Top 10 wines in the UK press

Lustau Brandy Solera Reserva, Jerez, Spain

Easter is over and you may well be back at work, so soften the blow by making the best of these top wine selections. Writing in The Guardian, David Williams recommended this brandy de Jerez for serving alongside desserts, namely the Spanish classic, chocolate con churros.

“I can’t think of a wine from Spain – or anywhere else for that matter – that would add anything much to that café terrace classic, chocolate con churros. A deep, dark, treacly PX sherry might be sweet and thick enough to blend in a kind of fruit-and-nut edge to the chocolate, but ultimately it would be better off on its own; anything else would simply get overwhelmed. A brandy from the home of Sherry, Jerez, is another matter, though, bringing a boozy, invigorating and mouth-cleansing kick to the end-of-meal indulgence. Generally somewhat darker and more robust than Cognac, brandy de Jerez tends to be more about intensity than finesse, perhaps, but Lustau’s lustrous Solera Gran Reserva, which spends ten years ageing in old sherry casks, has a glorious complexity of sweet nutty and figgy flavours and silky softness.”

Price from: £27.50, Harvey Nichols; Berry Bros and Co

The Society’s Corbières 2013, France

“Red blends from the south of France such as Corbières work impeccably as an all-rounder with Spring lamb”, writes Olly Smith in The Daily Mail.

“You can find amazing examples for under a tenner”, he said. “For example, The Society’s Corbières 2013 is just £7.50 from thewinesociety.com and is my go-to red for an all-round lamb friendly tipple resonating perfectly with the delicate flavour of the meat and any Mediterranean herbal lavishment such as rosemary that often adorns the dish.”

Price: £7.50, thewinesociety.com

Snake + Herring High + Dry Riesling 2014 Great Southern, Australia

Susy Atkins expressed her love of Riesling writing in The Telegraph, picking a selection of her favourites from Australia and New Zealand.

Explaining her love of the variety, she said: “First there’s the beguiling, delicate, come-hither scent of white blossom, green apple and lime zest, then the palate-perking rush of mouthwatering acidity and clean, pure, citrus fruit. And the lack of oak, the elegant longevity (older rieslings taste mellow, toasty, lime-marmaladey), and of course Riesling’s versatility as a food matcher.”

Of this Australian example she said: “Gorgeously scented with lime zest and tasting like lemony-lime fruit gums, this western Aussie is bone-dry and finishes on a light floral note.”

Price: Marks & Spencer, £16

Saint Clair Riesling 2013, Marlborough, New Zealand

Another of Atkins’ recommendations was this 2013 Riesling from Marlborough in New Zealand.

“Juicy, succulent, sweetly ripe apples burst through here, and there’s a honeyed note”, she said. “Delicate, refreshing medium-dry white and only 9.5 per cent abv.”

Price: Majestic, £14.99

Tim Adams Clare Valley Riesling 2012, Australia

Completing her trio of suggestions, Atkins recommended this Tim Adams Riesling from Clare Valley.

“Adams is a top name in riesling, and he renders this dry but richly textured with a ripe flavour of lime and white peach”, she said. “A star wine for salmon.”

Price: Tesco, £10.79

Champagne Veuve Monsigny Brut NV, Champagne, France

Jamie Goode set out his recommendations for the best fizz of Spring 2015, from the finest Champagne to cheap and cheerful Cava, writing in The Express.

“Fizz equals fun when it comes to wine. Here in the UK, we represent the biggest export market for champagne, but increasingly we are falling for sparkling wines from elsewhere. Prosecco, in particular, is winning fans for its easy-going, fruity style.”

Of this NV Brut Champagne from supermarket Aldi, Goode said: “This is very cheap for Champagne, but is it any good? Yes, it’s actually lovely, with lively, focused, lemony fruit and some toastiness adding richness, as well as a hint of grapefruit pith.”

Price: £11.99, Aldi

Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference English Sparkling Brut 2007, Denbies, Surrey, UK

Goode also included Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference English Sparkling Brut in his round up of the best Spring fizz.

“This is an equal-part blend of all three main Champagne grapes, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, made by the Denbies estate in Surrey. It has a green, herby edge and tastes lively and fruity with a spring meadow sort of character.”

Price: £21, Sainsbury’s

Wakefield, Promised Land Shiraz Cabernet, Australia

A blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, this Australian red is “delicious”, “approachable” and “Age-worthy”, according to Tom Cannavan of the Huffington Post.

“Though Wakefield wines is based in the Clare Valley, this truly excellent entry level Cabernet-Shiraz is designated ‘South Australia’ so fruit could come from anywhere across that larger region. It has a nose that’s flooded with copious cassis, plum and ripe black fruit, but a lovely oak handling with cedary and tobacco touches. Only 13.5% alcohol helps give a fine natural balance, good freshness on the palate with enough spice and chocolate richness, but a roughening edge of auhentic tannin to give this a certain honesty. Balanced and savoury in an almost Bordeaux-like style, it offer extremely good quality at the price.”

Price: £7.50, The Wine Society

Palataia Pinot Noir 2012, Rheinpalz, Germany

Rose Murray Brown, writing in The Scotsman, picked eight great Pinot Noirs from Germany – a region she said was once known only for its white wines.

“Tricky as this varietal may be to grow and nurture into great wine, pinot noir (or “spatburgunder” as it is known in Germany) is the grape they all want to grow, from southern Baden up to northern Ahr region.”

Of this example from Gerd Stepp, who used to be a wine buyer for Marks & Spencer in the UK, she said: “This is a delicious, light, silky German Pinot Noir with plenty of character and complexity for the price – a great introduction to the German Spatburgunder style.”

Price: £8 each, reduced from £10, for case of 6, Marks & Spencer)

Weingut Knipser, Kalkmergel Spatburgunder 2012, Rheinpalz, Germany

Finally Murray Brown recommended this German Pinot Noir from Weingut Knipser – a winery that she said is showing “good potential”.

“In a different league to the M&S wine, this has much more depth and focus – it would compare well to Kiwi Otago pinots coming in at the same price”, she said.

Price: £24.50, www.greatwesternwine.co.uk