Vinedos Terranoble Chardonnay 2008
Casablanca Valley, Chile $14.50 14% alcohol
For a wine that has spent only 3 months in the barrel, there’s a surprisingly firm oak nose backed by butterscotch and some tropical fruit. It’s full bodied on the palate with a creamy texture and a taste of butter and fruit. The balanced acidity helps carry the flavours through to a fruit-filled lingering finish. Enjoy this wine with scallops in a cream sauce. Available for purchase by the case from The Small Winemakers Collection. (DI)


Luigi Righetti ‘Campolieti’ Ripasso 2006
DOC Ripasso delle Valpolicella, Italy $TBD
This Ripasso has a very expressive nose of cooked fruit, leather and oak. On the palate it’s medium to full bodied, medium tannin and tastes of bold fruit and jam. There’s enough tart acidity to provide a strong fruity finish. Enjoy this wine with pork chops. Available for purchase by the case from The Small Winemakers Collection. (DI)


Luigi Righetti ‘Capitel de Roari’ Amarone 2005
DOC Amarone delle Valpolicella, Italy $34.20 (750mL) $18.20 (375mL) 15% alcohol
This budget-priced Amarone has a complex nose of cherry, raisin, cooked fruit and tobacco. It's big and chewy in the mouth with excellent acid balance and medium tannin. It packs a little less punch than your average Amarone, but you can enjoy a glass of it with roast lamb and raise a toast to the price. Available for purchase by the case from The Small Winemakers Collection. (DI)


Bonny Doon ‘Ca’ del Solo’ Sangiovese 2006
Monterey, California $TBD 14.5% alcohol
This wine introduces itself with a mixed nose of dry leaves, tobacco and jammy fruit. It’s medium bodied on the palate with tart raspberry and vanilla flavours with a long finish. There's plenty of tannin, which will let you lay it down for about 4 years. But the tannins are well integrated, so you can enjoy it now with pasta or medium-well roast beef. Available for purchase by the case from The Small Winemakers Collection. (DI)


Thirty Bench ‘Small Lot Triangle Vineyard’ Riesling 2007
VQA Beamsville Bench, Ontario $30.00 12% alcohol
This wine has a lively nose of petrol and peach fruit. It’s slightly sweet on the palate with a medium body, good acid balance, and peach flavours. It’s a very refreshing summer wine that can be enjoyed now with grilled pork tenderloin or put in the cellar to let the flavours develop for a few more years. Available for purchase by the case from The Small Winemakers Collection. (DI)


Thirty Bench Riesling 2008
VQA Beamsville Bench, Ontario $18.50 11% alcohol
This wine is made from a blend of grapes from Thirty Bench's 3 estate vineyards. It has a fresh nose dominated by peach and pear and accompanied by a slight waxy aroma. Refreshing acidity is balanced by delicate sweetness, a medium body and peach flavours. Drink it now with a spicy Thai meal or put it in the cellar and see if it develops as well as previous ‘Triangle Vineyard’ Riesling has. Available for purchase by the case from Thirty Bench. (DI)


Thirty Bench ‘Small Lot’ Pinot Noir 2007
VQA Beamsville Bench, Ontario $35.00 13% alcohol
This wine has a ripe cherry and raspberry nose. You'll find big fruit on the palate with tart acidity, medium body, and slightly green tannin. A year or two in the cellar will help mellow the tannin or you can enjoy it now with steak grilled medium-rare. Available for purchase by the case from Thirty Bench. (DI)


Thirty Bench Red 2007
VQA Beamsville Bench, Ontario $24.00 13.5% alcohol
A very pleasing blend of 40% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Cabernet Franc. This wine greets you with such a fresh nose of berries and spice that it makes you smile. It’s medium bodied with a big fruity palate of strawberry, raspberry and supporting oak structure provided by 12 months in French oak barrels. There are strong, but nicely integrated tannin making it very nice to drink right now—try it with medium-rare roast beef. However, a couple of years in the cellar will really make this wine shine. Available for purchase by the case from from Thirty Bench. (DI)


Mittnacht Klack Riesling 2007
AOC Alsace, France $21.20 12% alcohol
This wine has a nose with predominant aromas of mineral mixed with lime and green apple with the apple carrying through to the palate. It’s medium bodied with good acid balance and a long fruity finish. Can be drunk now, but is worth keeping in the cellar for a few years and then enjoying alongside shrimp pasta with a cream sauce. Available for purchase by the case from The Small Winemakers Collection. (DI)


Mittnacht Klack Pinot Gris 2007
AOC Alsace, France $23.35 13.5% alcohol
This is a delicious wine with a very expressive nose of orange blossom, orange peel and grapefruit. It’s full bodied and off-dry on the palate with citrus flavours and a hint of melon leading to a slightly bitter grapefruit-peel finish. This is a refreshing summer wine that would go nicely with smoked salmon or prosciutto-wrapped cantaloupe. Available for purchase by the case from The Small Winemakers Collection. (DI)


Mittnacht Klack Gewürtztraminer 2007
AOC Alsace, France $TBD 14% alcohol
This is a big Gewürztraminer with intense aromas of lychee, rosewater, lemon peel and spice. It’s full bodied and fruity on the palate with a sweetness just short of off-dry. It finishes with the orange-peel bitterness that’s expected of quality Gewürztraminer. Enjoy this wine with spicy-hot Thai basil-chicken or Panang curry. Available for purchase by the case from The Small Winemakers Collection. (DI)


Dowie Doole Shiraz Reserve 2006
McLaren Vale, South Australia (approx) $30.00 14.5% alcohol
Here’s a Wow! Shiraz with a nose of black pepper, cherry, vanilla and eucalyptus with lots of cherry, plum, chocolate and spice on the palate. It’s full bodied with tart acidity and perceptible, but not very aggressive tannin. It’ll drink wonderfully this summer with spicy BBQ ribs, though you could cellar it for a couple more years. Available for purchase by the case from The Small Winemakers Collection. (DI)


Peller Estates ‘Signature Series Sur Lie’ Chardonnay 2007
VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario $30 13.5% alcohol
This wine was barrel fermented and aged on the lees for 12 months in a mix of new and old French and American oak. This provides the base aromas of toasty oak that underpins a nose of tropical fruit and apple. It's medium to full bodied on the palate with a creamy texture and pleasant tropical fruit flavour leading to a buttery finish. It’s a nice match for roast chicken. Available for purchase by the case from Peller Estates. (DI)


Peller Estates ‘Private Reserve’ Pinot Gris 2008
VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $16.95 12.5% alcohol
There are some very interesting whites being produced from the 2008 harvest in the Niagara region and this wine is an excellent example. It has a subtle nose of honeysuckle, peach and apricot. On the palate it’s dry, medium to full bodied with fruit flavours dominated by peach. It’s refreshingly acidic and has a long fruit finish. A great summer sipper by itself or with oven-baked salmon. Available for purchase by the case from Peller Estates. (DI)