Top 10 wines in the UK press

Terry Kirby recommends “an ideal red for summer drinking”, and Rose Murray Brown MW picks out a “fantastic value red” from the Loire.

Summer is still a theme for many of the UK’s wine writers as Victoria Moore, in the Daily Telegraph, picking out a white wine that she as drinking “at home back in May when we were all still trying to pretend it was summer.” She added: “Now it’s really warm and sometimes sunny, it seems to taste even better.”

And in the Daily Mail, Matthew Jukes recommended a “lovely summer wine”, which he added, “deserves to have a permanent spot in your fridge door.”

Click through the following pages to find out more about these wines and others recommended in the UK press over the last week.

Tapada de Villar Vinho Verde 2012

This is the wine that Victoria Moore, wrote “seems to taste even better”, now “it’s really warm and sunny.” She added: “Light, fresh and slightly peachy, still, but also elegantly refreshing. Vinho Verde – this one’s a blend of Loureiro, Arinto and Trajadura – at its best.

Domaine les Yeuses Les Epices Syrah 2010

Moore also recommended this to here readers in the Daily Telegraph. She wrote: “Here’s a wine that in some vintages has a bit of a bad hair day and smells horsey. The bottle of 2010 I tried was on very fine form though: the Languedoc, still a good place to hunt for wines with authenticity and character, playing its best shot here. This Syrah is moody, in a good way, reminiscent of dark undergrowth in a forest. And spicy, as the name suggests.”

2012 Tesco Finest Gavi

This wine was picked out by both Matthew Jukes in the Daily Mail and Jane MacQuitty in The Times. Jukes wrote: “This is a very good deal on a feisty, crunchy, pear juice-scented Gavi. Perfect for drinking on its own, ice cold, or with lighter nibbles and starters this is a lovely summer wine and it deserves to have a permanent spot in your fridge door!.” MacQuitty wrote: “If I had to drink one bold, fragrant, nutty, stone-fruit-stashed Tesco Italian all summer long, it would be this gorgeous Gavi, made exclusively from the Cortese grape, which always punches well above its weight.”

2012 Secano Estate, Pinot Noir

Jukes also recommended this wine, describing it as “the finest value Pinot Noir on the shelves right now”, adding, “that makes it my pick for grouse on the Glorious Twelfth. With superb, lusty plum and blackberry fruit and a heavenly, silky texture Secano is a winner.”

2009 Hautes Côtes de Beaune Blanc, Sous Eguisons, Jean-Noël Gagnard

MacQuitty also recommended this wine, writing: “It bristles with the sort of bold, beautiful, nutty, floral, violets and hazelnut-stashed fruit that is reminiscent of the finest spots in the Côte d’Or, and is delicious summer drinking now, but will happily keep for another two to three years. Cellaring any white burgundy is risky, due to premature oxidation but, even so, this fine, tangy 2009, a rich white burgundy vintage, closed with a Stelvin screwcap for freshness, has the wherewithal to last. Check it out.”

Calusari Pinot Noir 2012

In The Guardian, Fiona Beckett admits that she is a “Pinot Noir addict”, adding that this wine “from Romania, delivers a satisfying hit of exotically dark, distinctively Pinot-ish fruit for just £5.99 at the moment from dbmwines.co.uk.”

2011 Langhe Fresia Giacomo Borgogno

In the Daily Telegraph, Hamish Anderson looked at red wines that are good for chilling. This was one of the wines he picked out, writing: “This is a versatile red just as happy at room temperature in the cooler months as with a chill on it when the sun is out. Made by one of the great traditionalists of Piedmont, it is light-bodied yet with flavours of bitter dark cherry and damson. Again, cool [best with only an hour in the fridge] rather than completely chill.”

The Crusher, Wilson Vineyard, 2011

This is the wine that Terry Kirby, in The Independent, recommended as one to enjoy with Sunday Lunch. He wrote: “The name belies the refreshing lightness of this California Pinot Noir, an ideal red for summer drinking, and at a good price for a grape which often commands a premium. A delightful blend of silky smokiness and vibrant red-berry fruits. Eat with roasted white meats, hard cheeses, or try it slightly chilled with fish such as a peppered loin of tuna.”

Bolo Godello Valdeorras 2012

Kirby picked out this as a “midweek meal” wine, writing that it is “ideal for a midweek swordfish steak or some mussels and chips.” He added: “This is made from aged Godello vines in north-west Spain. It is a more full-bodied version of the local Albariño grape, with lots of lime and lemony flavours, and here is given a little bit of complexity from some barrel-ageing, making it all quite mouth-filling and satisfying.”

Chinon 2011 Domaine de la Noblaie

Rose Murray Brown, writing in The Scotsman, also looked at which red wines worked with after a bit of time in the fridge. She picked out Cabernet Franc, writing that the grape “responds much better to chilling than its Cab Sauv cousin, as it has more perfume, a smoother texture and herby flavours. Choose examples from Chinon or Bourgeuil in the Loire, Hungary’s Villany region or Friuli in north east Italy.”

She added that this wine is “a fantastic value red from Loire’s Jerome Billard. So fresh, fragrant and bursting with ripe raspberry fruits.”