Top 10 wines in the UK press

Once again the weekend brought a wide selection of wines into the UK press.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Olly Smith focused on wines from emerging markets, he said: “We’re going to see a lot more of Croatian wines with their pure clean styles.

“Turkey too has a huge number of local grape varieties – Narince is a white grape I adore, creating wines as fresh as a mandarin with a twist of sexy apricot.”

In the Sunday Telegraph, Susy Atkins decided to work on matching wines with chilli dishes, she wrote: “Overall, whites and pinks worked better than reds, though Chile’s savoury Syrah proved a fine partner for a beef, chocolate and chipotle stew.

“But the real star, effortlessly partnering cheeses and hot chutneys, then matching a spiced-chocolate ganache, was an Alsace medium-sweet Gewürztraminer.”

Here’s a look through the top 10 wines from the UK press.

Côtes de Castillon 2009 (Justerini & Brooks, £11.88)

Fiona Beckett writing in The Guardian said: “Château La Grand Maye [is] a father-and-son operation that’s run out of a shed-like cellar rather than a vast chateau. Their lush, plummy Côtes de Castillon 2009 is currently £95 a case in bond (or £11.88 a bottle, once duty is paid) from Justerini & Brooks.”

Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2006 (Sainsbury’s, £20.99)

Fiona Beckett also commented on this red, “If you’re in show-off mode – and there is an ‘Oooh, ambassador, you’re spoiling me’ aspect to Saint-Émilion – try the comparatively reasonably priced Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2006 (£20.99 in 70 branches of Sainsbury’s).”

Golden Valley Grasevina 2011 (Marks & Spencer, £8.99)

Olly Smith, in the Mail on Sunday, wrote about some emerging wine markets, “Croatia is beginning to produce some absolute belters, with a good selection in Marks & Spencer, including Golden Valley Grasevina 2011, which is an outstanding, mildly aromatic white to pair with fresh crab.”

Domaine les Yeuses Vermentino IGP Pays d’Oc, France 2011 (Lea & Sandeman, £6.95, or £6.50 as part of a case of 12 bottles)

In The Observer, David Williams wrote: “London wine merchant Patrick Sandeman, who died two weeks ago, was one of the best in the business, sharing with his partner Charles Lea a rare talent for unearthing the unusual and the delicious in their handful of smart shops. This perky and pithy white typifies their approach: full of flavour and character, but cracking value, too. Salut, Patrick – you will be missed.”

Domaine Massamier La Mignarde Cuvée des Oliviers, Vin de Pays Coteaux de Peyriac, France 2011 (Berry Bros & Rudd, £7.95)

David Williams wrote that this red is, “a blend of four grape varieties that has the finesse and drinkability that you find in Bordeaux married with the warm and slightly wild flavours – spicy, herbal, dark fruit – of the deeper south.”

Toro Loco Tempranillo 2011 (Aldi, £3.59)

Going in at the budget end of the market Victoria Moore, in The Daily Telegraph, picked out this Spanish red, writing that, “this jolly, juicy tempranillo” is “bright, cheery and uncomplicated. Good for washing down pork or lamb chops — and with pizza.”

Puklavec & Friends Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (Waitrose, £8.99)

Victoria Moore was not impressed with this packaging, but it is the wine that counts, she wrote: “Here’s a wine that looks — awful bottle, and from Slovenia, for heaven’s sake — as if it’s going to be a murky-tasting turkey. It’s not. It’s much better than last year’s version — this is a streamlined, crisp, grass-grapefruit-and-lemon Sauvignon Blanc. Excellent stuff.”

Le Froglet Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Vin de France (Marks & Spencer, £4.99)

Susy Atkins in The Sunday Telegraph was looking for wines that go well with chilli dishes, writing of this white: “Lime, melon and crunchy green apple mark out this simple but refreshing French Sauvignon, a winner with mild green chilli dishes.”

Gewürztraminer ‘Les Princes Abbés’, 2009, Domaines Schlumberger, Alsace, France (Majestic, £15.99)

Susy Atkins also thought this white goes with spicy food, she said: “This medium-sweet Gewürztraminer trails rose-petals, apricots and lychees in its wake; just divine served cool with a good cheeseboard and highly spiced chutneys.”

Cepa Alegro Rioja Reserva 2006 (Sainsbury’s, £6.66 until 16 October; normally £9.99)

Finally, Terry Kirby writing in The Independent picked out this Rioja. He wrote: “From Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range, a Rioja with a decent amount of ageing, so possibly worth putting a few aside at this decent discount. Medium-bodied, but nevertheless possessing considerable power and intensity.” He added: “A fine match for vegetable dishes or pasta with tomato-based sauces.”