Vintages Release: June 20, 2009

Hunyady Kékfrankos 2006
Kéthely, Hungary $16.95 (108498) 12.5% alcohol
Highly perfumed—spice redolent of expensive cologne, dark berry fruit and gamey notes—this delivers quite a mouthful of tangy zesty flavour—cassis, pie cherry and yet more spice to the fore. It’s light bodied with a firm tannic structure—aged 12 months in new Hungarian oak—and a dry sour cherry finish. Hungarian csirke paprikás (chicken paprikash) provides a geographical pairing that also works perfectly on the palate. (VH)


Poole’s Rock Wines ‘Cockfighter’s Ghost’ Verdelho 2008
Hunter Valley, Australia $18.95 (90985) 13% alcohol
Pale yellow with hints of green, this unheralded varietal offers excellent value punching above its price point. The pleasant nose offers floral and citrus notes while the palate is treated to a cornucopia of fresh fruit flavours with green apple, sweet yellow peach and a salad bowl of tropical fruit. It’s medium bodied, generously textured and finishes well balanced and lengthy in a blaze of clean refreshing citrus tang and sweet pit fruit. Versatile at the table, pair it with sea food or spicy Asian cuisine. (VH)

Vintages Release: July 18, 2009

Santa Carolina ‘Barrica Selection’ Chardonnay 2007
DO Valle de Casablanca, Chile (928580) $14.95 14.5% alcohol
Vanilla and tropical fruit aromas rip from the expressive nose of this medium-bodied, generously textured gem. The delicious stream of ripe fruit flavour includes sweet pineapple, melon and yellow peach followed by a lip-smacking wave of citrussy notes keeping it all in good balance. The eight months in French oak has been seamlessly integrated—adding complexity, but otherwise imperceptible. Grilled or roast chicken pairs perfectly. Pick up a few; there’s excellent value offered here. (VH)

Vintages Release: August 15, 2009

Viña Tabalí ‘Reserva’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Limari Valley $14.95 (58446) 14.5% alcohol
Aromas of cherry, mulberry, black plum and toasty oak—12 months in French and American—roll from this earthy, rich red. There’s a gusher of expressive dark chalky fruit flavour with bramble berry and bergamot orange to the fore along with tar and aromatic bitters. It delivers a medium-bodied frame from approachable tannin, a generous texture and an extremely well-balanced finish. This offers good value and pairs well with marinated and grilled flank steak. (VH)

Vintages Release: August 29, 2009

Ironstone ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Sierra Foothills, California $34.95 14.5% alcohol
Well structured, the addition of 15% Merlot has certainly mellowed out the fruit flavour. This is loaded with succulent ripe dark fruit—black currant, black plum and brambly berry—along with hints of toasty oak (24 months in French and American), mint and vanilla. It’s full-bodied, fully textured and offers a perceptible tannic frame with a deftly balanced lengthy warm finish. Drink now to 2014 alongside marinated flank steak, grilled medium rare. (VH)

Vintages Release: Fall 2009

Francis Ford Coppola ‘Diamond Collection Blue Label’ Merlot 2007
California $27.95 13.8% alcohol
From a fabulous vintage, this is a stunning Merlot with blended amounts of Petite Sirah (9%) and Syrah (5%). Aromas of dark juicy cherry, mixed spice and ripe black plum provide segue to waves of rich and succulent flavours—Bing cherry, dark chocolate, plum compote and nuances of vanilla. It’s medium bodied, silky smooth and framed beautifully by a firm tannin structure, 16 months of seamlessly integrated French oak and an agreeable stream of balancing acidity. The finish is lengthy and luxurious. Drink now to 2014, happily on its own or paired with grilled lamb. (VH)