Top 10 wines in the US press

Dave McIntyre recommends a red wine that “shows southern France at its finest”, while Will Lyons picks out a “wonderful, quintessential summer white wine.”

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Lyons runs through his meeting with former cricket captain and wine enthusiast David Gower. The pair talked about Gower’s favourite wines and some of those that feature in his cellar at home.

Lyons wrote: “[Gower] loves Burgundy and Pinot Noir from New Zealand, but there is also a stable of rather grand Bordeaux, including his favourites, Châteaux Lynch Bages and Pontet Canet, as well as 1983 Mouton Rothschild, Lafite and Margaux.”

Meanwhile the Washington Post‘s wine writer McIntyre lists his bargain bottles for June, writing that these are his “monthly recommendations of bargain wines, priced from $9 to $13, that deliver extra value.”

Click through the following pages to find out more details about the wines recommended by these and other writers in the US press over the last week.

2011 Argyros Assyrtiko “Atlantis” Santorini/Cyclades

Bill St John, in the Chicago Tribune features Greek wine, running through grapes and wines from the Mediterranean country. He wrote of the grape Assyrtiko that its “trump card is its finely etched acidity, retained even after long ripening in intense heat.” He added: “Very often blended into it are either the white grapes Athiri or Aidani, as ways to soften Assyrtiko’s rather bracing zip.”

St John wrote of this wine: “This linear, precise white will explain why this is the Greek default fish wine; nice liquorice note; traces of Athiri and Aidani.”

Selvapiana, Chianti Rufina DOCG 2010

In the Dallas Morning News, Rebecca Murphy recommended this wine, describing Selvapiana as “one of the best wineries in Rufina.”

She added: “This wine is made primarily of Sangiovese with a smidgen of Canaiolo. It has an abundance of bright cherry and raspberry fruit with notes of liquorice and tobacco, animated by decisive acidity and finishing with dusty tannins. Enjoy it with a vegetable lasagna or platter of salumi.”

La Monacesca Verdicchio, 2010

Writing in the LA Daily News, Michael Petersen recommended this wine. He wrote: “From Marche, Italy, this wine is a bit more serious and complex than a typical Verdicchio.

“It has a very crisp acidity and a heavy mouth feel, along with floral notes and a hint of lime. This is a particularly good wine for those who want to try a less traditional white.”

Château Tour St. Bonnet, Cru Bourgeois, Medoc

Katie Kelly Bell at Forbes recommended this wine, writing: “Soft and gentle tannins compliment rich notes of dark chocolate, black cherry and warm earth.

“Underneath is a nice freshness, which invites more sipping; packed with delicious ripe fruit, this wine is a natural crowd-pleaser. A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec.”

Regis Boucabeille Les Terrasses 2012

This “organic blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan” is the wine that Dave McIntyre wrote “shows southern France at its finest: a value-priced red wine that tastes like it came from somewhere.”

He added: “In this case, somewhere is the Mediterranean coast of France, but not the glittery beaches of Provence; rather the wild, rough-and-tumble coast closer to Spain.”

Paul D Gruner Veltliner 2012

In the Washington Post, McIntyre also recommended this wine, writing: “Paul Direder is only 23, but for the past few years he has produced this consistently good example of Austria’s signature white wine. It is crisp, citrusy and refreshing, and with the litre-size bottle (a third more than the standard 750 ml), a terrific value.”

2009 Domaine René Bessac Cotes du Rhone Villages

This is one of the wines listed by Will Lyons in the Wall Street Journal, following his meeting with David Gower, to talk about the former cricketer’s favourite wines.

He wrote of this wine: “Southern Rhone and Grenache-based wines pair well with all sorts of summer dishes, from barbecues to heavier salads. This has the feel of something more expensive, with cracked black pepper and sweet juicy fruit combining to create a really interesting glass.”

Les Larmes de Pierre 2011

This is another wine recommended by the Lyons/Gower pairing in the Wall Street Journal. Lyons wrote: “A wonderful, quintessential summer white wine. Served chilled, this Loire Sauvignon Blanc – from, as Mr Gower describes, just around the corner and over the hill from Sancerre – is crisp, refreshing and bursting with bright acidity and taut fruit notes.”

2007 Da Vinci “Cantine Leonardo” Brunello di Montalcino

Fred Tasker, writing in the Miami Herald, featured wines from Tuscany and this one came “highly recommended”. Tasker described the wine as having “deep, dark red colour, aromas and flavours of black raspberries, cloves and minerals, dense, rich and smooth.”

Franciscan Estate Cuvee Sauvage Chardonnay Carneros-Napa Valley 2011

Finally, Sandrea Silfven, writing in the Detroit News, described this wine as having “body, flavour, aromas, balance.”

She added: “Drink in the scents of green apple, pear, brioche, tangerine. In the mouth, with all the oak and ageing, it still comes off graceful and lovely. The vast majority of wineries inoculate the juice with yeast to get the fermentation action. But Janet Myers at Franciscan is patient and lets the wild yeast on the skins turn the sugar to alcohol. It takes longer, but the wine has more character. This is Burgundian-style Chardonnay. Yum.”