Calama Merlot 2005
Central Valley, Chile $9.40 (612440)
It opens with a subdued nose of rich ripe plums. More of the same fruit on the palate and finish forming a medium-body to this well-balanced red. The finish adds a note of zest suggesting this would be the perfect foil to pasta in a tomato-based sauce. (VH)


Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Port 2000
DOC Douro $16.95 (613927)
Aged six years (regulations are a minimum of 4) in older barrels, ensuring your immediate drinking enjoyment. Silver medal winner at the 2006 Ottawa Wine and Food Show, this offers a spicy warm nose and glorious rich flavours of raisin, fig and deep rich cherry. The long and layered finish offers more of the same with deft balance, luxurious texture and spicy notes. Extremely versatile, you can quaff on its own après dinner or pair to chocolate desserts or hard cheeses. 6 bonus AIR MILES offer to Nov. 4. (VH)


Masi Masianco Pinot Grigio / Verduzzo 2005
IGT Pinot Grigio e Verduzzo delle Venezie $14.95 (620773)
An aromatic beauty with an involved and perfumed nose of floral, honeycomb and citrus notes. The brilliant blending of 25% over-ripe Verduzzo (traditional Veneto variety) adds complexity and lushness not always found in Pinot Grigio. This offers a clean citrus finish that would marry well to sautéed and garlicky shell fish. (VH)


Masi Costasera Amarone 2001
DOC Amarone Della Valpolicella $35.05 (317057)
Dark ripe fruit (raspberry and cherry) waft form the glass of this outstanding wine. You will find copious amounts of sweet, cooked fruit that is incredibly well balanced with supple tannin and good tang. A special yeast strain utilized to ferment without the oxidisation one often finds in these wines. The quintessential Amarone bite is present on the finish. It cries out for a match with veal shanks in a tomato sauce, now to 2020. (VH)


MezzaCorona Fuedo Arancio Syrah 2004
IGT Sicily, Italy $12.00 (621730)
Starts out with a quiet nose of rich cherry and earthy notes then belies its price point by delivering an astonishing mouthful of ripe, rich, black brambleberry fruit flavours that are layered and dense. The overall experience is enhanced by good balance and a lovely finish. Garnered a bronze medal at the 2006 Ottawa Wine and Food Show. Classy. (VH)


Kopke Full Rich Ruby Port
DOC Douro $14.10 (35766)
Gold Medal winner at the 2006 Ottawa Wine and Food Show. From the House of Kopke, one of the few (only?) remaining Portuguese family-owned Port houses, this opens with lifted aromatics of Christmas cake spice. It drenches the palate with viscous, plush, ripe black fruit then offers a lengthy and luxurious finish. This has a price to quality ratio that is tipped heavily in your favour. (VH)


Tribal African Terroir Merlot 2003
Western Cape, South Africa $8.95 (623702)
Pleasing spice and ripe black plum aromas and flavours abound on this medium-weight super value red. Winner of a bronze medal at the Ottawa Wine and Food Show in October 2006. The finish is well balanced with lovely fruit and a delightful tang, albeit short. Would pair up well to pizza. (VH)


Viña Cono Sur Merlot 2006
Central Valley, Chile $10.05 (457176)
An aromatic and lifted nose of cherry and black plum wafts from the glass of this classy, medium-textured red. The palate is treated to a fruit-forward (red and black berry) attack that is nicely balanced off with ripe tannin and a dollop of zesty tang. Hard to conceive how a wine of this stature sells for as little as it does. (VH)