Vic is away visiting vineyards in Spain and Portugal, and Rod is flying solo for the next few Vintages releases. Vic has contributed some General List tasting notes and a review of one wine in the Vintages release that he tasted in Spain.

This release starts with a selection of wines from Spain



Faustino “Faustino I” Rioja Gran Reserva 1995
DOC Rioja $29.95 (976662)
Ten years on and still going pretty strong. This is a great opportunity to buy an aged Rioja. You get remarkably sprightly fruit that’s a mélange of fresh plum and cherry and dried cherries, fig and tobacco. The balance is very good and the tannins are still well in evidence. Drink it in the next year or so with a hearty red meat stew. You could hold it a bit longer but, honestly, why bother? (RP)


Marqués de Vitoria Rioja Crianza 2000
DOC Rioja $16.95 (678045)
Quite an elegant Rioja, with a core of lovely sweet fruit (cherry, plum) and secondaries like spice and coffee. It has a tangy texture, firm tannins, and a good, long sweet, spicy finish. Pair it with lamb chops marinated in garlic and rosemary. (RP)


Viña Sardasol Reserva 1999
DO Navarra $13.95 (673475)
This is terrific value from one of the emerging regions of northern Spain. A rich and well-structured blend of Tempranillo, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s reminiscent of a classic Bordeaux in style, with great complexity and balance. Firm tannins allow you to drink it now and over the next four or five years. Pair it with well-seasoned grilled lamb or beef. (RP)


Alion “Alion” 2001
DO Ribera del Duero $64.95 (707166)
“Big and beautiful” are the first words in my notes. This stunning 100% Tempranillo attracts all the positive descriptors you can think of. It’s stylish and elegant, with a velvet-smooth texture and marvelously complex aromatics and flavours. You’ll find sweet cherry and plum fruit and accents that include spice, smoke, dried fruit and meat, and coffee. The tannins are sweet and ripe, but such that you should put it aside for five years, then drink it during the following five to eight. (RP)


Condado de Haza Crianza 2002
DO Ribera del Duero $22.95 (963348)
Another 100% Tempranillo. This is big and juicy with sweet fruit (cherry dominant) and complexity that includes spice, smoke and coffee. It’s medium bodied with firm enough tannins that I suggest cellaring it for a year or two to give the fruit a fighting chance. (RP)


Mähler-Besse Selección Oro 2002
DO Toro $15.95 (695866)
Toro was the hot new region in Spain a couple of years ago, and if it’s not quite as much in the spotlight now, that has more to do with the fickleness of the wine media and their need for a new discovery each month than with Toro’s wines. No bull. Here’s an example of the quality and value the region is turning out. It delivers concentrated dark fruit with coffee, iodine, tar and chocolate notes, big weight, and firm tannins. Made from 100% Tinta de Toro, similar to Tempranillo, it’s excellent value and a great partner for big red meat dishes. (RP)


Martin Códax Albariño 2004
DO Rias Baixas $17.95 (984906)
(Tasted in Spain) Gorgeous and lifted aromatics of white peaches and citrus with slight floral notes drift off the glass. The strength of this white is the fruit forward attack (citrus and pit fruit) and the velvety-textured, almost creamy, mouth feel. It finishes off clean and lengthy. This was made for grilled prawns that were marinated in garlic and oil then drizzled with freshly squeezed lemon juice just before serving. (VH)


Torres “Gran Viña Sol” Chardonnay 2004
DO Penedès $14.95 (64774) or $7.95/375ml (733303)
This is a lovely Chardonnay at a good price. Expect rich, sweet fruit (peach, tropical, pear) with good balance, a creamy texture with citrus edginess, and a long, complex fruit-laden finish. Pair it with grilled pork tenderloin or roast pork with apple sauce. (RP)


Hacienda el Espino “1707” Variedades 2003
DO Almansa $12.95 (673582)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Pinot Noir (Pinot Noir?) doesn’t sound very promising, but it sure works here. You get rich, concentrated fruit from start to finish (and the finish is long), with a dry texture and firm, sweet tannins. At this price, it’s very good value, and it makes a great partner for hearty winter red meat stews. (RP)


Casa la Ermita Crianza 2002
DO Jumilla $17.95 (956334)
This blend of Tempranillo, Monastrell (Mourvèdre) and Cabernet Sauvignon is big bodied, deeply concentrated, complex, well structured, and has the grippy tannins that demand a bit of cellaring. Put it away for two or three years, then drink it over the next five. This is excellent if you’re looking for an affordable cellar-starter or looking to add to your existing stock. (RP)


