Vic is away visiting vineyards in Spain. Rod will be reviewing solo for the new few releases.

This Vintages release features wines from regions bordering the Mediterranean, and there are some great bargains to be had throughout the release.

We are including the scoring system explanation and icons at the end of this newsletter.



Miguel Torres "San Valentin" Garnacha 2004
DO Catalunya $13.95 (673541)
Garnacha is our old friend Grenache, but make sure you never get into the argument as to whether it's an indigenous Spanish or a French grape variety. For present purposes, Torres has produced a delicious wine that's great value. It delivers a core of sweet, ripe fruit with a warm, edgy, slightly rustic texture. Look for plum and cherry flavours with a slightly herbal accent, and pair it with juicy, medium-rare lamb chops. (RP)


Capçanes "Mas Donis" Barrica Tinto 2003
DO Montsant $15.95 (705863)
A blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, this has a juicy, fleshy texture, with fruity, floral aromas and flavours of fruit that range from black cherry, black berries, and dark plum. It's dry, even astringent, with sweet tannins and a long spicy finish. This is a great buy that you can drink now through to the end of the decade. Pair it with a well-seasoned, grilled veal chop. (RP)



Domaine des Blagueurs "Syrah Sirrah" 2003
Vin de Pays d'Oc $15.95 (951848)
From the punsters at Bonny Doon, the wild card in the California pack, this Syrah is popular vintage after vintage. The 2003 offers totally delicious fruit that reflects the warm growing conditions of 2003, but it doesn't cross the line to jamminess. It's complex, has firm tannins that will hold the wine three or four years, and makes a great partner to well-herbed, grilled red meats. Buy some for summer grills-there'll be none left in Vintages when you want it in July. (RP)


Michel Gassier "Les Piliers" Syrah 2003
AOC Costières de Nîmes $16.95 (678086)
Michel Gassier keeps getting it right. Following several outstanding offerings at Vintages, here's a really impressive Syrah that delivers intense, well-extracted fruit, sweet and rip but firm tannins, and great balance. Look for a core of ripe fruit like cherry, plum and cassis, with soft pepper and spice accents. There's power here, wound within a soft texture. Drink it with well-flavoured red meat, like lamb seasoned with garlic, rosemary and lavender. (RP)



A very pleasant white with an edgy texture and flavours dominated by grapefruit, orange peel, bitter orange and nuttiness. Dry with good balance and good acidity, it's a good match for shrimps sautéed in garlic and ginger. (RP)


Cantine di Palma "Il Nibbio Grigio" Aglianico del Vulture 2000
DOC Aglianico del Vulture $16.95 (672808)
You might wan t to put this away for a couple of years to let the tannins fall out a bit. Right now it's pretty hard, although a side order of rare lamb chops (with lots of garlic) will help out. Very good value, this delivers rich flavours of dried fruit (plum, cherry) with a range of spicy notes. Great stuff. (RP)



Stratus Riesling Icewine 2001
VQA Niagara Peninsula $36.95/200ml (678714)
Stratus is a new Niagara winery where former Hillebrand winemaker J-L Groux is making quite stunning red and white blends, single varieties-and icewine, it's clear. The cliché about icewine is that there has to be enough acidity to balance the sweetness, and this Stratus does it very well. Not only that, but he's maintained varietal authenticity: this couldn't be anything but Riesling. If you're turned off sweet, cloying icewine, test drive this model. (RP)


Thomas & Vaughan Icewine 1999
VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95/200ml (945311)
A rich, opulent icewine with flavours in the peach jam/apricot zones and layers of sweet honey and caramel. This is already six years old and has some time to go, but as a result its texture is softening and it's taking on a mellowness that you don't find in younger vintages. At $19.95, it's bargain priced. (RP)



Henry of Pelham Pinot Noir 2003
VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 (268391)
A very nicely-paced Pinot Noir with good fruit at the centre and good balance. There's an earthy layer that throws up an intriguing nutty note, and the texture is very attractive. Look for old world style here, rather than a fruitier new world take on Pinot, and pair this food-enhancing wine with grilled lamb or duck. (RP)


Legends Estates Cabernet-Merlot 2002
VQA Niagara Peninsula $19.95 (675066)
Medium bodied with a good, consistent central layer of red and dark fruit (plum, berries) and some spicy complexity. It's well balanced and dry with firm tannins and quite well structured. Pour a glass when you're serving herbed grilled pork tenderloin. (RP)


