Wine: Succulent sips - three new vouvray wines to try

Hooray for glorious vouvray.

Tucked away in the Touraine district of France's Loire Valley is the 2000ha Vouvray appellation. Pronounced "voo-vray", it's the spiritual home of chenin blanc, one of the greatest, most food-friendly white wines around ...

Jovly Vouvray 2015 $22.50
I love the aroma of baked Granny Smith apples, grilled peaches, hints of cinnamon, honeysuckle and a twang of pineapple. All of which instantly osmose on to the palate and leave a juicy, fresh, almost exfoliating texture on the finish. Generous, succulent and intensely satisfying.

Sip with: twice-cooked five-spice pork belly.

La Croix de Maunay Vouvray 2014 $22.50
There's a lovely slap of tangy, natural sweetness in this apple-packed sensation. Summer flowers, ripe nectarine and homemade lemonade notes leap from the glass and it's practically impossible to put down once you've had that first sip. Tropical, clean, fruit-saturated and stunning.

Sip with: blue cheese and herb souffle.

Champalou Vouvray 2014 $31
It's the aroma of subtle spices, raindrops on hot stones and creamy stonefruit that seduces you from the get-go. Yet don't be lulled into thinking it's going to be sweet because there's a solid seam of acidity that slices across the palate like a samurai sword. The freshness and purity on show in this dry-ish chenin, put it in the "must sip" category. Gorgeous.

Sip with: paper-thin slivers of salty prosciutto.

Yvonne Lorkin is a wine retailer, wine writer and member of the Wine Writers of NZ.