Banrock Station Sparkling Chardonnay Non-vintage
South Eastern Australia $12.80 (534974)
Wine sales allow Banrock to enthusiastically support environmentally-friendly projects all over the world including the local 'Bring Back the Salmon' project for Lake Ontario. This delivers a nice attack on the palate of quite sweet tree fruit and ripe citrus flavours. It's light bodied and perfect for summer sipping, either on its own or paired with light appetizers, especially crab cakes. (VH)


Deakin Estate Merlot 2006
Victoria $9.95 (577395)
Spice, cedar and dark berry fruit aromas open this silky smooth approachable red. Medium bodied and nicely balanced, you'll find oodles of rich ripe black plum flavours on the palate and lingering finish. There are also notes of ripe cherry and spice. This offers an incredible quality-price ratio—it's under ten dollars and overly delicious. (VH)


Deakin Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Victoria $11.05 (560839)
Bursting with potent herbaceous aromas—grass and sharp nettles; it's medium bodied, medium textured and quite refreshing. Look for a delightful mélange of flavours—penetrating lemon-lime zest, gooseberry and ripe white peach. Built for summer quaffing and warm weather cuisine, give this a go with pan-seared scallops, or prawns hot off the Weber, both under a generous squeeze of lemon. (VH)


Hardys 'Stamp of Australia' Riesling Gewürztraminer 2007
South Eastern Australia $9.95 (448548)
Very aromatic—rosewater, exotic spic box and tropical fruit, this light- to medium-bodied sipper offers a heady experience of vibrant citrus tang and spicy flavours on the palate. It's very sensibly balanced with only 11.5% alcohol, medium texture and a medium length finish. This is delightful sipped on its own and a go-to wine for those spicy Asian dishes like pad Thai or spicy chicken stir-fry. (VH)


Katnook 'Founder's Block' Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Coonawarra $18.00 (620070)
This is the real deal—lifted aromas of eucalyptus, oak, dark chocolate and cassis alert you there's something special ahead. The rich and robust flavours and supple texture are all about balance. Succulent cherry, cassis, and spiced black plum flavours meld effortlessly with the ripe tannin structure, creamy smooth mouth feel and moderating stream of tang. A wonderful wine deserving high praise - it was difficult to spit. (VH)



Twin Fin Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2006
California $11.95 (70375)
Montmorency cherry, cranberry with hints of earthiness on the nose; this racy and spicy offering delivers cranberry and sour cherry flavours on a medium-weight frame. There's a supple tannin structure and a focused finish. Pour alongside pizza or burgers. It's packaged in an enviro-friendly plastic polyethylene teraphthalate (a.k.a. PET) bottle—less weight, smaller size, re-cyclable. (VH)


Twin Fin Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2006
California $11.95 (70367)
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, and this blend is historically Australian. The label is as green as the packaging—a re-cyclable smaller-sized light-weight plastic bottle. Yellow peach, spice and floral aromas segue this zesty and racy blend. Mouth-watering flavours of intense lemon-lime and white grapefruit flavours mark this wine to be paired with mussels steamed in a sauce that includes a splash of this wine.


Twin Fin 'California Sunset' Rosé 2006
Monterey County $11.95 (78600)
There's a unique twist here (along with the screw cap) and it's the grape - it's Sangiovese, of Chianti fame. Spiced cherry and strawberry aromas billow from this seriously good rosé. There's a cornucopia of vibrant flavour—strawberry, spice, rhubarb with a good spine of acidity on the finish. It's balanced, clean and refreshing. It's a great quaffing beverage with enough body, structure and flavour to be poured alongside lightly herbed and spiced chicken, pork or veal. (VH)



Nobilo 'Monkey Bay' Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Marlborough, South Island $14.45 (620062)
There's pungent grassy, herbaceous and gooseberry aromas galore in this classy Kiwi. It's also chock-full of glorious fully textured flavours—ripe zesty lemon, pineapple and key lime pie. Gloriously rich and refreshing; it finishes with that magical duo of ripe succulent fruit alongside heady and racy acidity. Had mine paired with smoked salmon on a baguette smeared with cream cheese and adorned with thinly sliced red onion - an outstanding combination. (VH)



Harbour Estates Winery Riesling 2006
VQA Niagara Peninsula $12.15 (60590)
This medal winner (Silver at 2007 All Canadian) pairs well with spicy Asian cuisine. Sharp and expressive on the nose; look for pungent aromas of mineral and citrus. The flavours are quite a treat—sweet and delectable yellow peach and yellow plum that are delivered effortlessly on a smoothly textured light- to medium-bodied frame. It's beautifully balanced, has sensible (10%) alcohol, and offers an off-dry experience that's very clean and refreshing on the lengthy finish. (VH)


Pillitteri Estates Winery Unoaked Chardonnay 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $12.95 (64790)
Alluring aromas of spice box, freshly baked bread and apple segue flavours of citrus and almond in this light- to medium-bodied sipper. There's nice texture, good balance and oodles of tang and citrus bite on the lemon-lime finish. This pairs well with fish and seafood served under a drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon. (VH)



Nederburg 'The Winemaker's Reserve' Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
WO Western Cape $12.75 (111526)
Round n' ready to go; this is a friendly and approachable red. Look for minty and dark berry fruit aromas on the nose with warm flavours (14.5% alcohol) of cherry and chocolate mint. Nicely structured with ultrafine tannin and well balanced with moderating acidity; it delivers fair value. Built for easy drinking, it has the oomph to pair nicely with burgers and gourmet sausage.


Nederburg 'The Winemaker's Reserve' Shiraz 2006
WO Western Cape $12.85 (527457)
If looking for a rich, ripe and robust mouthful of lovely Shiraz—you've found it. Spice box, black Damson plum and slight nuances of black pepper aromas dance from the glass. This oozes with juicy ripe dark berry flavours (currant and raspberry) and delivers it all with moderating tang, deft balance and a lingering finish. A crowd-pleasing wine with structure and class, pair it with grilled lamb, beef or pork back ribs. (VH)


Nederburg 'The Winemaker's Reserve' Sauvignon Blanc 2007
WO Western Cape $11.45 (382713)
This over-delivers on flavour and balance and earned its final half star on value. Look for a cornucopia of aromas and flavours that include zesty citrus, ripe pineapple and white peach along with pleasing herbaceous nuances. This is pure and pristine delivering a lengthy mouth-watering finish of zesty citrus. Medium bodied and nicely textured, pair this with pan-seared tilapia under a generous drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon. (VH)