Bodegas Iranzo “Vertus” Tempranillo Crianza 2002
DO Utiel-Requena $15.95 (669598)
This 100% Tempranillo delivers a lovely rich wallop of fruit with notes of flowers, spice, mint and smoke. Medium to full bodied, it has an attractive texture, sweet tannins and a long spicy finish. Drink it with braised lamb shanks in red wine. (RP)


Alvaro Palacios “Les Terrasses” 2003
DOC Priorat $41.95 (977843)
A real classic from an iconic producer. This stylish blend of Grenache (60%), Carignan (30%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) has depth and breadth. It offers concentrated and complex flavours of dark fruit and berries with rich notes of coffee, chocolate, tobacco and smoke. With a plush texture and ripe tannins, it’s a really exceptional wine, and if you have a special occasion coming up (who hasn’t?) you might just need a bottle of this. For the quality, the price is really very good. (RP)



Shafer “Red Shoulder Ranch” Chardonnay 2003
Carneros $59.95 (246090)
A wonderful Chardonnay that delivers just about everything you want in a new world style. Start with mouth-watering aromas of ripe peach and tropical fruit, with hints of vanilla and bitter orange. Move on to the flavours, where you get a replay, enhanced by medium-plus weight, rich texture, and fine balance. Finally, enjoy it with creamy-textured chicken breast or pork tenderloin. If you can delay the whole experience three or four years, the wine will be even better. (RP)



Dominus “Napanook” 2002
Napa Valley $44.95 (703017)
A baby-Dominus (see the next review) that’s about two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and one-third Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec, this is big and delicious. The 2002 vintage was one of California’s best for Cab, and it’s reflected here in the underlying strength and structure of the fruit. It’s complex and well focused with a wide range of dark fruit and coffee, spice and chocolate notes. The tannins are still firm, though, and if you put this away for five years, your patience will be rewarded. Then drink it through to 2020. You’ll thank yourself for your foresight. (RP)


Dominus 2002
Napa Valley $109.95 (703850) or $244.95/1500ml (703637)
This is a hugely extracted and stylish blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (85%) and Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. The fruit lies entirely in the dark and black zones (cherries, plums, berries) as do the complex accents of spice, espresso coffee, dark chocolate, smoke and leather. The flavours plumb impressive depths, the structure is impressive, and the tannins are such that you should quickly lose this in your cellar, then discover it anytime after 2010. Then drink it before you die. (RP)


Macrostie Pinot Noir 2002
Carneros $29.95 (674911) or $15.95/375ml (674903)
A delicious Pinot with a core of ripe, well-defined fruit, mainly a shifting mélange of tart and sweet cherry. It’s bight and clean with a nice herbal touch, and a smooth texture. Drink it over the next five or so years, and pair it with grilled duck or lamb. (RP)



Viniterra “Momento II” Syrah 2003
Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza $14.95 (672568)
It’s not all Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina, as this excellent and well-priced Syrah shows. It’s in an unusual style, fuller bodied and more extracted than you’d expect, but not in the Australian Shiraz mode, either. The flavours are rich and complex, it’s well structured and well-paced. With evident but pleasant tannins, you can drink this now (with grilled red meats) or over the next two to four years. (RP)



Brokenwood “Cricket Pitch” Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon 2004
South Eastern Australia $17.95 (662627)
A blend of 55% Sauvignon Blanc and 45% (wouldn’t you know it!) Semillon that scores four runs. (In cricket, that means the ball rolls over the edge of the pitch without being stopped by a fielder.) After elegant floral and citrus aromas, you get lovely, fresh, lemon-lime flavours with notes of peach and red grapefruit, and the whole is wrapped in refreshing crispness. Bowl your friends over when you serve this with fresh oysters and drink it while it’s fresh, in the next twelve months. (RP)



Cockfighter’s Ghost Cabernet Sauvignon
Langhorne Creek $22.95 (672550)
Who knows what the review in Vintages catalog refers to, as it seems to be about a Shiraz, not this Cabernet Sauvignon. As for the Cockfighter’s Ghost, it’s a richly-flavoured and –textured offering that delivers serious dark fruit with notes of spice, pepper, coffee and smoke. It’s medium-to-full bodied with firm tannins, well balanced, and makes a great partner for hearty red meat dishes. Drink it now and over the next three-four years. (RP)


Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Conawarra $29.95 (590471)
(First appeared “Upstream” in winecurrent Nov. 26, 2005) From a dry vintage that was harvested late from low-yielding vines, this is has all the earmarks of a fine wine. This inky brooding red gives off a mélange of aromatics that include eucalyptus, toasty oak, mocha and spicy black plums. Winemaker, Wayne Stehbens, focuses on mid-palate flavours and he scores a bulls-eye here with rich and concentrated currant and bramble berry. The finish displays more of the same and it only needs a bit of time to have it all come together. Drink 2009 to 2014. (VH)


Seppelt Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot 2003
Victoria $19.95 (661942)
A well made and quite classy Cabernet from an Australian producer that we don’t see nearly enough of in Ontario. The aromas and flavours are all sweet dark fruit and eucalyptus/mint, with hints of sage and chocolate. It’s dry (very dry), well-structured, and has firm, ripe tannins and good length. This is a very good price for the quality, so buy some to cellar for a few years. Pair it with a rack of lamb that’s been marinated in rosemary, garlic and lavender. (RP)



Borthwick Vineyard Pinot Noir 2001
Wairarapa $21.95 (586065)
This is a good price for a mature New Zealand Pinot Noir. It’s both generous and austere, delivering plenty of fruit but in a style that’s restrained and tightly structured. You’ll find cherry and red berry to the fore, with attractive herb and spice notes, and fine-grained tannins. It’s drinking very well now, and will do so for the next year or two. Sliced grilled duck breast on a mushroom and squash risotto sounds about right for it. (RP)


Waipara Springs Pinot Noir Reserve 2002
Waipara Valley $25.95 (663294)
A beautifully-pitched Pinot Noir that offers quite concentrated fruit (cherry) with attractive herbal and gamey notes. It’s stylish, with a smooth texture and soft tannins and is ready for drinking now and over the next three or four year. Pour a glass or two with medium-rare roast lamb that’s been well spiked with garlic and rosemary, but go easy on the mint accompaniments, if you must have them at all. (RP)



Goats Do Roam White 2005
WO Western Cape $11.95 (943167)
Although Goats Do Roam plays on the Rhône name, the grapes in this blend include such non- Rhône varieties as Chenin Blanc and Riesling, as well as more likely suspects such as Grenache Blanc and Clairette. The winemaker can be forgiven, because this is a lovely, refreshing wine that makes a superb partner to many seafood and fish dishes. It has fresh tropical fruit, apple and citrus flavours at its core, with great balance and texture. And it represents very good value. (RP)



Château de Fonbel 2003
AOC St-Emilion $28.95 (673285)
This is fruitier, sweeter, and a little weightier than usual, possibly because of the hot growing season of 2003. The fruit is concentrated dark plum and berries, with a scattering of spices, and the tannins are ripe and firm. Very well made, and further evidence that you don’t need to spend a fortune for a very solid Bordeaux. Drink it now and over the next six to eight years, and when you do, make sure you have a piece of venison to hand. (RP)


Château Lanessan 1996
AOC Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur $29.95 (598011)
This is a rare opportunity to buy an older Bordeaux. The Vintages catalog gives you Robert Parker’s take on it when it was a baby (in 1999). Now you’ll find that the fruit is still solid and the tannins still present enough to give it another five-seven years, but the flavours have evolved to more subdued tones that include some dried fruit and spiciness. It’s reached a fine stage in its development, and you can enjoy this now with medium-rare roast beef. (RP)


Domaines Perrin “Nature” Côtes-du-Rhône 2003
AOC Côtes-du-Rhône $15.95 (948059)
I was in the Southern Rhône in July 2003, saw the grapes ripening weeks ahead of schedule in the sweltering heat, and heard winemakers and vineyard managers discuss the likely implications for the year’s wines. As it turns out, most wines from that year have not noticeably suffered the unripe tannins and lack of acidity that many feared when grapes were picked far earlier than usual. This certified-organic Côtes-du-Rhône, for example, has sweet, intense fruit, but it’s well balanced, and delivers excellent value for the price. (RP)



Le Ragose Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2001
DOC Valpolicella Classico Superiore $19.95 (991984)
A mid-weight Valpolicella that’s full of character and is perfect for hearty, spicy tomato-based Italian dishes. The red and dark fruit flavours are very concentrated with spicy, peppery notes, the balance is right, and the finish is long. It’s ready for drinking now and over the next two-three years. (RP)


