Top wines in the UK press

Domaine de la Croix de Chaintres 2013 Saumur-Champigny, Loire, France

It’s not the most common of food wine pairing dilemmas, but for anyone who has ever been faced with the question “what do I drink with my potato salad?”, Susy Atkins, writing in The Telegraph, has the answer.

He recommendations are based on an number of recipes which also appeared in the paper.

She said: “Why bother to match drinks to recipes based on the humble spud? Well, for a start, I adore the flavour and texture of good potatoes (especially the ones I grow myself). And then there are all the inspiring ingredient combinations in Diana Henry’s recipes.”

Of this French red she said: “Shouts out “summer” with its fresh, almost pippy raspberry and black-cherry fruit, soft but refreshing and succulent. One for potatoes, chorizo and red peppers.”

Price: £11.99, Waitrose

Taste the Difference Petit Chablis 2013 Burgundy, France

For those who prefer a white wine with their summer salad, Atkins recommended this Sainsbury’s Chardonnay – a bargain at just £9.

She said: “I love this wine for its lively citrus kick but softly rounded, slightly buttery depths. It’s an unoaked, cooler-climate Chardonnay, so great for the roast-potato, lemon and green-bean salad.”

Price: £9, Sainsbury’s

Seifried Estate, Gewürztraminer 2012, New Zealand

Tom Cannavan, writing for the Huffington Post chose this New Zealand Gewürztraminer as his wine of the week, describing it as a grape variety he finds “ravishing” when good.

He said: “Gewürztraminer is not a grape variety that I highlight as Wine of the Week very often. Personally, when Gewurz is good, I find it ravishing stuff, but its heady, powerfully perfumed character really splits the jury into lovers and haters. Its home is in northern Europe, in Alsace in France and in Germany in particular, but New Zealand has a lot of Gewurz planted, especially in Marlborough and here in Nelson, just a little further north on the tip of New Zealand’s South Island.

“Seifried is a family-run estate that rather specialises in these aromatic grape varieties, and this wine is gorgeous: the nose is not in that hyper-perfumed style of flowers, Turkish delight and Nivea cream; there’s a touch of all that, but mostly it is about really ripe, beguiling, downy peach skins and nectarine fleshiness. In the mouth it is off-dry – maybe even medium-sweet. Do not buy this if you are looking for a bone-dry wine, but that sweetness is beautifully done, both tropical fruit sweetness and sugar, and a lovely glycerine richness, though an orange and grapefruit acidity pushes through and gives delightful balance in the finish.”

Price: £10.50

Chandon Rosé NV Argentina

Moët & Chandon’s most recent Argentinean venture – a pink sparkler with a hint of Malbec – got the thumbs up from Victoria Moore writing in The Telegraph this week.

She said: “Champagne house Moët & Chandon established an outpost in Argentina back in 1959 but this pink sparkling wine is new. It’s good (much better than its dull white sibling): pretty dry, made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and a hint of Malbec. Think raspberries and raspberry jelly on wholemeal toast. I’ve a case of six to give away to one winner – see howtodrink.co.uk for details.”

Price: £13.98 Majestic, down from £20.99 when you buy two until Sept 29

Pontemagno Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico 2013 Italy

Moore also recommended this Italian white which she described as “White. Crisp. Precise. Herbaceous” and “tidy as topiary”.

She said: The grape is Verdicchio and the wine is from the Marche on the Adriatic coast of central Italy. Unlike many cheaper whites this smells of green growing herbs, not sherbet pips. It’s tricky to find good house whites: I’m thrilled with this discovery. Three ticks on my two-tick scale.”

Price: £7.25, Haynes Hanson & Clark