Pinot Grigio is still the most asked for wine. There are so many wines that fall into easy upgrades to the infamous wine, some of which can but found in the section above. Albarinos, Soave and Picpoul de Pinet - all mostly unknown but do the same trick and are so much more interesting. Included in this section there is our house wine that will beat a pinot grigio any day of the week.

Terrazze pinot grigio £17.95
Pra soave classico £21.95
Duc De Morny picpoul de pinet £19.95
Les Grands Presbyteres muscadet sur lie £19.95
Villa Nova vinho verde £18.95
Ca Di Ponti (house) grillo £15.95
BIOCA godello £24.50

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc dominates this style but it would be unfair to overlook the Loire and Bordeaux, its spiritual parents. This category of wines is the most addictive, exciting parts of your mouth no other can, whilst still leaving you wanting more. For a more out-there but better value example check out the Spanish Godello and verdejo.

k-naia rueada verdejo £24.95
Bouchie Charellier pouilly fume £30.00
M & E Broulin sancerre £34.95
Chateau anniche white bordeaux £24.95
Shy Albatross sauvignon blanc £19.95
Nivarius Polar Bear white tempranillo £24.95
Nivarius Stag maturana blanca £24.95
Nivarius Yeti Blend white tempranillo, maturana blanca £24.95

Wines in tall bottles have suffered from a stigma of old school mass produced German wines that were sweet and insipid. Riesling is amazing as anyone in the wine trade will tell you. It can be sweet but more often than not (almost all on this list) it is searingly dry. Pip Gale loves this wine and thinks if he puts one on the list it will be tucked away with no one looking at it. He has decided to put too many on the list so that you can’t avoid the question.

Have I overlooked the most interesting grape on the planet?

Kloster Eberbach Baiken riesling trocken £31.95
Fritz Willy riesling (sweet) £22.95
Jim Barry The Veto riesling £31.95
Mesh riesling £27.95
Domaines Schumberger Grand Cru Saering alsace - riesling £37.50
Pegasus Bay riesling £31.00
Trimbach alsace - riesling £35.00
Trimbach Frederic Emile Reserve alsace - riesling £70.00

So, Pip’s love of riesling is profound but there are other aromatic styles that are not as crazy dry (including some rieslings). These are the rich wines that are to be matched with the richest of foods; pate, cheese, desserts and spicy oriental foods. If you like a sweeter wine that is still balanced and not as intensely sweet as dessert wines, these are the wines for you..

cave de turckheim gewurztraminer - alsace £22.95
Fritz Willy riesling £22.95
Juan Gil moscatel (zingy) £20.95
Domaines Schumberger Grand Cru Kessler alsace/gewurztraminer £37.50
tomassi Surani fiiano (dry) £22.95
Jasmin fragrant (dry) £22.95
Riverby Estate gruner veltliner £29.95
Turk gruner veltliner £30.95

Chardonnay is the most versatile of grapes, usually synonymous with the massively oaked Australian examples but, the truth of the matter is, it can be grown in any climate around the world leading to a massive range of flavours. White burgundy and chablis are the true white wine lover’s idols using subtle flavours that just dance with all types of food.

Leaving chardonnay behind, other rich, creamy wines to match your food are the Rhone varietals of viognier, marsanne, roussiane and white grenache.

Finally, there are wines that fall into this category that shouldn’t - check out the barrel fermented chenins or amazing white riojas.

Domaine De La Motte chablis 1st cru £35.00
Domain Chante Cigale chateauneuf - du - pape blanc £39.95
Domain Chante Cigale apostrophe £23.95
H&B picpoule - roussane £27.95
Marques de murrieta capellania white rioja £32.95
Cla Pla white priorat £25.95
M Chapoutier Tournon chardonnay £29.95
Yalumba eden valley - rousseane £25.95
Signos De Origin chardonnay - rousseane - viognier - marsanne £22.50
Keith Turloch semillion £28.95
Laurent Miquel Solas viognier £22.50
Andes Peak chardonnay £16.95
La Crochette macon village £24.95
Domanie Du Mont Epin vire-clesse £31.95
Dry Lands barrel fermented chennin blanc £23.95
Urbina white rioja £22.50
Joseph Drouhin macon-lugny £27.95
Joseph Drouhin chassagne montrachet £65.00

