Ladybird Sur Lie Chenin Blanc

If you're only going to have one glass of white wine this week, make it this one.

Ladybird Vineyards' Sur Lie Chenin Blanc comes from the Simonsberg slopes of Stellenbosch — one of South Africa's most celebrated wine-growing regions — and it's the kind of bottle that makes you remember why you started caring about wine in the first place.

Winemaker Francois van Zyl hand-picks the grapes in the cool of the early morning, presses them whole-bunch with nothing added, and then leaves the wine entirely alone on its primary lees for eight months or more in concrete. No racking, no fining, minimal sulphur. The result is a wine with genuine personality: a pale gold in the glass, a nose of white nectarine, pineapple, yellow apple and lifted lime zest, and a palate that's rich and layered — think lemon meringue, apricot, a hint of brioche from the lees, and a finish that's long, zesty and clean.

It's complex without being fussy, textured without being heavy. Certified organic, completely vegan, and excellent value for what's in the bottle.

Food pairings: Sea bass, hake or monkfish; shellfish; roast chicken; Thai or spicy food — the acidity cuts right through.