Palatine Hills Meritage 2002
VQA Niagara Peninsula $14.95 (675058)
Palatine Hills is a lesser-known winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake that's worth keeping an eye on. This Cabernet Sauvignon-Cabernet Franc-Merlot blend is good value. It is attractive and medium-bodied with nice red and black fruit flavours with herbal and spicy accents. Dry and well balanced, it pairs nicely with herbed and grilled veal. (RP)



Liberty School Chardonnay 2003
Central Coast $19.95 (960120)
A quite delicious Chardonnay that shows great flavour complexity, medium-plus weight, and attractive texture. Look for ripe fruit in the yellow peach and red delicious apple zones, with notes of vanilla, caramel and soft spices. Enjoy this Chardonnay with grilled pork tenderloin stuffed with herbs and apricots. (RP)


Geyser Peak Chardonnay 2004
Alexander Valley $19.95 (343475)
Here's one for Chardonnay lovers who think o-a-k is A-OK. Not that it's over-oaked in any sense, but the oak comes through clearly here to complement the ripe tropical fruit flavours. The texture is crisp and clean, it's medium bodied, and it's a good match for simple, well-herbed grilled chicken. (RP)



Dry Creek Vineyards Heritage Clone Zinfandel 2001
Sonoma Valley $14.95 (574491)
A bargain for Zin lovers. This is a great price for a bottle that delivers delicious flavours of sweet dark berries and plum, with notes of spice and coffee. It's medium bodied, smooth textured, well balanced, and has a long finish of sweet spicy fruit. Pair it with spicy chicken wings or barbecued pork. (RP)


Montpellier Syrah 2003
California $12.95 (672436)
You can't go wrong with this wine at this price. It's clearly Syrah and it's made in a popular style that's fruity (look for ripe, slightly jammy, dark cherries and plum), reasonably complex (pepper and spice), with an appealing texture. It's value from start to finish and the sort of wine you can safely pair with all manner of red meat-based dishes. (RP)


Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel 2003
Sonoma County $27.95 (673798)
This is a really lovely Zinfandel, elegant and stylish, that calls for quite intensely-flavoured food like a grilled steak that's ben marinated in lots of garlic. Look for concentrated and well-focused flavours of sweet blackberries, cherries and plums, with highlights of spice, pepper and coffee. The tannins are ripe and firm enough to sustain the wine easily to the end of the decade and beyond. (RP)


R.H. Phillips Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Dunnigan Hills $19.95 (969873)
Well-priced at $19.95, this is on sale for $17.95 until February 26, 2006. (The Vintages catalog tells you to check page 34 for details, which is challenging in a 32-page catalog. See page 30, in fact.) This is a well-structured Cab from an excellent California vintage. It delivers intense fruit (black berry and fruit) with complex notes of spice, coffee and chocolate. The tannins are perceptible, but the wine is ready for drinking now and over the next two or three years. Pair it with well-seasoned grilled steak or lamb chops. (RP)



Cardinham Riesling 2003
Clare Valley $15.95 (694562)
Screwcap-sealed to ensure the original freshness, this expresses complex aromas and flavours of white flowers, peach, lemon-lime, and yellow apple. It's nicely layered with substantial body, and offers a crisp, zesty texture. Drink it with lightly-spiced seafood appetizers. (RP)


d'Arenberg "The Hermit Crab" Viognier Marsanne 2004
McLaren Vale $15.95 (662775)
This is a real stunner that pairs beautifully with delicately-spiced Asian seafood dishes. The blend of 70% Viognier and 30% Marsanne delivers quite elegant flavours of apricot and peach with notes of musk, flowers and warm spices. It's quite intensely fruity with good balance and a slightly bitter note that contributes a clean crisp finish. It's best drunk in the next year or so, and it's screwcap-sealed to protect the fresh fruitiness. (RP)


Wolf Blass Gold Label Chardonnay 2004
Adelaide Hills $21.95 (606186)
Great stuff rolls out of the Adelaide Hills, where the grapes for this Chardonnay were sourced. The wine is on the restrained, complex and even elegant side, rather than in the intense fruity style you might expect. It's still rich, nicely textured almost to the point of creaminess, and well balanced. Open a bottle with grilled pork tenderloin and apple sauce. (RP)



