Top 10 wines in the US press

2012 Bridlewood Pinot Noir

Writing in the Tampa Bay Times, Colette Bancroft recommended this “long and lingering” Pinot Noir.

She said: “Pinot Noir grapes like their growing season cool and foggy and long, which is just what California’s Monterey County delivers. The good effects of that climate show nicely in the 2012 Bridlewood Pinot Noir (about $18 at supermarkets), a very food-friendly medium-bodied red.

“The elegance of this nicely balanced wine asserts itself from cork pull, its nose offering lush blackberry and ripe black cherry, together with a hint of warm spice.

“Those fruits are right up front on the tongue, with subdued coffee joining in at mid-palate. The finish is long and lingering, the notable depth of the wine persisting right through the finale. The result is a superior rendition of California Pinot Noir.

“This versatile red will pair with a wide range of foods extending beyond the usual meats, red sauces and ripe cheeses to dishes like roast chicken, sautéed sea scallops or smoked fish that might more commonly be paired with a white wine.”

Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée 2011

For Eric Asimov at the New York Times it was all about wines from the Loire Valley this week.

He was joined for this tasting by sommelier Michael Madrigale and Pascaline Lepeltier, wine director at Rouge Tomate to try four wines mostly from the 2011 vintage. 

Of the four wines tasted the panel named this La Croix Boissée from Bernard Baudry their favourite.

He said: “This is a terrific wine, year in and year out.

“Since it’s an ’11, it seems more immediately accessible than usual, but nonetheless it is a graceful, structured wine that will improve over the next few years, even if it’s not one of Baudry’s long-agers.”

2009 Bourgueil Les Perrières from Catherine & Pierre Breton

The panel thought this 2009 Cabernet Franc from Catherine and Pierre Breton had the “potential to age.”

He said: “No. 4 was another wine with the potential to age, the 2009 Bourgueil Les Perrières from Catherine & Pierre Breton, which was gorgeously aromatic with complex flavours of spicy fruit.”

Domaine de Mairan Cabernet Franc

This week Dave McIntyre’s wine column in the Washington Post was dominated by wines from the Languedoc region in France.

This “delightful” Cabernet Franc scored a respectable two and a half stars just short of an “exceptional” rating by the wine writer.

He said: “Impeccably balanced, this Cab Franc shows delightful bing cherry flavours spiced with white pepper and nutmeg.

“Ideal for casual red-meat dinners.”

Château d’Assas Classique 2011

McIntyre also recommended this 2011 red blend from Gres de Montpellier in Languedoc.

He said: “A blend of Syrah and Grenache, with an earthy component that adds extra interest, this is an excellent, hearty wine for wintry dishes and grilled fare.”

Trinchero Napa Valley Meritage Napa Valley 2010

The wines of Trinchero Family Estates were this week praised by Sandra Silfven, writing in the Detroit News.

Of this $50 Cabernet dominated blend she said: “This wine exudes the personality and passion of winemaker Mario Monticelli and vice-president of vineyard operations Hal Huffsmith.

“It’s a spectacular blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc off the Trinchero family’s vineyards in Napa Valley.

“You can just about slice it with a knife it’s so dense and intense.

“The Cabernet Sauvignon is the driver of this wine — with cassis, cherry, raspberry and dark chocolate notes.

“Petit Verdot deepens the color and complexity, while the Merlot and Cabernet Franc add more nuances in the midpalate and finish.

“It’s a bold, structured wine — still zipped up pretty tight but offering more than a snapshot of its future as it ages.”

Ménage à Trois Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast 2011, $10

At the other end of the Trinchero price spectrum was this $10 wine produced in northern California which impressed Silfven.

She said: “Like the other Ménage à Trois straight varietals, which are produced by Trinchero, this Cab impresses.

“It is medium-bodied with a wallop of bold flavours — dark berries, plum, bittersweet chocolate, and spice. Tannins gently dust the palate.

“It has firm acidity for structure.

“Nothin’ cheap about this wine!”

2012 Failla Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

Irene Virbila chose this “lithe and elegant” Californian Chardonnay as her wine of the week writing in the LA Times, which she said she would pair with raw seafood, sushi or steamed crab.

She said: “The name, pronounced FAY-la, is Sicilian, specifically that of Anne-Marie Failla, who co-owns this small winery with her husband, winemaker Ehren Jordan.

“This is a Chardonnay to drink young.

“It’s lithe and elegant with lovely aromas of pear and lemon.

“Burgundian in style, the 2012 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay was aged in just 50% French oak, and of that only 15% was new oak.

“It’s a great bottle to enjoy with oysters or clams on the half shell, with a steamed Dungeness crab or a thick slab of halibut.” 

2011 BV Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Writing in the Baltimore Sun, Michael Dresser recommended this Napa Cab which he said would go wonderfully with a beef tenderloin or rack of lamb.

He said: “BV is one of the oldest and most-respected producers of cabernet sauvignon in the Napa Valley, which counts for a lot because Napa truly is cab heaven.

“This wine is the lowest-priced in BV’s line of fine cabernets and Bordeaux-style blends, and it’s an attractive price for Napa.

“This wine has all the elements of a fine Napa cab, without the ultra-complexity and high price tag of the luxury versions.

“There are bright flavours of blackcurrant, black cherry, cassis and chocolate, with pleasant pipe tobacco aromas.

“Good now, but will age maybe five to eight years.”

 Casillero del Diablo Red Blend 2011, Chile

Finally Dennis Sodomka, writing in the Augusta Chronicle, recommended this “velvety” Chilean blend.

He said: “The Casillero del Diablo Red Blend combines Syrah, Carmenere and Cabernet Sauvignon into a delightful wine. It’s full-bodied without being heavy. The lively fruit is balanced with good acidity, leading to a long finish.

“It’s a deep, rich red-purple in the glass, with pleasant aromas of black fruit. The flavours are black cherry and plum with round but firm tannins. It has a velvety mouthfeel.

“The grapes come from the Rapel Valley, which produces about a quarter of Chile’s wines. The valley lies between the Andes and the Coastal Range mountains, protecting the vineyards from weather extremes.

“The wine is fermented in stainless-steel tanks. After blending, it is aged eight months in French and American oak. The blend is 60 percent Syrah, 25 percent Carmenere and 15 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.

“I would open the bottle at least 30 minutes before serving it.”