Top 10 wines in the US press

2013 Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc, Chile

On a search for summer dry whites, Sandra Silfven took a tour of Concha y Toro’s wine portfolio, writing in the Detroit News this week, Chile’s leading wine producer and largest exporter of Latin American wines.

She said: “Casillero del Diablo — cellar of the devil — is a dependable, value-priced line from Concha y Toro. The name came about more than 100 years ago when founder Don Melchor de Concha y Toro decided to scare off thieves raiding his wine cellars by spreading the rumor they were haunted. This Sauvignon Blanc is textbook for Chile — a pale straw-gold color; dry, crisp aromas; and flavors of herbs, gooseberry, grapefruit and pear. The tart, dry style is not for amateur palates — it suits wine geeks, especially the ones on a budget. It’s an ideal summer wine for entrée salads and seafood.”

Price: $11

2012 Trivento Reserve Torrontes,  Mendoza, Argentina

Another of Concha y Toro’s brands is Trivento whose wines are produced out of a “state-of-the-art” winery in Mendoza, Argentina. This “dazzling” 2012 reserve is made from Torrontes, Argentina’s most prominent white grape.

She said: “Torrontes is the signature white wine of Argentina — but is still slow to penetrate the American market. “A hard sell,” I have heard it described in the past. Too bad. This example from Bodega Trivento just dazzles the palate with its honeysuckle-floral notes, its crisp-tart acidity from the slam of citrus, including the dry, tangy, white-grapefruit character. I used to say Torrontes is Viognier meets Sauvignon Blanc, but this one truly is different. It’s so fruity, tart and dry, and oh so floral with just a hint of sweetness. Trivento, which means three winds, is Concha y Toro’s state-of-the-art winery in Mendoza, Argentina, where the winds are characteristic of the terroir. Pair this beauty opposite Michigan whitefish or pickerel, or lake trout.”

Price: $12

CrossBarn Chardonnay 2013, Sonoma, California

Dennis Sodomka, writing in The Augusta Chronicle, was full of praise for this “lush” Chardonnay produced by “one of the most honoured winemakers in the world”, Paul Hobbs.

He said: “Wines from Paul Hobbs Winery, Vina Cobos and other Hobbs projects can be expensive and difficult to find. But with the CrossBarn label, a Paul Hobbs wine is within reach of every wine drinker. The CrossBarn Chardonnay turned a good meal into a rollicking feast. My friend Tim brought a brisket for the main course one night. He and I put on a spicy dry rub and let it sit overnight. Then we put it on the charcoal cooker at a low temperature for about six hours. It was fork tender and great with a CrossBarn Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley that we also loved. I steamed some crab legs for the first course and thought the Chardonnay pairing with the crab was the star of the weekend.

“The Chardonnay was textured and lush, but it had enough acidity and structure to keep it from being flabby. Everything was in balance. It opened with a subtle aroma of pears and flowers. On the palate there were layers of citrus and minerals with some Fuji apples and white peach. The finish was crisp and memorable.

Price: $24 to $26

Windy Oaks Estate Terra Narro Pinot Noir 2012, Santa Cruz Mountains, California

This week Dave McIntyre, writing in The Washington Post, picked a selection of red wines which he said were perfect for drinking outdoors, including this “lovely” Pinot Noir from California’s Santa Cruz Mountains which he gave three out of three stars.

He said: “It took me a while to like this wine, which started off tart, almost sour, as though it didn’t approve of me. But then the fruit softened into a velvety cherry flavor that lingered and caressed my palate. In weight and structure it resembles a lighter Burgundy, such as a Savigny-lès-Beaune. I suggest decanting this an hour before drinking, to allow it to get comfortable.”

Price: $33

Odoardi Savuto 2012, Calabria, Italy

Another of McIntyre’s top picks was this “quirky blend” from Calabria in southern Italy which he called a “somewhat spicy wine”.

He said: “I love this type of wine, a blend of unusual grapes from an unheralded wine region, offering impeccable flavor and balance that tastes more expensive than it costs. For those keeping track of the grape varieties they’ve sampled, this includes four grapes indigenous to Calabria, in southern Italy: Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Nerello Cappuccio and Magliocco Canino, with a sploosh of the familiar Sangiovese thrown in for good measure. The result is a somewhat spicy wine with dried sour-cherry flavors and a hint of deep forest. Worth stocking up on for your late-summer cookouts.”