Chateau Reynella Basket Pressed Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
McLaren Vale $29.95 (976399)
This is all about sweet, ripe fruit (black cherry, red plum), but it stays well clear of jamminess and the richness of the fruit is moderated by accents of spice and coffee. Expect good complexity, nice balance and a lovely, long finish of sweet spicy fruit. Drink it now or over the next three years with intensely-flavoured grilled game. (RP)


Two Hands "Bella's Garden" Shiraz 2004
Barossa Valley $59.95 (636407)
The heart of this wine is pure sweet fruit: black cherry and plum punctuated with notes of herbs, spice and pepper. It has exemplary balance, ripe tannins, and a long, long complex sweet fruit finish. You'll need to pair this with something flavoursome, like well-herbed lamb chops. Drink it now and over the next five years. (RP)


Quartz Reef Pinot Noir 2003
Central Otago $39.95 (599324)
We don't see nearly enough Pinot Noir from Central Otago, one of New Zealand's premier regions for the variety. This offers a lush texture, rich, pure, sweet fruit, and exquisitely poised balance. The tannins are firm but manageable now, and you can open this and decant it for a rack of lamb tonight, or tuck it away for another five years or so. (RP)



Cathedral Cellar Merlot 2001
WO Coastal Region $16.95 (522219)
A wonderful five-year-old Merlot with quite astonishingly complex flavours. Snap up at least half a dozen of these and enjoy them over the next five years. Right now you'll get stunning ripe fruit flavours (plum, cherries, berries) and countless layers of accents, from pepper and spice to smoke and chocolate. Throw in a tangy texture, super balance and a long finish, and you're away. Take a hearty red meat dish with you. (RP)



Château la Vieille Cure 2001
AOC Fronsac $45.95 (947127)
Fronsac is one of those appellations to watch out for. Often overshadowed by neighbours like Pomerol, it produces fine wines that are often underpriced. This Merlot-dominant blend is one of them. It delivers a texture that's elegant yet juicy and generous, with gorgeous fruit and a host of well integrated secondary aromas and flavours. Look for spices, smoke, and cassis. The tannins are ripe and right now they're gripping, so put this away for at least five years, then drink it during the next five. (RP)


L'Echanteur de la Vray Croix de Gay 2001
AOC Pomerol $43.95 (674309)
A mainly-Merlot blend that delivers lovely aromas, then flavours, in a beautifully smooth-textured package. The core fruit (plum, cherry, cassis) is sweet and ripe and there are spice-box accents to lift it to another level. The tannins are firm but manageable if you just have to get the cork out soon. Otherwise, drink it over the next five years with red meat dishes. (RP)



Lingenfelder "Bird Label" Riesling 2004
QmP Pfalz $13.95 (568634)
Bottles of Rainer Lingenfelder's ornithological labels are deservedly sought-after, because they offer excellent quality at very good prices. This off-dry Riesling, which pairs beautifully with medium-spiced Thai dishes, is a perfect example. You get lovely, rich fruit (tropical, melon, citrus), zesty acidity, and great balance. It's a perfect pick-me-up for dreary winter days, too: open a bottle and sip it before dinner. (RP)



Tedeschi "Capitel San Rocco" 2003
IGT Rosso del Veronese $18.95 (719294)
This is excellent value, and if Vic were here to taste, we'd probably give this the "Two Glasses" icon. Intensely flavoured with dark, dark fruit, richly spiced, and big bodied, it has a tangy texture and quite firm tannins. A hunk of rare steak or lamb will look after the tannins if you have to try a bottle before putting the other five away for three or four years. (RP)



Quinta da Lagoalva Castelão-Touriga Nacional 2002
VR Ribatejano $12.95 (938449)
This is a very well-priced, flavourful wine that will pair nicely with rich lamb stew or spicy, herbed sausages. It delivers intense dark and red fruit with attractive spiciness, a good tangy texture, and good tannins. Slightly rustic and very appealing, and an excellent wine to trot out for mid-week company. (RP)


We use the following symbols when rating wines:

	Wines achieving nirvana
	Wines of excellence
	Wines well worth trying
	Wines below average, but drinkable
	Wines better avoided, unless desperate
	Represents a half star
	We both agree —a brilliant wine!
	Drink now and over the next 2 years
	Drink now and over the next 5 years
	Place in cellar

Cheers!

Rod and Vic (in absentia)