Masi Amarone della Valpolicella “Serego Aligheri Vaio Armaron” 1999
DOC Amarone della Valpolicella $74.95 (462812)
You might think that, for this price, the wine had better have a long name. It has a long finish, too and, before you get to that, intense spicy flavours, a juicy texture, and the characteristic slight bitterness that gives the Amarone its name. The tannins are ripe and gripping right now, so cellar this for three or four years, then drink it with big-flavoured red meat dishes. (RP)



José Maria de Fonseca “Special Reserve” Periquita Classico 2001
VR Terras do Sado $26.95 (726679)
This red from southern Portugal is great stuff and well worth the price. The fruit is very concentrated and rich, with flavours of fresh and dried dark fruit with smoky notes. It’s nicely textured and complex, with firm tannins. You could just drink this now, but better to hold it two or three years before pairing it with grilled or roast game. (RP)


Quinta de Pancas Reserva Red 2001
VR Estremedura $33.95 (678094)
Estremedura is not noted for great wines, but you can see quality steadily improving. Medium to full bodied, this has solid dark fruit, good complexity, great balance, and a nice finish of spicy dark fruit. The tannins are firm and you can certainly cellar this for five or six years to improve it. It calls for a substantial red meat dish. (RP)


These are new wines, or new vintages of existing wines, in the General List of the LCBO



Lindemans Shiraz Reserve 2004
Padthaway $15.10 (482299)
The Padthaway region is more noted for its Chardonnay, but this is superb. Spice, black pepper and plum aromas waft from the nose of this medium-bodied crowd pleaser. There’s a huge fruit attack on the palate with currant and black raspberry to the fore. The finish is lengthy and complex with a nice tangy note. Try this with lamb daube and garlic roasted potatoes, now to 2009. (VH)


Palandri Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot 2003
South Eastern Australia $18.95 (602607)
A popular Australian blend, this delivers a well-balanced, medium-bodied mouthful of sweet dark fruit (plums, cherries) with attractive spiciness and a nice finish. Pair it with grilled lamb chops and herbed potatoes. Drink now or hold two or three years. (RP)


Wyndham Estate Bin 777 Semillon
Australia $13.10 (352435)
The mineral and wet wool nose may be a-typical, but the flavours are true and laser-like with tangy citrus, pit fruit and a zingy clean finish. This light to medium-bodied white, from one of Australia’s oldest wineries, reflects their trademark style – honest, good value wines. This would be the perfect foil to linguini in a clam sauce. (VH)


Wynns Chardonnay 2003
Coonawarra $15.10 (468728)
Vanilla and tropical fruit aromas waft from the glass of this medium-bodied, smooth as silk white from a premium Australian winery. Lots of tropical and citrus fruit, an involved and lengthy finish and great balance and structure mark this a wynn-er. Fabulous on its own or pour with your Sunday roast chook (aka chicken, outside Australia) (VH)



Okanagan Valley Winery Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot 2004
VQA Okanagan Valley $10.25 (605329)
Wow! This B.C. blended beauty simply explodes out of the glass with Bing cherry aromatics. It’s full-bodied and gushes with black, ripe, sweet (14.4% alc.) plums and cherries before the seamless finish clicks in, lengthy and luxurious. This is an incredible bargain for drinking over the next 3 years, on its own or coupled up with a rich lamb or beef stew. (VH)


Gehringer Classic Riesling 2004
VQA Okanagan Valley $12.00 (171488)
Floral and sweet honeycomb aromas greet the lucky taster of this well made, well priced B.C. beauty. There are gobs of tropical fruit and tangy citrus flavours in this light-bodied offering and the finish carries through with more of the same. It is nicely balanced and would marry well with sashimi or a tuna ceviche. (VH)




Legends Estate Winery Riesling Semi-Dry 2003
VQA Niagara Peninsula $12.95 (621854)
A muted nose of mineral and lime sets up this off dry, medium-bodied beauty. The attack on the palate is a glorious sweet and sour tang that one usually associates with well-made wines from the Mosel or Rheingau. This would be a lovely sipping wine on the patio, but if yours is covered with fluffy white stuff, try it with spicy Asian or curried dishes. Not familiar with this winery? Get acquainted now. (VH)




