A Couple of Zippy Whites: Benaza Godello and Huards Cheverny

As the weather warms up, a couple of zippy whites may be in order. I’ve had both of these recently, and they struck me for being built on lean, acid cores but with slightly more weight roundness on the finish than your average summer sipper. It’s kind of like sauvignon blanc meets chardonnay — and in the case of Domaine des Huards, that’s exactly what it is! From the Cheverny appellation in the eastern Loire, the deliciously refreshing, wonderfully minerally wine is 85 percent sauvignon with 15 percent chardonnay. The 2008 balances citrusy acidity with a wet rocky quality beautifully; the 2009, of which I had a tasting-sized pour a couple of weeks later, seemed to have even more crackling acidity (about $16). For all the Tintin lovers out there, the chateau that adorns the label, Chateau Cheverny, served as the model for Captain Haddock’s country house.

The Benaza Godello (about $12) is good, clean fun because it takes a grape from Galicia that few people have heard of and then wins them over in the glass. Again, good acidity with a bit more roundness, perhaps from two months on the lees, perhaps from a dollop of the treixadura grape that is blended in, or perhaps from the 30- to 50-year-old vines themselves. Chill and serve with seafood on the deck. Also of note: the Benaza red made from the mencia grape is a pretty tasty value as well.