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Slideshow
Top 10 wines in the UK press
Val de Pedron Monastrell 2012 Alicante, Spain
Among Victoria Moore’s recommendations this week, Writing in The Telegraph, was this Mouvédre wine from Spain.
She said: “Monastrell – Mourvèdre, in France – often tastes dark and black, filled with tannin and a slight rustic riffle. This one is very smooth and relaxed, ripe and comfortable.
“It has a little bit of oak – French – and is rounded out with 5% Syrah. An easy-going Spanish red like this makes a good accompaniment to slow-cooked lamb or a meaty fish like tuna.”
Price: £7.99, Marks & Spencer
Zalze 2012, South Africa
Sticking with Mouvédre, another of Moore’s recommendations was this 2012 South African blend of Shiraz, Mourvèdre and Viognier.
She said: “Bursting with life and intensity, this is a full-flavoured blend of two red and one white grape from South Africa.
“The white adds a subtle fragrance and lift, somehow giving the other two grapes a bit more space to move in. Slightly smoky with lots of black fruit. Very good at this discounted price.”
Price: £5.99 down from £7.99, Waitrose.
Godello, As Caixas 2012, Spain
Lastly Moore picked out this Godello white produced in the north-west of Spain.
She said: “A second Spanish wine, this one white, made in north-west Spain from the increasingly fashionable Godello, which tastes of ripe pears and white blossom.
“Think of this as an Iberian chablis, smooth and buoyant in texture and refreshing to boot.”
Price: £9.99 or £7.99 when you buy two, Majestic.
Tenute Fiorebelli Cabaletta, Veneto, Italy 2011
It was all about Italian wines for David Williams this week, writing in The Observer. He picked out three “premier league” wines from the country’s “second division” including wines from lesser known regions that he felt deserved some attention.
Among them was this 2011 red from the Veneto.
He said: “There are few greater pleasures in the kitchen than the successful use of leftovers, that profound sense of satisfaction and thrift you get when you manage to make four or five meals from a single chicken (Sunday roast, stock, pâté, sandwiches and curry), or find a recipe to use up that stale bread. I sometimes wonder if the winemakers of the Valpolicella zone near Verona in northeast Italy feel the same way on a much bigger scale when they use the skins leftover from the production of amarone – the hefty, bittersweet red they make entirely from desiccated grapes – to bring texture and depth to wines known as Ripasso.
“In many cases I prefer the supposedly lesser (and much cheaper) wines: Torre del Falasco Vapolicella Superiore Ripasso 2011, for example, is a happy mid-point between the simple cherry freshness of straight Valpolicella and the brooding, raisiny weight of amarone. Equally good is the Ripasso-inspired Cabaletta, which takes things a stage further by blending 30% dried grapes with 70% conventional (rather than passing young wine over leftover dried-grape skins) for a vivacious red of dark cherry and damson depths.”
Price: £8.99, thewinecompany.co.uk
Collemattoni Rosso di Montalcino, 2010, Italy
Another of Williams’ favourite was this Tuscan rosso di Montalcino made from the Sangiovese grape.
He said: “There was something thrifty, too, about the creation of the Rosso di Montalcino appellation (or denominazione) in central Tuscany in 1983. Covering the same area around the village of Montalcino as the prestigious Brunello di Montalcino, and based on the same grape variety (Sangiovese Grosso), rosso was designed for producers to mop up the fruit or wine that wasn’t quite right for their brunello.
“The winemaking restrictions are not so strict – a rosso can be released a year after harvest, brunello after five years – and the wines are considerably less tannic and more approachable – not to say cheaper – when they’re released. As with the Ripasso wines of the Veneto, I find it makes more sense to think of the better rosso as different rather than lesser bottlings. So, if I had the budget and patience, I’d enjoy the supple succulence of Collemattoni’s rosso now while waiting for the same producer’s gorgeously aromatic Brunello 2008.”
Price: £31.95, Lea & Sandeman
Henriques & Henriques Three-year-old Full Rich NV, Madeira
Some of the best Madeira wines were given a showing by Hamish Anderson this week, writing in The Telegraph.
He said: “Every year there is one wine I promise myself to drink more of, and 2014 is the year of Madeira. As the name implies this is the sweet version. Serve cold and revel in its intense flavours of raisin, dark brown sugar and fig. Like all Madeira this will stay fresh, open, for months.”
Price: £10.49, Waitrose
Barbeito Boal Reserva NV, Madeira
Another favourite was this Barbeito Boal Reserva NV which he described as having a taste reminiscent of “Christmas pudding.”
He said: “Barbeito deals in small volumes, focusing solely on quality. The Boal grape makes medium-sweet wines that are my favourite expression of Madeira’s characteristics.
“This one is dominated by rich toasted nuts and Christmas pudding, but there is also an admirable blast of zesty acidity that keeps you coming back for another sip.”
Price: £13, Oddbins.
Waiheke Island Man O’War Dreadnought Syrah 2009
Rose Murray Brown, writing in The Scotsman, named this Syrah from Waiheke Island in New Zealand as her star buy this week.
Syrah, she said, is currently “causing a stir” in New Zealand and thriving in the country’s cool climate.
She said: “The main sweet Syrah spot is the Gimblett Gravels area of Hawkes Bay, near Napier: where more than 70 per cent of Kiwi Syrah is planted. Now the holy grail of Syrah worshippers, it produces exciting wines including Craggy Range Le Sol, Trinity Hill Homage, Vidal Legacy, Villa Maria Reserve, Sacred Hill and Coopers Creek Reserve. Some like top producer Bilancia’s La Collina add a drop of white viognier (à la Rhône) to enhance aromas.”
Of this 2009 Syrah from Man O’War she said: “My current joint favourite Kiwi Syrah from steep hillside plantings on stunning Waiheke: fleshy ripeness, savoury edge; very impressive effort in 2009 vintage from Man O’ War winemaker Duncan McTavish.”
Domain Road Pinot Noir 2010, Central Otago
Jamie Good, writing in the Express, also chose to highlight the merits of New Zealand wine picking some good value alternatives to the country’s flagship Sauvignon Blanc variety.
Price: £16.95, slurp.co.uk
Waimea Estate Pinot Gris 2012, Nelson
The Waimea Estate on New Zealand’s south Island was founded in the early nineties and specialises in Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir.
Of this 2012 varietal Goode said: “This is a tasty, full-flavoured pinot gris from the small but lovely wine region of Nelson. It’s richly textured and rounded with sweet pear, grape and melon fruit, as well as baked apple and spice.”
Price: £13.49, Majestic.