monastic past. 

A pure and powerful Eden Valley Riesling featuring bright aromas of honeysuckle, dragon fruit, and citrus flowers, with undertones of musk and rose petal. The palate delivers citrus, crisp green apple, and lime flavours balanced by taut acidity and a refreshing finish. Golden in colour.

This historic single-vineyard wine comes from the 'Enchanted Garden' site, planted in 1910 in Eden Valley. The excellent 2023 vintage saw a wet spring and mild summer, leading to a later harvest that produced fresh, vibrant fruit with aging potential.

Dandelion Vineyards is the project of Elena Brooks, who began her wine journey at age 12 interpreting for international winemakers in her native Bulgaria, making her first wine by 16. Now based in McLaren Vale with her husband Zar, she crafts wines across South Australia's premium regions, from Barossa through Eden Valley and Adelaide Hills to McLaren Vale – what wine journalist Nick Stock dubbed the "blessed curve."

This Chardonnay from Chateau de Cedre Heritage is grown at altitude, giving it a natural freshness that lifts its richer, more generous style. Fermented in stainless steel and bottled unfined and unfiltered, it delivers a creamy, rich and rounded texture, with ripe orchard fruit and a soft, silky feel on the palate. There is a gorgeous long finish here, smooth and satisfying, making it a standout Chardonnay for those who enjoy both freshness and depth.

Chateau de Cedre is a highly regarded producer based in the Cahors region of south west France, known for its organic approach and thoughtful, low intervention winemaking. While best known for Malbec, the estate brings the same level of care and precision to this Chardonnay, focusing on purity of fruit and balance. The use of stainless steel keeps the wine clean and expressive, allowing the altitude and vineyard character to shine through. This is a modern French Chardonnay that offers richness without heaviness, and excellent value for those looking beyond classic Burgundy.

Quinta de Azevedo Loureiro is a beautifully aromatic Portuguese white wine, layered with lime blossom, green apple and a gentle citrus peel freshness. What makes this bottle particularly special is the time spent in old oak barrels, which adds a creamy texture and extra weight on the palate without bringing any overt oaky flavour. The result is a wine that remains crisp and vibrant, yet feels slightly more rounded and luxurious than a typical Vinho Verde.

Quinta de Azevedo is based in the heart of the Vinho Verde region in northern Portugal, where Atlantic influence preserves natural acidity and purity of fruit. Loureiro is one of the region’s most expressive native grape varieties, known for its floral aromatics and freshness. By ageing this wine in seasoned oak, the estate enhances texture while allowing the grape and terroir to shine. It is a brilliant example of modern Portuguese white wine that offers both brightness and subtle complexity.