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Slideshow
Top 10 wines in the US press
Château Gontey Grand Cru 2010
Dave McIntyre, writing in the Washington Post, recommended a number of affordable Bordeauxs this week including this Château Gontey Grand Cru from Saint-Émilion which he rated “exceptional.”
He said: “I couldn’t resist throwing in a Grand Cru from Saint-Émilion, on the right bank, as well as a Sancerre, for a white wine change of pace.
“This heady Merlot, with 20 percent Cabernet Franc, is available primarily in restaurants, but it’s also worth finding for a special dinner at home or even for your cellar. It is rich, dark and brooding at first, but after an hour or so it comes alive with intense cherry fruit. (I suggest decanting). It’s modern in style; the extract and soft tannins grab your palate and hold on.”
Price: $38
Cru Monplaisir 2010
Slightly cheaper was this Bordeaux Supérieur which McIntyre gave two and and a half stars, just short of “exceptional.”
He said: “This blend of Merlot with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc is fresh and lively in a fashion that most New World wines, overdressed in oak, do not achieve at this price point.”
Price: $20
Fifty Shades of Grey Red Satin California 2010, $17.99
A gimmick? Perhaps. But Sandra Silfven, writing in the Detroit News, thinks these wines created by the author of the racy “Fifty Shades of Grey” novels, are “well-made blends with serious tastes and sophisticated labels.”
Author E L James, a self confessed wine enthusiast, personally collaborated with California’s north coast appellation winemakers to create the blends.
Of the “red satin” variety, made from Petite Sirah and Syrah. she said: “Petite Sirah and Syrah combine for this decadent and decidedly dry, fruit-packed red beauty. Think black cherry, blackberry, plum, cocoa powder, spice and creamy caramel. It has a seamless infusion of oak and silken tannins.”
Price: $17.99
Fifty Shades of Grey White Silk California 2012,
Of the “white silk” variety, made from Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurztraminer, she said: “Zesty, crisp, dry and aromatic: The floral, lichee nut character of Gewurztraminer marries with the citrus, herbal, mineral tones of Sauvignon Blanc.
“It’s a divine match-up with good body and balance. The Gewurz is ever so subtle, but ever so effective in creating the charm of this wine.”
Price: $17.99
Dr. Loosen’s “Blue Slate” Riesling Kabinett 2012
Arising from a need of use up three pork shanks she had in her freezer, Irene Virblia, writing in the LA Times, was inspired to recommend this German Riesling as a perfect pairing.
She said: “If you’re wondering why on earth I would serve a white wine with pork, you’re not alone. No rule says you can’t drink white wine with meat—especially pork—but many people believe it anyway.
“Since the pork shanks are roasted with caraway seeds (and glazed with dark beer), the meat, served shredded off the bone like pulled pork, has a sweet, spicy edge to it and an enticing caramelised crust. As a contrast, the sauerkraut, cooked with onions and a little white wine, has a nervy tang. And against those flavours, the Loosen Kabinett rides in like a champion surfer who’s caught a big wave.
“Definitely not trocken or dry, the Riesling is both sweet and tart, a little flirty, and a marvellous match for both the dense stolid pork and the racier sauerkraut.”
2011 David Sterza Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso
Virblia also recommended this “vibrant” 2011 David Sterza from Italy as her ‘wine of the week’, calling it a “wonderful everyday wine for less than $20.”
She said: “From the David Sterza winery in the village of Fumane outside Valpolicella comes this vibrant Valpolicella Classico Ripasso. When Sterza inherited the family estate in 1998, he opted not to sell the grapes, as his family had done for generations, but to make and bottle his own wine. Good move: Sterza is producing terrific Amarone and Valpolicella, both great values.
“Amarone almost demands an important occasion. Valpolicella does not. It’s a wonderful everyday wine for less than $20. Fresh and vivid, it tastes of ripe dark berries, earth and smoke. Lovely drinking now, with a wild mushroom risotto, roasted guinea hen or duck, grilled sausages or braised meats.”
Price: About $18
Zenato, Valpolicella Superiore Ripassa 2009
Writing in the Dallas Morning News, Rebecca Murphy recommended this 2009 Valpolicella-style wine which she described as a “voluptuous wine with rich, black cherry and raspberry” favours, layered with “anise, tobacco and dried cherries.”
She said: “It is full and warm in the mouth, with the ripe fruit nicely balanced with zesty acidity and polished tannins. Serve it with wild mushroom risotto or a steamy lamb stew.
“Valpolicella comes from the Veneto region of northeastern Italy, home to the town of Verona, which was the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
“The wine is usually made from a combination of indigenous grape varieties, in this case Corvina, Rondinella and Oseleta. Ripassa is the Zenato family’s version of a style of Valpolicella that goes through a second fermentation with the skins and seeds of a recently fermented amarone, made from dried grapes. It gives this wine its richness and dried fruit aromas and flavors, perfect for stealing your valentine’s heart.”
Price: $25.99 to $32.99
2011 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Merlot
Michael Dresser chose this “smooth, suave and sophisticated” Californian Merlot writing in the Baltimore Sun this week, which he said would go perfectly with a rack of lamb of duck. .
He said: “This is a smooth, suave, sophisticated merlot from a highly commercial winery that I can’t help admiring.
“This is an ideal restaurant red — full-bodied enough to match with serious food, but perfectly ready yo be drunk now. It offers intense black cherry fruit, with subtle herbal notes, and admirable persistence and finish.
“It just goes down real easy.”
Price: $24
2012 Tablao from Bodegas Pagos de Aráiz
Colette Bancroft, writing in the Tampa Bay Times, recommended this Spanish red from the Navarra region.
Taking its name from the Spanish for a cafe featuring Flamenco dancing, she said it was a “lively blend” of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon which resulted in a “pleasing structure and velvety mouthfeel.”
She said: “The top note on the nose of this deep purple wine is fig, tempered by stone fruits, most notably cherry. On the tongue the dominant flavour is fig jam, denoting not sweetness but intensity of flavour. Cherry is there, too, together with clove and cinnamon accents, maybe even a whisper of liquorice. The finish is long and satisfying, with a bit of black pepper kicking in at the finale.
“The first food that comes to mind for pairing with this lusty red is lamb, whether as good and garlicky lamb chops or in a spicy merguez sausage. It also will harmonise with roast duck and with charcuterie or perhaps a Greek gyro sandwich.”
Yellow Tail Moscato NV, Australia
In a list dominated by reds this week, it is refreshing to see Dennis Sodomka, of the Augusta Chronicle, recommend this Australian Moscato.
He said: “The Moscato, one of the more recent additions to the Yellow Tail lineup, is especially appealing. Besides the crisp, fresh taste, it has a slight fizz, which is typical of Moscato.
This is a good option if you are not sure you like wine, or if you like lighter, sweeter wines. The Yellow Tail has a lightly fruity aroma, with tastes of peaches, raisins and tropical fruit. The bubbles don’t last long, but they do give the wine a nice fizz.
“Even if you don’t like sweet wines, you will love this wine. It has a clean, crisp finish without the heavy tastes of some sweet wines. And at 7.5 percent alcohol you don’t have to worry about how much you drink.”
He recommended pairing it with a spicy Asian or Latin American dish.
Price: $6 – $9