Top 10 wines in the UK press

Terrasses de Maylene St Chinian Roquebrun 2014, France

Victoria Moore, writing in The Telegraph, reviewed the latest line up of wines available at Majestic, recommending a selection of top reds for “good autumn drinking”, all priced under a tenner.

“There is a heartiness to this red blend from the Languedoc but it’s also very easy-going”, Moore said of this French red. “Made from Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre, it smells of dried herbs and chestnuts and dried figs. A classic misty autumnal red.”

Price: £7.99 down from £11.99 when you buy two, Majestic

La Font Reserva 2011, Valencia, Spain

Moore described this Spanish red as “not a subtle or sophisticated wine”, but a “bouncy ball of a red – juicy, plummy and exuberant”.

“Monastrell (Mourvèdre) gives it some dark fruit and Tempranillo give a strawberryish lift and the whole lot is aged in both French and American oak so there’s a spiciness too”

Price: £4.99 down from £7.49 when you buy two until September 28, Majestic

2014 William Hardy Shiraz, Langhorne Creek, South Australia

Mathew Jukes, writing in the Daily Mail, recommended this “hearty, smooth, spicy and luxurious Shriaz” which pays homage to Bill Hardy – a fifth generation Hardy family member celebrating his forty years in the wine business.

“The blackberry fruit has superb cinnamon detail making is a benchmark Aussie Shiraz”, he said.

Price: £9.99, reduced to £7.49 until 27 September, Morrisons; £9.99, Tesco, Asda.

2013 Chianti Colli Senesi, Campriano, Tuscany, Italy

“I have followed Campriano for a few vintages and have always been delighted with its quality and accuracy”, said Jukes of this Italian red.

“In 2013 the flavour is bold, juicy and vibrant making it the finest release I have ever tasted. There are magnums available, too (£24.40) which look absolutely incredible!”

Price: £11.45, reduced to £10.17 each for a case of 12 bottles, Haynes, Hanson & Clark tel. 020 7584 7927 & www.hhandc.co.uk

The Tea Leaf Chenin Blanc 2014, South Africa

Terry Kirby, writing for The Independent, praised this Chenin Blanc from South Africa’s Western Cape, which he described as a “wonderfully expressive and distinctive Chenin Blanc from low-yield vines”.

“Really full, ripe flavours: tropical and citrus, some honey and spice, bracingly clean on the finish”, he said. “Goes with all rich and garlicky fish dishes or spicy pork.”

The vines grow among wild rooibos tea plants. hence the name.

Price: £12, woodwinters.com; £11.25 (minimum purchase 12 bottles), nywines.co.uk

Root: 1 Carménère, Viña Ventisquero 2012, Chile

“A gorgeous, great-value Carménère from this excellent Chilean producer”, said Kirby of Viña Ventisquero’s Root: 1.

“Really luscious upfront blackberry fruit, balanced with some chocolate notes and the slightest hint of spice”, he said. “Great with all roast meat dishes, particularly a venison steak.”

Price: £7.99, Morrisons

Waitrose White Burgundy, France 2014

David Williams, writing for The Guardian, took a look around the vineyards of the Mâcon to pick out some star buys this week. Its vineyards “do not have the cachet of their northern cousins in Burgundy, but look carefully and you will be well rewarded harvest time”, he said.

“While the Côte d’Or is responsible for some of the world’s most expensive fine wines, the Mâconnais has been more about large quantities of good-value Chardonnay, of which Waitrose’s own-label from the village of Lugny, with its lemon curd and green apple flavours, subtle creaminess and sparky finish, is a quietly charming example.”

Price: £8.99

Domaine de la Croix Senaillet Mâcon-Davayé, France 2014

Continuing to sing the praises of the often overlooked Mâconnais, Williams noted that a number of the Côte d’Or’s bigger names (Lafon, Leflaive) have set up shop there, “while growers already in the region have become more ambitious”.

“As is the case throughout France, the region’s best wines tend to come from smaller appellations, such as Pouilly-Fuissé, Pouilly-Loché, Pouilly-Vinzelles, and Saint-Véran”, he said. “Here, the Mâcon’s slightly warmer climate leads to a riper but still fresh and bright style of Chardonnay than further north in wines such as the rich complex Domaine Daniel Barraud Pouilly-Fuissé Alliance-Vergisson 2013 (£19.25, Lea & Sandeman), or this luminous, crystal-clear, unoaked example from Domaine de la Croix Senaillet in the village of Davayé.”

Price: £13, L’Art du Vin

Champagne Dumangin L’Extra Brut NV

Finally Jamie Goode, writing for The Express, highlighted a number of grower Champagnes, which are made by the people that grow the grapes, rather than the big houses which blend grapes from many vineyards. Because they don’t spend a fortune on global marketing campaigns and generally operate on a much smaller scale, Goode said these Champagnes offer “brilliant value for money”.

Recommending this bottle from Champagne Dumangin, Goode said: “Unusually this Champagne is half made of the Pinot Meunier grape, with the balance split between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It’s focused and fresh with bright, lemony fruit and a hint of red apple. It has a pleasantly keen acidity and is ideal for popping at parties.”

Price: £32.50, yapp.co.uk