Price: $14

2012 Louis Michel & Fils Chablis Premier Cru “Forets”, Burgundy, France

Irene Virbila, writing in the LA Times, recommended this French Chablis which she said had notes of “honey and lemon”.

She said: “In this northern reach of Burgundy, Chardonnay takes on an entirely different character. A good Chablis, such as this premier cru “Forets” from Domaine Louis Michel, is characteristically lean and chiseled, yet has a breathtaking complexity. And always, underneath everything, 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.”

Price: $40

2012 Alois Lageder “Dolomiti” Pinot Bianco, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy

Of this Italian Pinot Bianco Virbila said: “A Pinot Bianco from South Tyrol’s brilliant, almost 200-year-old wine estate Alois Lageder. The Pinot Bianco Dolomiti is always a great buy. The grapes are grown on cooler west-facing slopes and farmed bio-dynamically, giving a wine that is crisp and clean, with aromas of apples and delicate flowers.”

Price: $13

Ravines, Finger Lakes, Dry Riesling 2013, New York

This “crisp, minerally Riesling” from the Finger Lakes of New York was Rebecca Murphy’s top pick writing in Dallas News this week – a region which she said is “thriving” with wineries “snuggled near the different lake shores to benefit from the waters that moderate the often-severe weather.”

She said: “Anyone who has visited the area knows that fine wines are to be had here. For the rest of the world, New York wines are not so easy to find. Do yourself a favor and check out this charming, crisp, dry riesling with its refreshing citrus, peachy and floral aromas and flavors that vibrate with a stony, mineral quality. Serve it with fish tacos or fresh spring rolls.

“The folks at Ravines get the grapes for this wine from three vineyard sites around Lake Seneca. Different locations with diverse soils and growing conditions provide grapes with varying levels of ripeness, flavor profiles and structure, giving complexity to the wine. Their gentle winemaking allows the fruit character to shine.”

Price: $15.99 to $17.99

2013 Domaine de Pellehaut ‘Harmonie de Gascogne’, Gascony, France

Colette Bancroft, writing in The Tampa Bay Times, recommended this French white from a wine-producing region southeast of Bordeaux which she described as a “lively blend”.

She said: “This delightful summery wine of character blends chardonnay and a smidge of Sauvignon Blanc plus a number of local grapes most of us have never heard of: Ugni Blanc, Gros Manseng Petit and Folle Blanche. Turns out they are varieties worth knowing. At about $9 at some local big box wine retailers, consider it a steal.

“This lively blend starts off with a subtle nose of pear and lime and segues into a considerably more complex, fruit-forward palate of pear, lime, pineapple, honey and a late-blooming kick of grapefruit. Overall, it is lush and balanced and delivers a lingering satisfaction compounded of bright fruit and unexpected structure.

“We tasted it alongside a dish of spaghetti with fresh shiitake mushrooms in a creamy lemon sauce and were knocked out by the pairing, finding it perfect for a warm and humid summer evening. It also will drink beautifully on its own or as an aperitif.”

Price: $9

Sterling Vineyards Vintners Collection Chardonnay 2012, Napa Valley, California

Finally Gil Lempert-Schwarz, writing for The Las Vegas Review Journal, recommended this Napa Chardonnay with a smidge of Viognier, which she said was a “clean and approachable” summer wine perfect for “barbecues, aperitifs and parties.”

He said: “This well-made Sterling Vintners Chardonnay is a pale citrine yellow with crisp clarity going out into a glass-clear to pale lemon-colored rim with medium-high viscosity.

“On the nose: It has immediate upfront crushed white fruits, like pear juice, Braeburn apples; soft peach-infused green tea, pineapple slices, vanilla custard, chalky minerals and underlying hint of lemon rind.

“On the palate: The wine reveals a flavorful balance between pears, apples and citrus on the fruit side and liquid minerals on the acidity side with lovely smoothness and a light- to medium-bodied structure that delivers a nicely balanced experience that is more commonly found in chardonnays that cost several times more. It follows through with a nice subtle finish and shows that overachieving winemaking is not dead.”

Price: $5.99