Top 10 wines in the UK press

Jane MacQuitty recommends a “stunning” Chablis, while Terry Kirby suggests a Cabernet Merlot with “a voluptuous palate” to drink on Australia Day.

Writing in The Times, MacQuitty picks out a wine for her readers as a “keeper”. In recommending the Chablis, she wrote: “Domaine Laroche owns 30 hectares of premier cru Chablis vineyards, including nearly a third of Vaudevey, a big hop west of Chablis, giving this dynamic producer continuous access to some of the region’s finest grapes.

She added: “Laroche’s innovations include closing this stunning premier cru Vaudevey, from a grand Chablis vintage, with a screwcap, so all of its very fine, zingy, minerally finesse remains fresh for years.”

While in The Independent Kirby’s Australia Day tribute sees him tell his readers about “three appropriately Antipodean tipples to savour”, including a “Bordeaux-style blend from the Margaret River area in the far south-west, which similarly benefits from a cool, coastal climate”.

Find out more about these and other wines recommended in the UK press over the last week.

Aldi Italian Pinot Noir, IGT delle Venezie, 2011

David Williams, writing in The Observer, focuses his attention on finding good wines for less then £5. With this Pinot Noir from Aldi he says: “While this won’t have Burgundy’s top winemakers losing any sleep, it has a fresh and fleshy cherry-scented, pasta-friendly appeal.”

Mont St-Jean Corbières, Languedoc

Williams also suggests this wine, which is £4.99 if you buy two bottles at Majestic, and he writes: “France’s largest wine region, the Languedoc, makes a hell of a lot of wine, some of it great, much of it undistinguished but, at the two-bottle price, this sweetly black-fruited and subtly herbal red for sausages is a cut above the average local plonk.”

Charles Smith ‘Kung Fu Girl’ Riesling 2011

In the Mail on Sunday Olly Smith goes through some wines that can be enjoyed with Chinese food, writing: “In general, I’d avoid very chunky reds with lots of tannin, which risk overwhelming the glossy textures of Chinese cooking.” In terms of this Riesling he added: “Brilliant wine with a fruity wow factor that’s a fine match for dishes that have a bit of spice and/or sweetness to them. A wonder from Washington State that pairs a treat with stir-fries.”

McHenry Hohnen, 3 Amigos white 2009, Margaret River

The Daily Telegraph‘s Victoria Moore said that this wine is made “on land that has a true sense of peace”. She added: “Marsanne, Chardonnay and Roussanne are the three amigos; there’s smart oak, tight texture, a hint of cashew and peach and a gentle bloom of exotic warmth. White Burgundy lovers, try it.”

Biberius Tempranillo 2011, Ribera del Duero

Susy Atkins, writing in the Sunday Telegraph, recommended this Spanish red from the region neighbouring Rioja, saying that it “smacks of fruitcake and plum, with a note of mocha. One for lamb, slow braised or roast”.

Cape Mentelle Cabernet Merlot, 2010

This is one of the wines that Terry Kirby recommends for Saturday’s Australia Day, he wrote: “Aged in French and American oak, it has black-cherry fruit aromas, a voluptuous palate with suggestions of cedar and tar and is ideal with roasted or grilled rare red meats.”

Vermentino South Australia 2011

And for a “midweek meal” Kirby suggests this Aussie white, which he said is “another wine with a distinctly New World take, but paying due respect to the Old World”. He added that the “hot, dry climate of southern Australia emphasises the underlying spicy edge to the grapes and draws out the vegetal flavours in a very satisfying fashion”.

2009 Chablis Premier Cru Les Vaudevey, Domaine Laroche, France

Although this wine was Jane MacQuitty’s keeper, she wrote in The Times: “I couldn’t resist drinking this gorgeous, steely, floral, lemon sherbet-nipped chablis now, but its creamy, faintly white peach finish, stemming from just 15 per cent of the blend aged in oak barrels, indicates that under this closure it will go on improving and filling out for another five years at least.”

2011 Preignes Vermentino, Vin de Pays d’Oc, France

MacQuitty also recommended this French wine, telling her readers they can “perk up a cold day with this vibrant Vermentino, an Italian grape that also shines in the Midi, where this lime zest-spiked 2011 comes with a bold, juicy, citrus finish.”

Talisker, 10 Year Old, Isle of Skye Single Malt Whisky

And finally a nod to Burns night from Matthew Jukes in the Daily Mail, who this week makes a whisky recommendation rather than wine. For a Burns night dram, he suggests this drop. He wrote: “Apparently this is the finest of all malts to accompany haggis! Not having tasted this combo I cannot comment.” He added: “This is a glorious, rich, heart-warming dram with real bravado and character.”