Bordeaux is the daddy of wine regions, steeped in history, it has been seen as inaccessible to younger generations of wine drinkers. To make a Bordeaux list worthy of Gales wine bar, I set about finding easier and more approachable wines from all over the Bordeaux region. Cabernet and Merlot are the two most important grapes of the region. The Cabernet rich wines are more complex and elegant and improve with age. The more Merlot dominated wines can be drunk much younger.

Tucumen cabernet sauvingnon £19.95
Greppicaia bolgheri (allow 1 1/2 hours to breathe) £100.00
Chateau Musar 2006 £48.00
Chateau Musar 2010 £45.00
Chateau Musar 2011 £42.95
Hochar Pere et fils £29.95
Chateau Layauga - duboscq medoc 2012 £35.95
Reserve de La Comtesse pauillac 2012 £45.95
Marquis De Calon saint-estephe 2012 £58.00
Moulin de Duhart pauillac 2012 £65.95
La Reserve de Leoville Barton saint-julien 2012 £65.95
Chateau La Tour de By medoc 2012 £70.00

Malbec is so popular right now and with good reason - an Argentinian Malbec from any producer is consistently great. We have some terrific examples here on our list with the greatest value found at the high end.

Other grapes that fit this mould are Carmenere, Australian shiraze, Italian Cab franc and Spain’s massive range of Tempranillos.

Bressia malbec £32.95
Corimbo I ribera del duero £65.00
Urbina Crianza rioja 2009 £25.95
Urbina selection rioja 1999 £31.95
Urbina Gran Reserva rioja 1996 £42.00
Andes Peaks carmenere £16.95
Rijks Private Cellar pinotage £40.00
Pieter Cruythoff pinotage £31.95

Italy can be as bewildering as anywhere, with more than 1368 grapes and 20 regions. There is a lot to learn and a lot of bad stuff out there but, when properly made, the best, softest, cheek warming wines come from its vines.

Few places in the world have come close to replicating its style but look out for Californian Zinfandels and some great Australian Italian rip offs.

La Pagliaia chanti classico £22.95
Castello Fonterutoli chanti classico gran selezione £59.95
Tommassi Amerone valpolicella £60.00
Edmeades zinfandel £35.00
Inigo clare valley - barbera £31.50
Bressia cabernet franc £32.95

Light and fine Pinot Noir has the most delicate expression in red wines. Hard to grow, it has a mystique and mystery to it. We have many approachably priced Pinot Noirs for those who want to dip their toes into the light red revolution. As Gillie Gale is a big fan we have many affordable pinots but pay a little more money and you can buy some of the world greatest expressions from New Zealand, South Africa, America and, of course, its native Burgundy.

Don’t forget Beaujolais’ Gamay and Galicia’s Mencia, both have that fun light style that, when drunk at the right moment, cannot be beaten.

Gevrey Chambertain Vallet Freres 2014 £55.00
beaune 1st Cru Vallet Freres 2011 £50.00
Riposte the Dagger adelaide hills - pinot noir £29.00
Riposte the Sabre adelaide hills - pinot noir £36.00
Brouilly £24.50
BIOCA mencia £22.95
Joseph Drouhin vosne-romanee 2014 £120.00

Wine can challenge, excite and bring us together. Grenache and friends, the grapes of the Rhone valley, are the wines that give us a warm hug. Not too tannic they express themselves through big well rounded notes. They are the ultimate in crowd pleasers.

Domain Chante Cigale chateauneuf - du - pape rouge £42.00
Domain Chante Cigale apostrophe £23.95
Domaine La Garrigue vacqueyras £30.95
Juan Gil Gold (4 month) monestral £21.95
Juan Gil Silver (12 month) monestral £25.95
Tres Picos grenacha £26.95
cal Pla priorat £29.95
Kalleske Clarry’s gsm £39.95