Top 10 wines in the US press

2014 Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto D’Acqui

“Simply put, Banfi’s vibrantly red Rosa Regale Brachetto D’Acqui is Christmas in a bottle,” writes the San Diego Union-Tribune‘s Michele Parente as she heaps praise on this sparkling rosé.

“This frizzante, or semi-sparkling, Italian wine will put festive pops of color and fruity zest into any celebratory get-together,” she continues.

“Perfect for sipping around the tree during cocktail hour, Rosa Regale’s softly sweet rose petal, strawberry, black cherry, raspberry and cranberry flavours make it, like a full-on sparkling, one of the few wines that can be enjoyed with appetisers or dessert.”

2013 Anaba Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

Next, Detroit News‘ Sandra Silvfen’s wine tip of the week is “this golden beauty”, that she says “is so nuanced with flavours, structure, texture”.

She continues, “It’s a delicate wine with aromas of lemon and orange woven with spicy oak. In the mouth, the acidity is juicy, the mouthfeel is creamy, the flavours burst with tropical fruit, golden apple and a touch of spice.

“It’s sourced off prime vineyards in Sonoma including the famous Dutton Ranch and Sangiacomo. Grapes are whole-cluster pressed and fermented in a combination of oak and stainless steel. It gets nine months in French oak. It’s perfectly delicious.”

2010 Salvatore Molettieri Cinque Querce

Eric Asimov at the New York Times chooses to focus on the southern-Italian Aglianico grape variety in his Wine School column this week, focusing on this offering in particulur as a good example of a terroir-expressing wine.

“The Aglianico grapes used for this wine were grown in soils with a limestone component, were macerated with the tannin-producing skins for an extended period,” he writes.

“The wine was much more structured and complex, earthy and floral with a sarsaparilla-like herbal quality and a rough tannic rasp that gave this wine more texture and character”, he continues.

“It’s not profound by any means, but it was an excellent entryway to the deep, concentrated Taurasis that Molettieri produces. Terroir? Indeed.”

2012 L’Ecole No. 41, Columbia Valley, Merlot

Rebecca Murphy at the Dallas Morning News has her eye on this Washington red, which she argues is an “excellent example of the stellar quality of Washington Merlot with rich, robust blackberry, blueberry and plum fruit nuanced with toasty, smoky, vanilla aromas.

“The generous fruit is balanced with vibrant acidity and finishes with ripe, smooth tannins,” she continues. “My experience with Washington reds is that they often taste even better the day after they have been opened. With that in mind, open this one far enough in advance of serving to give it plenty of time to show its best self.”

2013 The Ojai Vineyard Santa Barbara County Kick On Ranch Riesling

Next, S. Irene Virbila of the LA Times makes the case for festive dessert wines to go with family-recipe puddings. Beginning with this Santa Barbara offering, she writes that it is “essentially an ice wine made by pressing frozen grapes.”

She continues, “First take in its lovely perfume of tropical fruit, white peaches and flowers. A sip delivers tastes of honey, ripe melon, litchi and pineapple. That’s followed by a lush, lingering finish. To enjoy on its own or with an apple tart or pie.”

2006 Oremus Tokaji Aszu ‘5 Puttonyos’

“It’s fun to turn dedicated Sauternes fans on to this exquisite Tokaji from Hungary,” Virbila continues.

“Its gentle bouquet of honey and orange peel doesn’t quite prepare you for how intense it is in the mouth, layering notes of dried figs, tangerine and tropical fruits.

2012 Jorge Ordoñez & Co. Malaga Seleccion Especial #1

“Spanish wine importer Jorge Ordoñez and his sister, Victoria, are making a super late-harvest Muscat in the Malaga region near the Costa del Sol” according to Virbila.

Describing the wine, she writes, “Pale gold, with intense aromas of citrus and sweet spices, the 2012 Malaga Selection Especial #1 is a beautiful expression of Muscat Alexandria from 40-year-old vineyards.”

2012 Miner Family Merlot

Moving on to another Merlot, Stacey Vreeken of the Santa Cruz Sentinel chooses this offering from the Miner Family Winery.

She writes, “The 2012 Merlot has a whole bunch of fruit and spice going on. It’s nice for sipping as well as pairing with food, an all-around warm, pleasing red wine.

“The blend is 82% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc providing complexity in the flavour profile.”

La Valle Franciacorta Brut Rosé

And our final contributor, Dave McIntrye of the Washington Post writes a rosé / red double whammy this week, beginning with this Franciacorta, which he says is “Italy’s answer to Champagne”.

“This new entrant to the Washington market is ripe with strawberry and melon flavors and full of bubbly energy,” he writes, giving it an “exceptional” three stars out of three.

2013 Coriole Redstone Shiraz

Finally, this “delightful” Shiraz from McLaren Vale producer Coriole “is another reminder that we should not neglect the wines of Australia,” McIntrye argues.

“It gives us the spicy fruitiness we came to love before high alcohol and Yellow Tail made Oz a cliché. Welcome back!”