Carrick ‘Unravelled’ Pinot Noir 2007
Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand $30.50 13.5% alcohol
Aromas of dark berry fruit along with earthy and spice-driven nuances announce this medium-bodied gem. This is a juicy delicious drop with understated oak and a glorious array of ripe luscious fruit flavours—mulberry, ripe cranberry and pie cherry to the fore. There’s bracing acidity for excellent balance and a lingering fruit-forward finish. A top notch well-priced effort. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery from Lifford Wine Agency. (VH)


Meerlust Merlot 2005
WO Stellenbosch, South Africa $33.95 13.7% alcohol
Respected around the world, Meerlust meticulously fashions their wines—estate hand-picked grapes, 11% Cabernet Franc blended in for complexity, French oak aged for 17 months then cellared two additional years in bottle before being released. The result is a dazzling, inky, powerful red offering aromas of spiced black plum along with nuances of smoke. There’s a solid and powerful gusher of flavour—cassis, juicy ripe black plum and bitter-sweet chocolate framed by a ripe tannin structure. This is medium bodied, generously textured and sports a well-balanced and lingering finish. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery from Lifford Wine Agency. (VH)


Meerlust Pinot Noir 2006
WO Stellenbosch, South Africa $38.95 14% alcohol
Mixed spice box and floral aromas waft from the glass of this juicy tangy Pinot. The flavours are complex and fruit driven, look for spiced pie cherry, mulberry and tangy red currant. The seamless integration of French oak—70% new, aged eleven months—and the ripe supple tannin add complexity and structure to this medium-bodied, nicely textured wine. The finish is lengthy, impeccably balanced and lip-smacking delicious. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery from Lifford Wine Agency. (VH)


Poole’s Rock Wines ‘Cockfighter’s Ghost’ Pinot Gris 2008
Victoria, Australia $32.50 13.5% alcohol
Easily the best Pinot Gris tasted in recent memory, this is grand in scope and flavour laden. Ultra-premium fruit was used to fashion the medium-bodied, satiny-textured dry crisp beauty. Aromas and flavours abound with nectarine, orange-lemon peel marmalade, spiced pear and fennel among them. The fruit-driven finish shows perfect balance and ends with a mouth-watering wave of citrus. Pair this with lightly breaded calamari, fried golden crisp. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery from Lifford Wine Agency. (VH)


Siam Winery ‘Monsoon Valley’ 2007
Chao Praya Delta, Kingdom of Thailand $11.95 12% alcohol
Here’s an aromatic great-value white that’s built for spicy Asian cuisine. You may have enjoyed this in better Thai restaurants, now you can enjoy it at home. Spice-laden aromas introduce this light-bodied, well-balanced blend of Malaga Blanc and Colombard grapes. It’s flavour laden—green apple, ripe pear and sweet succulent yellow peach—crisp and refreshing. It finishes with the sweet and tang that’s made for pairing with spicy cuisine. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery from Kolonaki Group, in Eastern Ontario from Antonios at 613.265.8233. (VH)


Viña Seña ‘Arboleda’ Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Leyda, Casablanca, Chile $15.95 14% alcohol
This is outstanding. Focused and pungent aromas jump from the glass with mineral, nettles and lemongrass to the fore. The flavours are vibrant and luscious with gooseberry, tangy lemon-lime and sweet ripe pineapple predominant. It’s medium bodied, nicely textured and refreshing on the well-balanced finish. There’s enough residual sugar to pair this perfectly with spicy Asian cuisine or an asparagus quiche. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery from Lifford Wine Agency. (VH)


Viña Seña ‘Arboleda’ Carmenère 2007
DO Colchagua, Chile $23.50 14.5% alcohol
This stunning wine was vinified from hand-picked estate fruit—12 year-old vines—then aged 12 months in new French and American oak. Inky black, almost opaque in the glass, this is medium bodied, impeccably balanced and brimming with fruit-forward aromas and flavours. Look for brambly berry, cassis and spiced black plum on the palate along with a lip-smacking rush of tangy black raspberry and Bing cherry on the lengthy finish. It’s framed by ripe tannin that’s very approachable now. This offers good value. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery from Lifford Wine Agency. (VH)


Viña Seña ‘Arboleda’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
DO Aconcagua, Chile $23.50 14.5% alcohol
The lifted aromas of mint, toasty notes and dark cherry open up freely in the glass. There’s a glorious array of flavours to dazzle the palate—black cherry compote, pie cherry, spiced mulberry and espresso roast. Rich and concentrated, the single-vineyard fruit was hand-picked and aged twelve months in French and American oak, 55% new. It’s well balanced and sports a gargantuan finish. Pick up a case and drink over the next eight years. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery from Lifford Wine Agency. (VH)