Hardy's 'Nottage Hill' Chardonnay 2007
South Eastern Australia $4.95 (86397) 250 mL (plastic bottle and glass)
The wine's familiar, the delivery's space age—it's a 'shuttle'. The twist-off closure also serves as the glass; it's brilliant for poolside, camping and the cottage. Medium-gold coloured in the glass with a slight green hue, this opens with delightful tropical fruit aromas—ripe pineapple and honeydew melon. It's light bodied, but showers the palate with delicate flavours of white peach and ripe citrus. There's good texture, imperceptible oak and a clean refreshing finish. (VH)


Hardy's 'Nottage Hill' Shiraz 2006
South Australia $5.45 (86405) 250 mL (plastic bottle and glass)
The twist-off closure also serves as the glass; it's brilliant for poolside, camping and the cottage. From a respected, iconic Aussie producer, this delivers the goods, and then some. A perfumed nose of spiced black berry and ripe sweet cherry is precursor to flavours of rich Bing cherry and black Damson plum that are underpinned by supple tannin and seamlessly integrated oak. It's medium bodied with a medium-length finish that shows deft balance. (VH)


Nugan Estate Cookathama Chardonnay 2006
Darling Point, Riverina, New South Wales $13.95 (619403)
Pleasant and pleasing on the nose, look for aromas of apricot and apple with a sweet stream of fruit flavours on the palate that include ripe yellow peach, nectarine, and moderating citrus tang. It's light to medium bodied and finishes well balanced and refreshing. Pair this with lighter-styled appetizers of seafood or chicken. (VH)



Robert Mondavi 'Private Selection' Chardonnay
Central Coast $17.95 (379180)
Involved aromas of vanilla, toast and floral notes roll off the glass of this medium-bodied nicely textured Chard. There's lovely fruit on the palate with oodles of apple, pear and ripe yellow peach with a moderating snap of lemon-lime on the crisp clean finish. It's very well balanced and offers good value. Pair with whole wheat fettuccine in a creamy garlic sauce. (VH)


Robert Mondavi 'Private Selection' Merlot
Central Coast $18.95 (524769)
This opens with a subtle nose of red berry fruit and toasty oak aromas. It washes over the palate, smooth, silky and medium bodied. There's expressive dark, sweet and rich berry fruit that's balanced on the mid palate and the medium-length finish with zesty pie cherry and cranberry flavours. There's dry and dusty tannin present and they add interest and structure. This has the oomph and charm to pair nicely with strip loin, grilled rare to medium rare. (VH)



Cono Sur Viognier 2008
Chile $9.95 (64287)
Add this to your list for the best-value wines in the LCBO. It's herbaceous on the nose with herbs, spice and passion fruit up front. The palate is treated to a gusher of flavours including warm sweet (13.7% alcohol) pineapple and melon that's moderated with a stream of bracing mouth-watering acidity. It delivers a superb sweet and tart finish that helps make it a versatile food partner. Pair with pan-seared fish or scallops, lemon veal or roast pork. This earned its final half star on its exceptional value. (VH)



Hungaria Grand Cuvée Brut Non-Vintage
Hungary $11.10 (619288)
This is my first tasting of this, even though it's been an LCBO mainstay for years, and I'm taken with the value it offers; it earned its final half-star because of it. Floral and slightly leesy aromas segue a delightful burst of bubbles and flavours on the palate—citrus, peach, apple and pear, while the texture is very smooth. It's medium bodied and slightly 'off-dry' with enough moderating acidity for good balance. It's fermented in bottle, although not the bottle you're drinking it from, a.k.a. the 'transfer method', and the bubbles were consistent and lengthy—quite impressive. (VH)



Goose Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2007
New Zealand $18.65 (28134)
This is fleshy and fruity with immense crowd-pleasing appeal. It's less herbaceous and pungent than most Kiwi SBs, but it delivers a delicious mouthful of aromas and flavours with sweet pit fruit—peach and nectarine—and gooseberry up front. There's also enough moderating acidity delivered in the form of white grapefruit and lime flavours to provide balance. It's medium bodied, nicely textured and delivers a medium-length finish. (VH)



Château des Charmes Aligoté 2007
VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $13.45 (284950)
Aligoté is a grape hailing from Burgundy and it's what the locals drink on a daily basis—this lovely effort showcases the fine '07 vintage in Niagara. Citrus, mineral and lifted key lime aromas segue the crisp and refreshing flavours of ripe lemon, racy lime and grapefruit. It has a lovely texture and a lingering finish that layers on hints of Granny Smith apple and pear. This is a wine made for briny, freshly shucked oysters; it's also attractive when added to a splash of cassis, producing that delightful aperitif, 'Kir'. (VH)


Colio 'Girls' Night Out' Chardonnay 2007
VQA Lake Erie North Shore $12.95 (89821)
Lifted aromas of apple and yellow plum open this light- to medium-bodied and medium-textured white. The flavours are squarely in the spice and citrus zones with lovely hints of ripe white peach layered on. A sensible alcohol level (12.7%), good balance and a crisp finish set this up as the ideal aperitif or one to pair with mussels or prawns. (VH)


Colio 'Girls' Night Out' Merlot / Chardonnay Rosé 2007
VQA Lake Erie North Shore $12.95 (89862)
Spice box and cherry cordial aromas form the expressive nose while the sweet and tart flavours provide a very pleasant experience. It starts out with ripe and sweet berry fruit then layers on a moderating hit of crisp and racy zest delivered via red currant and pie cherry flavours. It's medium bodied and nicely textured with enough stuffing to stand up to mid-weight cuisine. That sweet and tart, yin and yang sensation also provides the perfect partner with spicy Asian dishes like Thai chicken curry. (VH)


Colio 'Girls' Night Out' Merlot 2006
VQA Lake Erie North Shore $12.95 (89847)
Earthy tones and dark berry fruit aromas open this medium-bodied, nicely textured red. There's lots going on in the flavour department with red currant, cherry compote and black raspberry flavours that are nicely balanced with a generous dollop of heady pie cherry tang on the dry finish. This pairs well with grilled red meats or roasts, like chicken or leg of lamb. (VH)


Peninsula Ridge 'Ratafia' 2005
VQA Ontario $30.90 500 mL
And now for something completely different—it's a blend of unfermented Chardonnay grape juice and plum eau-de-vie a.k.a. plum brandy—made from Niagara plums, fermented then distilled. It's fortified (18% alcohol) like Port, smells (rancio) like Madeira and tastes like a rainbow of delicious sweet flavours. Expect an unctuous attack of fruit flavours—ripe apricot, sweet nectarine, pineapple and spice that glide on a silky smooth texture, consistent through the lengthy lip-smacking finish. Serve well chilled—not with, but as, dessert. (VH)