Top 10 wines in the UK press

Mitchell Watervale Riesling, Clare Valley 2013

The Sunday Times kicks off this week’s roundup with a selection of “subtle” Australian wines that price-wise far exceed the £5-per-bottle average. On this first pick, Damian Barr writes: “The Clare Valley is famous for its Riesling, and this is one of the best. Whiffs of pretrol – in a good way, honest – lead to sharp citrus, then rich tropical honey. Ages well.”

£11.90, Tanners Wines

Hardys HRB Chardonnay 2012

Next, leading producer Hardys makes an appearance with its HRB premium Chardonnay 2012. Barr describes this Pemberton-made wine as “fresh and vibrant”. He continues: “You get warm peach from the grapes… balanced with zesty flavours from the Yarra Valley fruit. Altogether a substantial but restrained and cooler Chardonnay.”

£18, 1853 Wine Club

Tyrrell’s Vat 9 Shiraz, Hunter Valley 2011

And the third and final choice from Barr this week is this example of the staple Aussie grape from Tyrrell’s Wines. “Bright magenta edges tempt you into deep purple, but for all the sweet berry intensity, you don’t lose yourself. There’s a subtle dry lift from new oak. Really complex, almost savoury.”

£39, The Good Wine Shop

Alvaro Castro Tinto, Dão, Portugal 2011

Next, The Guardian‘s David Williams chooses his top three examples of portuguese variety Touriga Nacional on sale in the UK today.

“Like Bergerac, Dão has often been overshadowed by its pricier neighbour, but its touriga-based blends are every bit as good,” he writes. “They tend to have more of a twang of cherry-like acidity and freshness, with the fruit a shade redder, and with a streak of herb to go with touriga’s trademark floral character.”

He describes this wine as a “suave mix of touriga, tinta roriz, alfrocheiro and jaen” from what he describes as the region’s top winemaker.

£13.75, Prohibition Wines; Noel Young Wines

Altavia Thend, Liguria, Italy 2005  

Next, showing the globetrotting abilities of the grape, Williams brings this Italian wine to our attention.

The variety is “one of a handful of Iberian grapes in the incense- and spice-inflected blend of Mazza Wines Cinque, Geographe, Western Australia 2009 (£22.50, Berry Bros), while it makes for a vivid, floral example all by itself in Vinteloper’s TN/12 from South Australia’s Langhorne Creek (£19.99, Red Squirrel),” writes Williams.

“It has even made it to Italy’s Liguria, although in tiny quantities: Altavia makes just 2,000 bottles of the country’s only, wonderfully pure and fragrant, example.”

£19.99, Red Squirrel Wine

NV Casamatta Rosso, Bibi Graetz, Tuscany, Italy 

Matthew Jukes of the Daily Mail‘s selection of top wines this week had an especially eye-catching drop in the form of this non-vintage red wine from Tuscany.

He writes: “This is an odd wine, because it is a blend of two vintages, which is very rare in top end red wine.  The result is a Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah amalgam and the name means ‘Crazy House’.  It tastes amazing with juicy red cherry fruit and long, languid finish.  In fact, while the recipe sounds bonkers it’s actually surprisingly sane!”

£11.99, Harper Wells  

Bosman, Adama, Wellington, South Africa 2013 

Next, Jukes moves south for this “heroic” South African blend.

He writes: ”  I spent a week in the Cape in September and this was one of the stand-out reds.  A heroic blend of Shiraz, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Cinsault, Viognier and Primitivo, the huge presence and intense black fruit has a dusting of coffee beans on the nose make Adama an enormous amount of wine for a tenner!

£12.49, reduced to £10.00 each if you buy two bottles until 1 February, Majestic

Tanners Claret NV

Daily Express wine writer Jamie Goode isn’t shy in this week’s column, taking on what he sees as the best of Bordeaux.

And choosing what is our second NV red of the week, he writes: “This good, solid claret is fresh and drinkable. It’s a classic Bordeaux, with an attractive chalky edge to the supple, juicy cherry and blackcurrant fruit.”

£8.40, Tanner’s Wines 

Château Greysac, Médoc, 2008 

Goode is also full of praises for the traditional style of this Médoc producer. “With minerals, spice and savouriness and nice evolution after seven years in the bottle, this is a drinkable claret that will delight traditionalists,” he says.

£14.99, Majestic

Ontañon Rioja Reserva 2005

And finally, The Independent‘s Anthony Rose is recommending this Spanish wine as the perfect accompaniment to an autumnal night in.

“This medium-bodied blend of tempranillo and graciano shows off the smokiness of Rioja,” he writes.

£13.50 – £14.95, WoodWinters; Noel Young; John Hattersley