So which white wine is your staple purchase? Do you scour the supermarket shelves for sauvignon blanc? Is your pick of the plonks a pinot grigio? Or maybe you always choose a chardonnay?

I’m not knocking any of those varietals. Some of my favourite white wines are made with chardonnay; sauvignon can often be the perfect choice as it’s so packed with flavour. I’ve even tasted pinot grigio I would be happy to recommend, but sometimes I just want a change from the norm.

Some less popular varietals can be absolutely terrific. My favourite is Riesling, but I also love chenin blanc, especially from South Africa, and not forgetting the much underrated semillon, good examples of which age wonderfully.

There again, variety is the spice of life and there are some delights to be had that are made from varietals that perhaps are not household names. Verd Albera 2009, is a tasty unoaked Spanish white from Empordà in Catalunya. It’s made from grenache blanc and is rich with lemon sherbet, limes, floral notes and lingering flavours.

If you are a lover of sweet wines then you probably know of Hungary’s renowned Tokaji, made from the furmint grape. I’m reasonably confident that you will not have come across the varietal in it’s dry style, however.

Majestic has Royal Tokaji Dry Furmint 2007, if you are keen to try it out. It’s a flavour packed, food friendly white: toasty and bone dry, with bitter orange, peach, honey, vanilla, minerals and zesty acidity.

Marsanne, known best as one of the white Rhône varietals, is grown quite widely in Oz too. M&S has Tallarook Marsanne 2008 from the Central Victoria region. This weighty wine will age well if you are lucky enough to have a cellar, with wood varnish aromas and flavours of cashew nut, honey and mandarin orange.

• Verd Albera 2009, Empordà, £7.75 from the Wine Society 18/20.

• Royal Tokaji Dry Furmint 2007, £7.99 when you buy two at Majestic 17/20.

• Tallarook Marsanne 2008, £10.99 at M&S 16/20.