We’re following on from our Every Day Drinking Dozen theme with something a little more white wine focused: the first of two packs dedicated to wines built for the cellar. This six–bottle collection is all about white wines that offer remarkable value now, yet have the structure and pedigree to reward 5–10 years in the cellar (or boxed up under the stairs) and in some cases, much longer. None of these will break the bank, but all will grow in complexity and depth with time.

Naturally, Riesling takes pride of place — few whites age as gracefully and as well. We’ve included Jim Barry’s Florita, a single–vineyard gem that has never failed to shine even with decades of bottle age. Trust us, we've seen plenty older versions and this wine and they are cracking! Alongside that Gunderloch’s brilliant Rheinhessen Riesling, racy, textural, and one of the region's finest. From closer to home, Brokenwood Hunter Semillon brings Australia’s most iconic age–worthy white into the mix — crisp and electric in youth, yet destined to evolve into something toasty, complex, and long–lived. Chenin Blanc is another secret weapon that isn't talked about nearly enough, and the Rocher des Violettes from Loire wunderkind  Xavier Weisskopf is set to dazzle as it transforms over time, layering in waxy, honeyed, nougat richness.

For something Rhône–inspired, Yangarra’s Ovitelli Blanc shows just how far McLaren Vale whites have come. Best known for their Grenache, Yangarra is making waves with whites too, and this bottling is vibrant now but primed for years in the cellar. And finally, the jewel of the set: Doisy-Daëne’s 2020 Sauternes. Lush, unctuous, and packed with tropical fruit and florals, it’s a safe bet to outlast most, developing into a heady, luxurious treasure over not just years but decades.

This is a line–up of six whites that deliver both immediate drinking pleasure and incredible ageability. Whether you tuck them under the bed for a few years or stash them away in the cellar, these are wines that punch well above their price tag and will reward every moment of patience.

SPECIAL VALUE - Made exclusively from hand-picked fruit sourced across the valley, this wine offers incredible value with its pure, lemony fruit, palate breadth, freshness and length. Ever-dependable and deeply satisfying, it stands out as one of the region's best buys. Gorgeous in its youth, with lime blossom and green apple notes, it will reward careful cellaring, unveiling toast and flint characters over time. (95) TONI PATERSON, Halliday Wine Companion 

I really like the 2024 vintage for Hunter Semillon. A fair pop of flavour, though they also have a bit more grip than is usual (or at least many do).

Juicy, white nectarine, lemongrass, a bit of spice, lime rind. Bright, fruity, sherbetty, a fair bit of flavour here, citrus and green apple, with a light floral finish of excellent length. Delicious. Very much an each way bet for drinking or cellaring, though it’s kind of hard to resist as a young wine. (93) GARY WALSH, The Wine Front

Very light straw colour; reserved, shy and very dry aromas of straw/hay and dried flowers and herbs, lots of aromas happening here. In the mouth, it's light bodied, soft textured and gently grapy, with a little sweetness to the fruit, as opposed to the more classic bone-dry style. Fresh acidity. Delicious and very accessible in its extreme youth. HUON HOOKE, The Real Review

Palest of lemon hues, water-white at the rim. Lime curd, pastry and quartz aromas. A delightful palate with sweet lime notes, white flowers and a sense of seaspray minerality. Lots of complexity yet all seamless and flowing with great length. It remains balanced and poised right to the fine, lingering finish. Amazing value.  (95) STUART KNOX, The Real Review

480 meters above sea level. And let me just say, while I don’t go into politics too much, I reckon I need a stiff drink tonight! 