Santa Helena Chardonnay Reserva 2003
Central Valley $14.70 (554162)
Nutty vanilla and tropical fruit flavours blast from the glass of this superb wine. It has it all – full-bodied, creamy smooth texture, fruit forward (peach and apple) flavours, elegant structure and a lengthy finish that cleans up nicely with more tropical fruit flavours with an underpinning of citrus. This deserves your attention and would marry well to rich seafood such as lobster or any poached fish in a rich cream sauce. (VH)



Cantina Di Negrar “Le Rosella” 2002
DOC Valpolicella Classico Superiore $13.95 (620831)
Smokey spiced cherries form the quiet the nose of this medium to full-bodied red. Ripe bramble berry fruit and red licorice flavours abound in this well balanced and well priced wine. The ripe and soft tannins offer structure and the finish is round and flavourful. Quaff on its own or pair it to your favourite meat sauce with pasta. Well priced. (VH)


Collavini Merlot 2002
DOC Isonzo Del Friuli $13.05 (13342)
Cheery jam and raspberry aromatics form the segue to this value-priced quaffer. It has pleasant fruit flavours of red currants and raspberries and a lengthy fruit forward finish to cap off this medium-bodied red. You might try this with pizza or spaghetti bolognaise. (VH)


Montalto Nero d’Avola-Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
IGT Sicily $8.95 (621151)
An exceptionally-well-priced blend of indigenous Nero d’Avola and Cab. Look for rich spicy dark fruit flavours with a hint of chocolate, medium body and good balance. It has the stuffing to last two or three years if you want to keep it. It’s great with pizza with Italian sausage or steak. (RP)



Warre’s Otima 10-Year-Old Port
DO Douro $22.05 (566174)
A delicious Tawny Port with a smooth texture and complex flavours that include honey, figs, roasted nuts, burnt orange, orange peel. The sweetness is held nicely in check. Pair it with dark chocolate, roasted nuts, or blue cheese. Alcohol 20 per cent. (RP)



Campo Viejo Rioja Crianza 2002
DOC Rioja $13.95 (620997)
One of the great values in the LCBO, this Spanish red is flavourful and juicy-textured, but it has complexity and great balance, too. With ripe dark fruit, light tannins (but enough to hold it three-four years), and medium body, it delivers all you need for a grilled veal chop. (RP)



Beringer White Zinfandel 2004
California $10.90 (238756)
This is the Rodney Dangerfield of wine that gets no respect, and that’s a shame. On a hot summer day (only 10.5% alc.) or served with lighter-styled spicy cuisine, this offers more than many $10 or $12 wines. There is a glorious nose reminiscent of a bowl of freshly sliced strawberries. This follows through to the flavour profile. It’s slightly off dry and provides a delightful zesty tang for a finish. Great value. (VH)



These are new releases from Ontario wineries that are generally available only from the wineries directly or from a home-delivery service. To order from a winery, use the winery links at www.winecurrent.com


Coyote’s Run “Red Paw Vineyard” Pinot Noir 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $27


Coyote’s Run “Black Paw Vineyard” Pinot Noir 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $27
There are two soil types in Coyote’s Run vineyard: a red clay soil that’s reminiscent of the terra rossa found in Australia’s Coonawarra region, and the black clay soil that’s characteristic of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Coyote’s Run grows Pinot Noir on both soil types, and the grapes from each looked and tasted different enough that winemaker David Sheppard vinified them separately. Each wine was aged in barrels marked “Red Paw” and “Black Paw,” reflecting the critters that roam the area. David reports that the grapes were picked at about the same time, had the same Brix, and were vinified the same way, so that any differences in the finished wine reflected their growing conditions. And what differences there are:

Red Paw: The aromas here are all cherry and strawberry jam with herbal notes and hints of pepper. For flavours you’re treated to a core of sweet cherry, some herbal layers and caramel notes, with a peppery, spiky texture. It’s consistent right through and finishes well.

Black Paw: A tone deeper in colour, this delivers more dense, intense, darker fruit in aromas, like black cherry and plum, with notes of blueberry. The flavours highlight sweet cherry, plum and blueberry, with savoury accents and a dark, spicy cherry finish.

