Stars in the east: the shining lights of eastern European wine

Largely, these wines are made in small quantities and come at prices that reflect that, although Slovenia has good (mostly white) wines across a broad spectrum of price points – even Lidl has dabbled in the past. The Waitrose number in today’s pick is a blend of two international grapes, sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio, both of which can be a bit dull when they fly solo and under the £10 mark, but together, as here, they make for a zippy, nicely rounded drop. Slovenia borders the north-east Italian region of Friuli-Venezia, and the two regions’ wines have some common ground, among them the friulano grape (or sauvignonasse). The Krasno in today’s pick is well worth a try – for Slovenia, it’s a relatively big and fruity, but is still fresh – and would pair well with spice or creamy pastas or gratins as the nights start drawing in.