I reckon Lodge Hill often has something of a lavender perfume and this does too. Juicy lime and grapefruit, aniseed, lemongrass and plenty of spice, like cardamon in an exotic way. It’s bright and crunchy, a firm almost white peppery feel to texture, with a lime zest and tonic finish of good length. A little too spicy and rugged, perhaps, but very good. I think this wine will turn the corner with a few more years under its belt. (93+) GARY WALSH. The Wine Front

A radically cool and delicate riesling for Rheinhessen, where generosity is more or less the rule. Sleek and light-bodied, but with a wonderful racy energy and wet stone mineralty that together make this feel much drier than it really is. Long, extremely clean, lightly spritzy finish. From organically grown grapes with FairChoice certification. Drink or hold. Screw cap. (93) STUART PIGGOT, JamesSuckling.com

The 2023 Riesling Jean Baptiste Kabinett, named after the founder of the estate, is almost exclusively picked in the Pettenthal. It was harvested from lower parcels, with deeper soils and a slight easterly aspect, meaning earlier shade in the afternoon and at the very top. The 2023 crackles with flinty reduction, crushed nettle and a superbly pure overtone of lemon zest. The palate brings the full force of stone and savory iron oxide. It’s off-dry, playing off that mineral saltiness with red apple ripeness, always underlined by citrus. This is wonderfully captured, with real tension, energy and excitement. Lovely and totally lip-smacking, it balances 28 g/L of residual sweetness with just under 10 g/L of acidity—the latter makes this totally dangerous. (Off-dry). (93) ANNE KREBIEHL MW, Vinous 

The 2022 Montlouis-sur-Loire Touche-Mitaine is an aromatically restrained style that focuses more on the lemon, mineral side of Chenin Blanc, displaying notes of autolysis from a year on lees and creaminess through the mid-palate. It’s rather nicely made—hands-off and with delicate juice. The 2022 spent a year maturing in very old 228-liter barrels, allowing the purity of fruit to shine and shaping its edges. REBECCA GIBB MW, Vinous 

Rocher des Violettes is one of the Loire Valley’s most exciting producers, founded by young and talented winemaker Xavier Weisskopf. After training in Chablis and working with Louis Barruol at Château de Saint Cosme in Gigondas, Xavier struck out on his own in Montlouis-sur-Loire in 2005, determined to reveal the true potential of Chenin Blanc from this historic but often overlooked appellation. His approach is uncompromising: old-vine parcels (many planted in the 1930s and ’50s), organic farming, low yields, and a gentle, low-intervention touch in the cellar. The results are wines of remarkable purity and energy, balancing crystalline freshness with the textural depth and age-worthiness that make Chenin one of the world’s great white grapes.

From original '46 vines next to the High Sands block. The '23 grenache wines are very pale in the glass, and they are all a degree lighter in alcohol due to the cool year (one I love). A vintage like this really illustrates the kinship with the avant-garde grenache of Gredos, and with Barbaresco, and refined Etna Rosso (Girolamo Russo in particular), rather than almost anything from the Rhône. Savoury, dried red fruits, cranberry, cherry and redcurrant, warm terracotta, bergamot, potpourri, sumac, ground cinnamon, star anise, so tightly coiled, but also tensile, finely expansive in its flavour delivery. There's tension aplenty, and it promises to unfurl over a long life. Superb. (97) MARCUS ELLIS, winecompanion.com 

Pale lemon-gold in color, the 2020 Doisy Daëne shoots from the glass with vibrant scents of lime cordial, orange blossoms and preserved ginger, plus suggestions of wild mushrooms, honey-drizzled pears and nutmeg. The palate is seductively rich and viscous with a beautifully balanced backbone of acidity and loads of earth and spice accents complementing the preserved citrus flavors, finishing long, lifted and lively. A very impressive achievement! (94-96) LISA PEROTTI-BROWN, The Wine Advocate

The 2020 Doisy-Daëne has a tightly coiled but complex bouquet, with touches of melted candle wax infusing the honeyed fruit. There is just a hint of oak to be absorbed. The palate is well balanced, with a harmonious, viscous opening, a silver bead of acidity and well-integrated wood. The pedigree of this Sauternes comes through on the finish. Excellent, but it needs time. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (95) NEAL MARTIN, Vinous

Mangoes, peaches, lemon pie and honey on the nose. Hint of mushrooms. It’s medium-bodied with excellent balance and a savory element to the sweet tropical fruit. Gorgeous length. Drink or hold. (94) CLAIRE NESBITT, JamesSuckling.com