SEPTEMBER offers a green light for  foodies to plunder the fruits of the sea,  and school themselves on white wines to  pair with shellfish.

Our local crustacean stalls are blanketed  with rock oysters, crayfish and soft shell  crab all summer long, but native oysters  should only be eaten when there is an ‘r’  in the month.
To help you set sail with your plate of  half-a-dozen, a bright, crisp New World  riesling such as Mud House Riesling  2010, Waipara, NZ (£10.99,  www.everywine.co.uk) is the right white  with a wide range of oysters. Dry and  citrusy, the crisp acidity complements the  freshest, sweet flavours of the oysters  and at 12.5% abv, it’s a great lunch wine.
Verdelho usually signals  the fortified wines of  Madeira, but plant this  fruity grape Down  Under and it produces  intense, perfumed  whites such as De  Bortoli DB Selection  Verdelho 2009, SE  Australia (£6.69,  Waitrose). An exotic  alternative to a  chardonnay, this  blossomy, full-bodied  white just stops itself  from tipping over the  edge, and tastes  quite delicious with  seared scallops or  delicate fish dishes.
For an elegant,  fine-boned white  from the Roussanne,  Northern Rhone, try  Jean Luc Colombo  Cotes du Rhone  Blanc 2010 (£8.99,  www.luvians.com).  Made from the  rather obscure  clairette grape variety, it’s  well-rounded and minerally with a  lemony nose and nicely balanced acidity  – a terrific choice with a classic  Mediterranean-style dish such as risotto  and shellfish.
If you love the creamy richness of a  Californian chardonnay, Tesco has a fine  example that’s not overpriced. Try Finest  Sonoma Chardonnay 2009 (£9.99,  Tesco). From the Sonoma Valley, where  the grapes are blessed by the cooling  Pacific Ocean fog, it’s rich and round  with tropical fruit flavours and green  apple notes. A brilliant white that sings  out for a gourmet fish pie packed with  fruits de mer.
Steering towards classic seafood dishes  made with a firm white fish such as  skate or monkfish, try Clarendelle Blanc  2009 (£14.99, www.averys.com). A blend  of 24% sauvignon blanc, 68% semillon  and topped up with muscadelle, it won  gold at the 2011 Mondial de Bruxelles  International wine competition. A beauty  from Bordeaux, the semillon adds weight  to the blend, and it’s exceptionally fruit  forward with delicate peach aromas and  honeysuckle notes. This lively white is a  delicious aperitif on its own.
If you can’t resist a racy sauvignon blanc  with your moules marinieres or ceviche,  try the mouth-watering Matua Valley  Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Marlborough, NZ   (£15.46, www.yourfavouritewines.com).  Aromatic with a gentle explosion of ripe  guava fruit and kiwi on the mouth, this  bright, herbaceous white sings from the  glass and there’s a subtle hint of  concentrated peach on the grassy finish  -– it’s extremely pleasant.
Chile likes to turn its hand at most grapes, and Casa Marin, Cipreses Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (£17, email ledburyshop@haywines.co.uk, or call 01531 634 449) from the cool climate of San Antonio Valley was crowned Best Sauvignon Blanc from the New World at last year’s Decanter World Wine Awards. Quite an accolade for a winemaker who first opened her cellar door in 2000. Crisp with a grassy nose, delightful citric and white peach flavours, fresh acidity and a herby finish, it certainly perked up my palate - a champion choice with any type of seafood.
Let’s raise a glass to our favourite catch of the day!
BEST BUY
Vanilla sky... just when you thought the flavoured vodka market had peaked, Smirnoff has introduced Vanilla Smirnoff (£14.79, 70cl, major supermarkets). Far nicer than it sounds, its triple distilled Smirnoff No 21 has been infused with sweet vanilla bean, and it’s really rather good. Suggested serve is with cola over ice, and garnished with a wedge of fresh lime for a refreshing long drink.
LIQUID NEWS
A must for the lunch box... pop the cork on Marks & Spencer’s new sparkling sodas, and its fruity bubbles promise to deliver a taste sensation that’s ideal for daytime drinkies. Choose from Sparkling Elderflower Soda (£2.49, 75cl), Sparkling Blackcurrant Soda (£2.49, 75cl) and Sparkling Raspberry & Lemon Soda (£2.49, 75cl) for an alcohol-free tempting tipple. Available from September 5, Marks & Spencer nationwide.