Top 10 wines in the UK press

Parrilla Malbec 2013 Viñalba, Mendoza

The Sunday Times‘ Damien Barr starts this week’s round-up with a selection of South American wines to get you into a Tango. The wines are his top picks from the recent Mercado Andino tasting in London’s Spitalfields last month, which showcased the best of Chilean and Argentine wine.

“A parilla is an Argentine grill perfect for steak”, Barr informs us, “and that’s exactly what this [wine] is. Los yourself in its damson depths. the fast, dry finish won’t drown your sirloin,” he assures, but warns against pairing it with fillet.

EQ Syrah 2012 Matetic Vineyards, San Antonio Valley

“Fresh roses in a bridal bouquet offer a gentleness that belies clove depths,” Barr writes of this next pick. “A deserved multi-award-winner that’s almost savoury but never boorish”, he is full of praises for this £20 Syrah.

EQ Coastal Sauvignon Blanc 2014 Matetic Vineyards

And with another choice from the same producer, Barr opts for a white option from the famously red-producing region. “Sit up straight for sharp lime flowers before giving in to a hint of papaya,” he writes. “This shining star of the Casablanca Valley is underpinned by slate and stone.”

Aldi The Exquisite Collection Clare Valley Riesling, Australia 2014

A big contribution is being made to this week’s collection by David Williams from The Guardian as he takes the challenge of rounding up his best reds, whites and sparklers at different price points for the all-important (and fast-approaching) Christmas period.

Listing this wine as a “star buy”, Williams writes: “Few wines are more invigoratingly direct and thirst quenching than the dry Rieslings made in South Australia’s Clare Valley. Generally speaking you have to pay more than a tenner for the pleasure, but Aldi’s own label captures the trademark hit of lime juice and citrus pith beautifully at a bargain price [£6.99]”

Querciabella Chianti Classico, Italy 2006

From the reds, Williams has his eye on this £19 Chianti Classico available from Waitrose. “Time has brought a savoury-truffle character, a touch of tobacco leaf, delicious red cherry and fine tannins to a very smart wine for the main festive event,” he writes.

RL Legras Blanc de Blancs Brut Grand Cru Chouilly

“A 100% Chardonnay by the smaller house-cum-grower RL Legras, using fruit from the grand cru-rated village of Chouilly, this is just fabulous value [£28.50, Lea & Sandeman] for this level of quality”, Williams writes of his favourite Christmas sparkler.

He describes it as a “luminous, pristine fizz with laser-guided acidity and an invigorating interplay of lemon and green apple fruit and more savoury yeasty flavours.”

Aldi The Exquisite Collection Shiraz 2014, South Eastern Australia 

Next, Susy Atkins takes to her Telegraph column to rave about Australian reds this week. This wine – another from Aldi’s Exquisite Collection – has “proper warm-climate richness; concentrated blackberry fruit and a sprinkling of clove and black pepper,” which she recommends as a match with “big-hearted food”.

Winemakers’ Selection Petit Verdot 2013, Riverland, South Australia 

Described as “juicy and characterful”, this wine has “soft layers of red liquorice, mocha and ripe raspberry,” which Atkins says “works well with spiced lamb.” 

2014 Wine Atlas Marzemino, Trentino

And our final contributor is Anthony Rose, who chooses the second Wine Atlas bottle from Asda to feature in this week’s collection. “The new vintage from this distinctive north Italian grape is bright in berry fruit aromas with a juicy cherryish flavour,” he says. 

2013 Juliénas, Domaine du Clos Fief, Michel Tête

Finally, this Gamay from the Beaujolais cru of Juliénas is “wonderfully opulent”, Rose writes, singling this bottle out as a perfect dinner party pour.