Both are medium bodied, well balanced, and are dry with good tannins. My suggestion: order an equal number of each and taste them side by side. Then enjoy them with grilled lamb. (RP)



EastDell Unoaked Chardonnay 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $11.95 (609867)
A really quite elegant Chardonnay at an excellent price. It delivers a lovely fruit core (white peach, apple, pear) with a surprisingly soft, almost creamy, texture. Well structured and balanced, it’s just very well made and makes an excellent partner to herbed roast chicken. (RP)


Henry of Pelham Gamay 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $13.95 (291112)
Intriguing aromas that have cherry at the centre and a mix of funky, earthy notes. The palate is more fruit-centred, with cherry to the fore, nice spicy notes, and good balancing acidity. It has a tangy texture and finishes strong, with solid spicy fruit. Drink it with a gourmet hamburger with fresh tomatoes and sliced boiled beets. (RP)


Henry of Pelham Off-Dry Riesling Reserve 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $14.95 (557165)
Released in Vintages late 2005, and available from the winery, this is a well-paced off-dry Riesling that you can cellar for five or more years. It’s rich now, with a range of tropical fruit and honeyed notes, and with crisp, clean acidity. The finish is a long tail of tropical and white grapefruit. (RP)


Jackson-Triggs Delaine Vineyard Pinot Noir 2003
VQA Niagara Peninsula $24.95
An elegant Pinot Noir in a fairly high-acid style that matches perfectly with dishes like duck or game in a rich berry sauce. The flavours are all herbal/spicy cherry and cranberry, the texture is attractive, and the tannins are dusty and manageable now. Overall, this easily lives up to high standards of the Delaine series. (RP)


Lakeview Cellars Baco Noir Reserve 2003
VQA Ontario $19.95
Dense, dark fruit (plum, cherry blueberry) with spicy and smoky notes but not of the funk/beet accents you often get with Baco. The fruit is sweet at the core, and the texture is big, round and generous. Medium-plus in body and age-worthy to the end of the decade, it’s well balanced and pairs well with barbecued red meats. (RP)


Malivoire Wine Company “Courtney” Gamay 2003
VQA Niagara Peninsula $25.00 (699983)
More evidence of how well Gamay does in Niagara. This 2003 example delivers solid, quite intense cherry and red berry fruit, even a hint of cherry coulis, with spicy and herbal notes. The fruit is consistent and focused and continues through the long finish. The texture is tangy and attractive, the balance is poised, and it goes well with with paté de campagne with wild mushrooms. (RP)


Malivoire Wine Company Gamay 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $16.00
A Gamay that offers spicy cherry and red plum aromas that replay as sweet cherry and plum with notes of spice and herbs and a hint of earthiness. Medium bodied and dry, it’s complex and well structured, and pairs nicely with grilled duck. (RP)


Stoney Ridge Reserve Chardonnay 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $24.95
Somewhat restrained fruit, in the peach and apple/pear zones, lies at the centre, with a oak dimension that becomes more pronounced toward the back palate. The texture is quite round, the balance is good, and this makes a fine partner for grilled chicken breast in a creamy mushroom sauce. (RP)


These wines can be found in various restaurants, and many can be bought by the case directly from the agents listed.


Malivoire Wine Company Unoaked Chardonnay 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $16
Rich and luscious, with flavours of sweet yellow peach and tropical fruit with layers of sweet spice. Look for a creamy, soft round texture, a crisp edge that balances the ripe fruit, and a long, clean finish of sweet fruit and citrus. Pair it with rich chicken or seafood (like scallops) appetizers in a light cream sauce. It can be bought directly from the winery. (RP)


Malivoire Wine Company Pinot Noir Vin Gris 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula (No retail price)
There’s a little story behind this wine. The original blending was done at Beckta Wine and Dining, an Ottawa restaurant. Malivoire’s then-winemaker, Ann Sperling, owner Martin Malivoire, and a small group of wine professionals (including the Winecurrent duo) spent an afternoon coming up with their best blend. The result is a stylish vin gris, with a rich, quite viscous, almost plush texture, and fine flavours of white peach, strawberry and apricot stone, with hints of honeysuckle and clover honey. It’s a real pleasure to drink, but here’s the catch: there’s none for sale. It’s available at only two restaurants in the province: Beckta Wine and Dining in Ottawa and Splendido in Toronto. (RP)


We use the following symbols when rating wines:

	Wines achieving nirvana
	Wines of excellence
	Wines well worth trying
	Wines below average, but drinkable
	Wines better avoided, unless desperate
	Represents a half star
	We both agree —a brilliant wine!
	Drink now and over the next 2 years
	Drink now and over the next 5 years
	Place in cellar

Cheers!

Rod and Vic (in absentia… or in Spain)