WineHandpicked by IWSC

Top 5 island wines

As part of a new initiative, each week we’re choosing a category from which we’ll pick five top-rated IWSC wines or spirits. This week: island wines

Words by IWSC experts

Argyros estate with blue skies and green vines on display
Handpicked by IWSC

As part of a new initiative, #HandpickedDrinks, each week we’ll be posting a daily IWSC top-rated wine or spirit on Twitter, selected from a range of diverse categories. It’s our way of providing a bit of inspiration for lockdown imbibing.

Our inaugural category is island wines. Islands are the source of some of the world’s most exciting wines, through a combination of particular conditions, from volcanic soils to cool sea breezes, which create fresh, mineral flavours; they can also provide a fine climate for sparkling wine. See below for your weekly round-up of our five picks.

We start off our recommendations on our home soils of the UK, where Langham Winery makes its fizz from 100% Chardonnay on the chalky soils of Dorset, England. Next up is a Vermentino from Nuraghe Crabioni on the Italian island of Sardinia, before we hop over to Sicily for a glass of Nerello Cappuccio – an ancient Italian red grape variety reinvigorated by family estate Barbadoro.

Our tour takes us to Santorini next – and Estate Argyros’ signature Assyrtiko, crafted from vines up to 200-years-old on volcanic soil. And finally, to the northern coast of Tasmania, Australia, where House of Arras produces a range of exceptional sparkling wines under the country’s most recognised sparkling winemaker, English-born Ed Carr.

From the UK to Australia, there are a host of brilliant island wines to be found the world over: check out our selection and start discovering.

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