Slideshow

Top 10 wines in the UK press

10 November 2014 By Lauren Eads

Aymura Elqui Syrah Reserva 2010, Chile

Terry Kirby, writing for The Independent, recommended “three hearty high-street reds that pair well with seasonal foods.”

Of this Chilean Syrah he said: “Much New World Syrah hits the shelves far too young, but here the grapes have had time to mellow in oak barrels, while still retaining vivid black-fruit flavours, with a balanced, satisfying result. The label says good with roast duck, but pheasant or partridge would go well.”

Price: £11.99, Marks & Spencer

Evans & Tate Breathing Space 2013, Margaret River, Australia

Another of Kirby’s recommendations was this delightfully decorated bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from Aussie winemakers Evans & Tate.

He said: “From the Margaret River, where the Aussies excel at Cabernet Sauvignon, this is all about restrained power, with lots of brambly fruit flavours, distinctive tar and cedar notes and a long finish. Just the thing for the rest of the weekend’s venison casserole.”

Price: £8.99 (each for two bottles as part of a purchase of at least six mixed bottles, until 2 February 2015; normally £11.99), Majestic

Nelson Malbec 2013 New Zealand

Susy Atkins, writing in The Telegraph, implored her readers not to stick blindly to the “traditional marriage” of steak with a “ripe and juicy” glass of Malbec, but instead to branch out and try alternative pairings.

She said: “It’s true – the ripe, juicy, deliciously rounded black cherry and cassis of a medium-bodied Argentine Malbec do work brilliantly with steak, especially a simple, rare grilled fillet. This is one of the great modern classic matches and I’m not about to argue with it here. But there are other ways to enjoy Malbec, and, with many more on the high street suddenly, it is worth trying a few. For one, those steak-loving wines suit duck too.”

Of this New Zealand example she said: “It’s unusual to find Malbec in NZ’s south island but here’s one, a little lighter than most and with a fresh flavour of Victoria plums. Match with duck.”

Price: £10, Marks & Spencer

P15 Malbec 2013 Patagonia, Argentina

Another top pick was this P15 Malbec from the variety’s heartland, Argentina.

She said: “Not from Mendoza but Argentina’s southern tip, a wonderfully rounded and cherryish red, ripe but well-balanced and with a violet scent.”

Price: £11.99 or £7.99 each when you buy two until 2 February, Majestic

Celler Piñol Portal Tinto, Terra Alta 2011

Garnacha is “behind ordinary plonk and the some of the world’s greats”, according to David Williams, who recommended three very different examples writing in The Observer this week.

He said: “Garnacha’s reputation suffers for its being hidden in plain sight: the wines of two of the world’s most expensive regions, Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Rhône Valley and Priorat in Catalan Spain, have Grenache/Garnacha as their principal component but it’s rarely singled out on the label. There is also a sense that garnacha’s sweet fleshiness is best accompanied by something darker and chewier. And so the recipe for this succulent, savoury, earthy red from the highlands of southwestern Catalonia tempers Garnacha’s juiciness with Syrah, sinewy Cariñena (aka Carignan) and a dollop of plummy Merlot.”

Price: £14.45, Berry Brothers & Rudd

Yalumba The Y Series Old Bush Vine Grenache, Barossa, Australia 2013

This Australian Garnacha got top marks from Williams who said it was a “sumptuous, pepper-seasoned” example which was “stunning value” at £11.99.

He said: “Grenache is naturally suited to many regions in Australia and it was widely planted there until the 1980s, when much of it was replaced by Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, or lost altogether. Some growers had the foresight to hang on to their often very old vines, and it’s increasingly easy to find bottles where they’ve been put to use in solo Grenache bottlings. Among the producers I’ve enjoyed recently are Teusner, Ochota Barrels, d’Arenberg and Langemil. And Yalumba’s sumptuous pepper-seasoned example from 30- to 70-year-old vines is stunning value.”

He said: £11.99, Tesco

Quinta de Couselo ‘Rosal’ Rias Baixas 2013

As Tapas continuous to gain prominence and credibility, as proven with the launch of the UK’s first tapas bar guide, Fiona Beckett, writing for The Guardian, picked a selection of wines perfect for enjoying alongside the Spanish speciality.

She said: “The recent award of a Michelin star to the London tapas bar Barrafina and the publication of the UK’s first tapas bar guide underlines the fact that over here tapas has morphed into more than just a snack. While in many areas of Spain you still drop into a bar for a particular speciality or other, here tapas is seen more in terms of miniaturised Spanish food; it’s also a really simple way to feed friends at home.”

She said: “If you’re in the mood for seafood-based tapas, there are plenty of good Spanish whites around, albariño being the fashionable front runner, though in my book it’s well worth paying a little extra for the classy Quinta de Couselo ‘Rosal’ Rias Baixas 2013 which includes a smattering of other local grapes.”

Price: £14.99 Old Bridge Wine Shop

Juve y Camps Brut Nature Gran Reserva 2010

Beckett also recommended this Cava, a style she said went especially well with “anything deep-fried”.

She said: “I loved the unusually dry Juve y Camps Brut Nature Gran Reserva 2010 that I came across in Barcelona recently. That vintage is not yet available in the UK, but winedown.co.uk has the 2008 at £15.25 a bottle, so long as you buy a case. And the Wine Society’s elegant, fresh-tasting Cava Reserva Brut is an absolute bargain.”

Price: £8.50, Wine Society

Lascar Carmenére 2013

Olly Smith, writing for the Daily Mail, picked out a selection of wines perfectly suited to this time of year when the nights start to draw in and “comfort food rules”. This, he says, is when Carmenére, the “champion of Chile”, really comes into its own.

He said: “When Carmenère is given the royal treatment and ripened to perfection, it creates sleek deep reds like a blueberry so mellow that, if it could sing, it’d sound like Barry White crooning in a steaming jacuzzi. It pays to know the better producers. Look out for De Martino, whose winemaker Marcelo Retamal is fabulous at bringing out its gentle warming spice while avoiding green and bitter edges.”

In recommending this Chilean Carmenére he said: “Sleek and easy with dark fruit flavours and a mellow spicy twist. Spot on for a warming stew.”

Price: £5.75, Wine Society