6 bottles of wine from around the world to inspire your travels

One of the most established estates in Hungary’s Tokaji region, Chateau Dereszla, whose 27 hectares fall within the designated grand cru area, has six centuries of viticultural history to its name. And while best known for its nectar-like dessert wines, this fascinating offering – which pairs Hungary’s versatile furmint grape with a touch of muscat and hárslevelű – continues the chateau’s expansion into quality dry whites.

It’s a fruity, fragrant wine with pear, quince and a touch of citrus on the nose, while a peach and apple palate comes with a racy hit of acidity and touch of honeyed sweetness. It’s bold enough to stand up to stronger flavours, pairing beautifully with smoked fish and spicy white meat, while also being a refreshing option for summer sipping.

A worthy alternative for fans of pinot grigio, semillon, and unoaked chardonnay, this fiano d’Avellino – a DOCG appellation in the Avellino province within Italy’s Campania region – is an excellent example of the region’s reputation for elegant, dry white wines. Light and straw-coloured, it’s a zesty wine that boasts a pleasing floral bouquet with citrus aromas. Crisp and full-bodied in style, there’s a mineral backbone to the palate, which is also defined by prominent notes of peach and pear and a long, intense finish. A refined white with the potential to age further, it also makes a happy partner for chicken dishes and soft cheeses.

Expect bags of character from this unusual blend of grapes, which combine for a vibrant, zingy white that’s made to be paired with seafood. Coming from the Hemel-en-Aarde valley in the Stellenbosch region of South Africa, where the maritime climate delivers a saline element to the wine’s flavour profile, this intriguing blanc de mer sees a majority of riesling offset with viognier and chardonnay to bracing effect.

Unoaked and off dry, there’s tropical fruit and apricot on the nose and a complex palate of citrus, pear and plum, which is silky in mouthfeel – helped by its time spent ageing on the lees – and with ample body and an elegant finish. If you want a wine that stands out from the crowd, this charismatic, complex white might just fit the bill.

A more fragrant, less muscular grape than cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc is often used as a blending grape in South Africa, where it was first planted in the 1980s. Yet, grown on the right terroir and in the hands of adept winemakers, it’s more than capable of delivering wines with a wow factor, as proven here.

Coming from the Glenelly Estate in the heart of Stellenbosch, it’s deep inky red in colour and features hits of herbal aromas – dried thyme or oregano – and spice on the nose, with a palate of black cherry, blueberry and pencil lead that develops with time. Medium-bodied in style and matured in oak for 12 months, it’s well-balanced with silky tannins and a lengthy, smooth finish sure to impress drinking companions.

This compelling Chilean red is a bold expression of the carmenere varietal – one of the original six red grapes of Bordeaux, which thrived after being transplanted in South America. Coming from the Aconcagua Valley in central Chile, where a big difference in temperature from day to night creates wines with a balance between ripeness and acidity, there’s a complex nose of black fruits, pepper and tobacco aromas. A full-bodied, fruit-forward palate is structured with hefty tannins and notes of spice, wood and a hint of smoke that make their presence felt after a little time in the glass. Followed by a smooth finish, stemming from its time spent in French oak, this is a lithe, silky wine that’s a delight when paired with red meat and aged cheeses.

A second bottle from Campania’s Tenuta Cavalier Pepe, this time shining a light on southern Italy’s underrated aglianico grape, softened here with a touch of merlot. A touch less complex than other wines in the case, it takes a little time to reveal its full character – initial aromas of ripe cherry and blackberries joined by hints of pepper and cocoa. This gives way to a subtle, spiced palate that balances a notable savouriness with ripe fruit flavours and a hit of liquorice. Medium to full-bodied in character, it’s underpinned by a hit of acidity, with a pleasingly silky mouthfeel, velvety tannins and a lengthy finish. While primitivo is the red that people associate with southern Italy, this offers a solid alternative from the region.