Top 10 wines in the US press

Mouton Cadet Sauvignon Blanc Bordeaux 2012

Sandra Silfven, writing in the Detroit News, praised the wines of Mouton Cadet which she said “still delivers after all these years” in recommending this Sauvignon Blanc.

She said: “Boomers — and before them, their parents — took the step from sweet, fortified wines to dry table wines with this brand, which still today does not disappoint, and is still widely available at wine shops and better stocked supermarkets.

She added: “When people talk about White Bordeaux — this is what they are talking about — crisp, bone-dry Sauvignon Blanc from the Bordeaux region of France. This wine is priced like an entry-level white but it doesn’t act like one. It way-overdelivers for the price — and has for years. To appreciate it, you have to love this style Sauvignon Blanc — which is not for sweet palates. It’s crisp, fruity and dry. Aromas are grapefruit and gooseberry with floral, herbal notes. In the mouth, you get the tartness of grapefruit zest, green herbs, tart gooseberry fruit and a finish with good length. A perfect pour for summer. This wine was introduced by Baron Philippe de Rothschild in 1930!”

Price: $11

le Rosé de Mouton Cadet Bordeaux Rose 2013

Silfven also recommended this “crisp and dry” rosé from Mouton Cadet which she said was “redolent of cherry, raspberry and white flowers” and perfect for enjoying alongside summer salads and grilled chicken or shrimp.

She said: “The grapes are Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s made using two processes for the color — direct pressing and the saignée method in which the grapes are vatted and macerated, and the juice allowed to run off the skins — which gives this wine fine tannic structure and deepens the color. Both wines are ever so modern, regardless how long this brand by Baron Philippe de Rothschild has been around. I wish restaurants would use bottles like this for their wines by the glass!”

Price: $11

2012 Domaine Louis Michel & Fils Chablis ‘Premier Cru Forêts’, Burgundy, France

This “lean and mineral driven” Chablis was recommended by Irene Virbila writing in the LA Times.

She said: “There’s nothing like a Chablis. In this northern reach of Burgundy, Chardonnay takes on an entirely different character. A good example, such as this premier cru “Forêts” from Domaine Louis Michel, is characteristically lean and chiseled yet has a breathtaking complexity. And always, underneath everything, is a strong minerality.

“Notes of honey and lemon lead in the 2012, but there’s so much that happens from one sip to the next. That’s what makes Chablis so fascinating. Drink it with oysters, with sushi or with a beautiful piece of Tasmanian ocean trout.”

Price: About $40

Viña Borgia 2012, Bodegas Borsao, Campo de Borja DO

This Spanish red was Rebecca Murphy’s wine of the week writing in the Dallas News this week. It is produced by Bodegas Borsao who Murphy said are “Garnacha specialists” based in a designated wine region in the province of Aragon, which she said was considered to be the “original home of the Garnacha grape”.

She said: “Doesn’t the label just make you smile? And how about that price? Well, wait until you taste it. It’s 100% Grenache or, as they say in Spain, its country of origin, Garnacha. That grape’s juicy strawberry, black cherry and raspberry fruit is exuberantly supported by tangy acidity and mellow tannins. Chill it for about 20 minutes before you serve it with a burger, a side of barbecued ribs or a bowl of mac and cheese.

Price: $5.49 to $6.99

2013 Duca Garganega-Pinot Grigio, Venezie, Italy

A boxed Italian wine made the cut for Michael Dresser, writing in The Baltimore Sun, who described it as a “superb addition to American consumers’ selection of boxed wines — a format that increasingly deserves respect.”

He said: “This dry white wine is a surprisingly full-bodied blend of 80% of the little-known Italian variety Garganega and the ubiquitous Pinot Grigio. The Garganega must be the key because this wine has more character than most Pinot Grigios, with its intense nuttiness, creamy texture and hints of pear and minerals. When you consider this wine from Cantina de Soave costs about $5 per standard bottle, it’s just an insane value.”

“Serve with crabs, lobster, salmon.”

