Top 10 wines in the UK press

Astrolabe Province Pinot Gris, Marlborough, New Zealand

Damian Barr of the Sunday Times begins our collection with this Pinot Gris which is “as bright as the first properly sunny day; as green as snowdrop shoots.

“All this vigour is offset with vanilla and a long, balanced finish,” he writes.

£18, Waitrose Cellar

Ropiteau Maconige Sous La Roche, Burgundy, France

“Fresh apple – golden delicious, but not too bracing,” is how Barr sums up this wine.

“This 100% chardonnay has a touch of tarte tatin, revealing subtleties glass after glass,” he says.

£16, Waitrose Cellar

Kutch MacDougall Ranch Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California, USA 2014

Next, the Guardian‘s David Williams gives a litany of praise for this pricey Sonoma Pinot.

He writes: “Lucid, limpid, graceful and pure: Jamie Kutch’s pinot from a vineyard high up above the Pacific on the Sonoma coast is the epitome of small, or as the Americans would have it, boutique, production from one of the stars of California’s more balanced new wave.”

£46.75, Roberson

Undurraga Cauquenes Estate Viognier Roussanne Marsanne, Maule, Chile 2015

“In a country not blessed with many small producers, the rejuvenated Undurraga has been one of the more experimental of Chile’s big firms in recent years,” continues Williams, with “this superbly peachy, expressive, balanced bargain inspired by the white wines of the Rhône.”

£6.95, The Wine Society

Taittinger Brut Réserve Champagne, France NV

“Like all of the famous grandes marques of Champagne, family-owned Taittinger, the sixth-largest producer in the region, is nobody’s idea of small,” Williams writes.

“But its wines are consistently excellent, the Brut Réserve the definition of its light, racy, delicate, house style.”

Around £35, Tesco; Waitrose; Majestic

2014 La Re-Nommée, Domaine Lombard, Vin de Pays de la Drôme, France

Next, the Daily Mail‘s Matthew Jukes begins his list of “stellar” wines with this French drop that boasts an interesting back-story.

“Literally ‘The Renamed’ is a wine which used to be called ‘La Côte’, but the French authorities thought it was too similar to the mega-expensive red wine Côte-Rôtie, so they forced it to change its label.

“In spite of this it is a stunning, spicy, rich red wine – a bit like its ‘sort-of namesake’!”

£10.95, Yapp Brothers 

2014 Tesco finest* Soave Classico Superiore, Veneto, Italy 

“There is a lot going on behind the scenes in this wine”, Jukes continues.

“Behind the rather smart label lurks a sleek white which really performs.

“Made by the highly respected Cantine di Monteforte this is a shockingly well-made wine and one which deserves serious respect.”

Tesco, £6.95

2015 Zalze, Reserve Chenin Blanc, Coastal Region, South Africa 

“Pay attention because this is another terrific wine”, Jukes enthuses. “At the deal price it is very hard to beat this structured, main course white which uses a little oak in its production to underpin the gravitas of the flavour.”

£10.00, reduced to £7.50 until 5 April, Sainsbury’s

Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Marlborough 

Our final contributor, Jamie Goode of the Daily Express, picks out his favourite Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to wash away this winter blues.

“The Greywacke style is a little more powerful and intense, with a herby, almost figgy edge to the citrus and tropical fruits.”

£14.95, The Wine Society

Seresin Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Marlborough 

Finally, Goode writes: “This is a more restrained, complex, savoury type of sauvignon, with lemony brightness and some well-integrated green pepper and herb notes. It’s a great food wine.”

£15.90, The New Zealand Cellar