Top 10 wines in the US press

Domaine du Cayron Gigondas 2012, Domaine du Gour de Chaulé Gigondas Cuvée Tradition 2012 and Domaine Les Pallières Gigondas Terrasse du Diable 2011

New York Times wine critic Eric Asimov focusses his attention on Gigondas this week, picking three bottles that he promises “go very well with sweaters and the onset of chilly weather”.

As is so often the case, these may be hard to find,” he warns, but they are “among the best” from the region, he says.

“These wines are best served with hearty foods. They will go great with casseroles and meaty stews, braised dishes and lamb shanks, as well as burgers and sausages. They will flatter roast chicken. (Doesn’t every wine?) You may also want to experiment with some savoury-and-sweet combinations, like a tagine made with meat and fruit,” Asimov recommends.

Domaine Laurent Gauthier Grands Cras Morgon 2013

Dave McIntyre, writing for the Washington Post, argues that Beaujolais “is one of wine’s under-appreciated treasures”, in his latest wine recommendation. “It’s not serious. But it’s fun, delicious and a great partner to all sorts of foods,” he says.

“The ‘cru’ Beaujolais such as Morgon are worth seeking out. This one offers dark-cherry flavors with some woodsy tannins.”

Richard Rottiers Manganèse Rosé Methode Aromatique

Continuing with his round-up, McIntyre writes curiously: “Don’t think of paradigms for this wine, or you will only convince yourself you don’t like it. But with an open mind and an adventurous palate, you might appreciate its gentle fizz and sweet fruitiness.

“This is a fun wine, to be enjoyed by itself or with salty or spicy foods”, he says.

Hedges Family Estate Red Mountain 2011

Next, Dennis Sodomka takes to his in the Augusta Chronicle to recommend this “gorgeous wine full of muscle and grace, with dense tannins and well-defined acidity.”

“It could be a special-occasion wine, but it is priced so you wouldn’t feel guilty drinking it with a weekday dinner,” he says.

Continuing, Sodomka writes: “It is deep purple in colour, but not quite opaque. It is well-structured, with a nice balance of fruit and acidity. The wine is still closed, and though it is excellent now, it holds a promise of being spectacular in a few years. The winery suggests it could continue to develop for 25 years or more.”

Poizin Zinfandel 2013

Peg Melnik takes note of upcoming Halloween celebrations with her wine recommendations this week, choosing this brand for obvious reasons.

“A Halloween staple”, the wine comes “encased in a wooden coffin. It’s produced by Healdsburg’s Armida Winery and it has a great sense of humor. Uncorking this brand has become a fall rite of passage.

“The Poizin, 2013 Zinfandel has plum and bing cherry fruit with spice seething through it,” with “notes of anise and black pepper” and “good length”.

The Francis Ford Coppola Diamond Collection, 2013 Claret Cabernet Sauvignon

This bottle from Francis Ford Coppola Winery gets a “Halloween nod” from Melnik because of this tutorial:

“This wine is weighted to red fruit – raspberry and cherry – with great notes of tobacco and vanilla in the mix,” she writes.

J. Lohr Estates Los Osos Merlot Paso Robles 2013

Sandra Silfven, writing in the Detroit News, makes Merlot her grape of the week this week, with this wine displaying “bold flavors, good body and lots of well-integrated oak”.

“It has a fairly big complement of Malbec, which may account for some of the brambly fruit flavors,” she writes, continuing: “Grapes off different clones (including the introduction of Italian clones) and rootstocks were picked in various stages of ripeness for more complexity, plus the 2013 vintage in Paso Robles was spectacular.”

Rutherford Hill Merlot Napa Valley 2012

Next in her list is “this elegant pour” that is “smooth and creamy with a blast of beautiful plum, dark berry and brown cooking spice aromas.”

“Flavors are intense and concentrated,” she says, with notes of “blackberry, ripe plum, cherry, dark chocolate.”

“It’s a blend of 76 percent Merlot with 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon filled out with Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It’s fermented in stainless steel and aged in French oak,” and “it’s got so much structure it’s like a statue to Merlot.”

Chelsea Goldschmidt Merlot Alexander Valley 2013

And thirdly, Silfven is full of praise for this “majestic Merlot”. “It’s a Wow! wine” she says, “with dusty, supple tannins; creaminess; true varietal flavours with firm acidity.”

“A gentle oak influence ripples through notes of plum, red berries, cherry, spice, caramel. If you know how smooth and delicious Alexander Valley Cabs are, well, this Merlot is the same. I love it”.

BioKult Grüner Veltliner 2014

Finally, headlined as an Austrian white that’s “green”, this natural wine chosen by Michele Parente for the San Diego Union-Tribune is described as “a delightful medium-bodied white from Austria made from non-GMO and organic certified grapes, fermented in stainless steel.”

This “Grü-V”, or Grüner Veltliner, “is a great example of why this grape became so trendy a few years back: citrusy and peppery, it’s an engaging sipping or pairing wine,” says Parente.

“Sometimes referred to as an exotic version of Sauvignon Blanc, serve it at your next party and see if people even notice, or care, what’s on the label,” she says.