Price: $20 / 3 litres

Masi Masianco Pinot Grigio Verduzzo delle Venezie IGT 2012, Italy

Dennis Sodomka, writing for The Augusta Chronicle, recommended this “full-bodied” Pinot Grigio produced by Masi Agricola – a winery which has been owned and operated by the Boscaini family for more than 200 years.

He said: “Pinot Grigio is one of the most popular wines in America and in the world right now, and for good reason. It’s light, refreshing, good with food or alone, and it’s usually inexpensive. And it’s an easy wine to make. I like a dry Pinot Grigio in the summer, but sometimes it’s nice to drink something a little more complex, even when the temperature climbs.

“The Pinot Grigio Verduzzo delle Venezie IGT blend delivers just that. You get the fresh fruit taste of a top Pinot Grigio with a full-bodied wine of substance. The semi-dried Verduzzo grapes add a lot of complexity and depth. The straw-yellow wine starts out with pleasant tropical and citrus fruit aromas. On the palate you get refreshing tastes of peach, apricot and lemons with a little extra kick from the Verduzzo. The finish is moderately long with just a hint of honey. The way the wine is made is unique; blending freshly-picked Pinot Grigio grapes with Verduzzo grapes that are laid out on bamboo racks in drying lofts for several weeks. It is a technique used in the Veneto region for centuries, notably with Amarone.”

Price: $14-16

2011 Four Vines “Biker” Zinfandel, California, US

Colette Bancroft recommended this “jazzed up” Zinfandel from California’s Paso Robles district writing for the Tampa Bay Times – a wine blended from Grenache, Tannat, Mourvedre, Syrah and Petite Sirah.

She said: “The nose is robust and musky, with cherries, prunes, blackberries and clove accented by aromatic cedar wood. The cedar wood turns to smoke on the tongue and along with black pepper lights a fire under the aforementioned fruits. This red wine is intense throughout, but that is especially true of the long, complex, spicy finish capped by a ripe cherry finale. Overall, this zin is mouth-filling and well structured. It’s a beauty.

“When pairing, capitalize on the cedar smoke by going for Memphis-style smoked pork ribs or any robustly flavored meat or fowl dish.”

Price: $20

Red Guitar Old Vine Tempranillo Garnacha, 2011, Navarra, northern Spain

Gil Lempert-Schwarz, writing for the Las Vegas Review Journal, recommended this Spanish red made from a fairly evenly split blend of old vine Tempranillo and Garnacha grapes.

He said: “Red Guitar wine is an inky blood-red color with a pitch-black core going out into a deep purplish-red rim definition with high viscosity.

“On the nose: It is an open, inviting bouquet with layers of soft raspberry crush, black-pepper laced sauteed strawberries, vanilla bean stalk, black cherry marmalade and hints of underlying damp wood and touches of that classic spice character and white pepper from the garnacha.

“On the palate: There is a swift black fruity-juicy attack laden with smashed raspberries, strawberries drizzled with black and white peppery notes, spice components, that unmistakable hint of creamy vanilla from the American oak and very clean and rounded throughout. The midpalate is ripe with firm tannins and yet there is supple fruit and quite a polished backbone in the wine through the nice finish, making this a lovely drinking wine.”

Price: $7.99

Mittelbach Zweigelt Rosé 2013, Austria

Finally Dave McIntyre, writing for the Washington Post, recommended a number of mid-summer rosé wines to enjoy throughout the summer months adding that “real men do drink pink.”

Rating this Austrian rosé as “excellent”, McIntyre said: “This has excellent flavors of strawberry, melon and peach. This producer also makes a terrific red blend.”

Price: $13

La Remise de la Mordorée 2013, France

★ ★ 1 / 2

Lastly, McIntyre picked this “delighful” rosé from France which he gave two and a half stars rating it just short of “exceptional”.

He said: “This blend of Merlot and Marselan, a grape indigenous to southwestern France, makes a delightful rosé, with bright acidity and good fruit to balance it. Domaine de la Mordorée is a noted producer from the Rhone Valley, and its Tavel rosé is also worth seeking out.”

Price: $16