Wines of the week: Three eastern Mediterranean bottles

There is a treasure trove of white wines in the eastern Mediterranean, with new grapes and styles waiting to be explored – here are just three of them, all perfect for spring drinking

From Greece…

Domaine Gerovassiliou Malagousia 2015

Made from the indigenous malagousia grape – revived from near extinction in the 1970s – and grown on the slopes of Mount Epanomi in Thessaloniki in northern Greece, this shows what modern Greek winemaking is capable of: well made and enticing, with smoky flavours of peach, apricot and pear, shot through with a little white pepper. Similar to viognier and so ideal with shellfish, particularly scallops or with spiced pork belly.

£19 thegoodwineshop.co.uk or £15.45 strictlywine.co.uk (minimum 6 bottle case purchase)

From Croatia…

Matosevic Alba 2015

From the Croatian part of Istria on near the borders with Slovenia and Italy comes this superb white made from the malvasia grape – full bodied and aromatic, with fresh apple and pear flavours and a gorgeous almond note, as found in some other Croatian whites. As above, this would suit almost all fish dishes, as well as big salads and goats cheese.

£15.99 henningswine.co.uk

From Turkey…

Kayra Narince 2015

We see very few Turkish wines in the UK – and most are red – which is a shame because this wine made from the indigenous narince grape in the Anatolian region is a real find. Dry, light and refreshing, with subtle citric and quince flavours, shot through with great acidity reflecting the gravelly, limey soils on which the grapes are grown, this is lovely as an aperitif and with fishy canapés.

£14.89 wineman.co.uk or £13.38 greatwinesdirect.co.uk (minimum order six bottles)