An explanation of the scoring system and icons is included at the end of this newsletter.

This release starts with Pinot Noirs from several countries and regions.

Champy "Signature" Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2004
AOC Bourgogne $19.95 (001149)
And who said you can't get decent Burgundy under $20? Well, I've said it quite often, but here's the rebuttal in a bottle. This is very attractive in aromas and flavours, and you can fruitfully look for cherry, raspberry and strawberry notes with a hint of earthy beet. It's quite elegant in style and will partner well with planked salmon. (RP)


Jacques Prieur Beaune Champs-Pimont 2002
AOC Beaune 1er Cru $49.95 (002626)
This is drinking beautifully now (try it with grilled lamb) and will keep well for another five years. It's a stylish Beaune with clean, pure fruit (red and dark cherry with spicy notes) that's well pitched from start to long finish. It's finely balanced with silky tannins. (RP)


Taupenot-Merme Chambolle-Musigny 2002
AOC Chambolle-Musigny $53.95 (001214)
Look for loads of complexity here, with layers of fruit (cherry, raspberry, strawberry) and accents of beet, spice, and savoury herbs. Medium bodied and quite stylish, it delivers great balance and character and pairs well with rich red meat or game dishes. (RP)

Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Rouge 2004
AOC Sancerre Rouge $31.95 (982942)
From an appellation better known for Sauvignon Blanc, this Pinot offers aromas and flavours dominated by tart cherry, with hints of spice and herbs. The tannins are quite grippy, and you might want to cellar it two or three years. Then drink with chicken in a rich tomato-based sauce. (RP)

Governors Bay Pinot Noir 2004
South Island $18.95 (656405)
Drawn from two regions in the South Island (Marlborough and less-known Canterbury) this delivers good fruit (tart cherry and raspberry) with herbal notes. Medium bodied and well balanced, it's food-friendly and will quickly make friends with grilled red meat dishes. (RP)


Margrain "River's Edge" Pinot Noir 2004
Martinborough $26.95 (684258)
Martinborough (not to be confused with Marlborough) is one of New Zealand's key Pinot Noir regions. This example delivers quite intense and complex aroma and flavours, dominated by red plum and herbal notes. It has soft ripe tannins, good acidity, and a lengthy finish, and is a very good Pinot Noir at this price point. Open a bottle next time you grill well-seasoned lamb chops. (RP)


Mt. Difficulty Pinot Noir 2004
Central Otago $37.95 (994251)
Central Otago (or just "Central," if you're in the know) is a burgeoning Pinot region in the south of New Zealand's South Island. This is a lovely example of what it produces. Look for aromas and flavours that are all ripe cherry with characteristic herbal and savoury notes. It's quite juicy, medium bodied and finely balanced, and is drinking now and for the next five years. It's a natural for well-herbed grilled salmon. (RP)


Oyster Bay Pinot Noir 2005
Marlborough, South Island $25.95 (590414)
Spiced plum and cranberry notes blow off the glass of this medium-bodied Kiwi offering. Cherry flavours abound in this well structured and classy number. There is good grip from ripe tannins and deft balance right through to the lengthy finish. Smoked duck breasts with mescalun greens would marry well from now until 2010. (VH)


Sileni Estates "Cellar Selection" Pinot Noir 2005
Hawkes Bay, North Island $17.95 (694901)
The lifted nose of spice and crushed, dried black currants forms a lovely segue to the ripe, sweet (13.5% alcohol) flavours of black cherry and garrigue in this medium-bodied gem from a premium NZ producer. There is a warm and well balanced finish that echoes these flavours and showcases balancing raciness. A natural match to roast or grilled pork tenderloin stuffed with dried fruits. At an outstanding price point. (VH)

R.H. Phillips "Toasted Head" Pinot Noir 2004
Sonoma Coast $25.95 (686832)
The premier vintage of Pinot Noir in this line has set a very respectable bar. It delivers solid and nuanced fruit (cherry and strawberry to the fore) with complex spicy and earthy notes. The texture and tannins are soft and it's very well balanced. Pair this confidently with grilled lamb. (RP)


Trinchero "Family" Pinot Noir 2004
Napa Valley $17.95 (727248)
A top shelf 'value' wine amongst the Pinots in this release. Wine maker, Joe Shirley, fashions his wines in a round and ready style and this fits the bill. Definitely new world, it offers juicy berry flavours, very fine, almost imperceptible, ripe tannin coupled with a nice spine of acidity to provide balance within the mouth and on the lovely finish. All in all, a nicely structured, delicious Pinot. (VH)

Erath "Earth Heart" Pinot Noir 2004
Oregon $22.95 (932541)
So how many words can you get from Erath? This is a well-balanced Pinot with good acidity, one you can serve with slightly acidic dishes, such as red meat in a tomato-based sauce. The fruit (mainly cherry and raspberry) is sweet at core, but evolves to more savoury lines in the finish. (RP)

Tinhorn Creek Pinot Noir 2003
VQA Okanagan Valley $16.95 (530709)
Earthy, gamy and funky on the nose, this medium-bodied red from a top notch Okanagan producer turns spicy and rustic on the palate. Dried herb and cranberry notes dominate the flavour profile while the overall impression is of a wine that would benefit from a couple of years aging and three or four hours of decanting. (VH)

Miguel Torres "Mas Borras" Pinot Noir 2004
DO Penedès $25.95 (673483)
This seemed to strike a chord with many tasters at the pre-release tasting, and I'm in there, too. This is a very approachable Pinot Noir with good typicity and plenty of character. The barrel regime is clear on the nose, with aromas of toasty oak, but the concentrated fruit shines through brightly. Look for a mélange of cherries with notes of spice and cedar. It's medium bodied, smooth textured and very well balanced, and it makes an excellent partner for full-flavoured red meat and game dishes. (RP)

Alvear Fino En Rama 2002
DO Montilla-Moriles $13.95 (687087)
How can you resist an excellent Fino at this price-especially now that the LCBO has made the astonishing decision to remove Tio Pepe, the iconic Fino, from its inventory. This is classic stuff, bone dry and crisp, with notes of bitter orange and roasted nuts overlain by a veneer of honey. Chill it and sip it as the sun sets on a warm summer day. (RP)

Reif Shiraz 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $16.95 (677278)
And just when you thought you had tasted everything - a lovely Shiraz from 'cool climate' Niagara. More restrained than robust, this has spicy fruit (both Montmorency and sweet black cherry) flavours that are showcased on a light to medium-bodied textured red. You will delight in the delicate balance on the clean, racy and fruit forward finish. Well made, well priced and well worth a purchase. (VH)

Martin & Weyrich Chardonnay 2002
Edna Valley $18.95 (686097)
A rich, layered Chardonnay reminiscent of Meursault. It delivers concentrated fruit (peach, tropical fruit) and hints of toasty oak in a smooth, verging-on-creamy texture. It's well balanced and finishes well, and pairs very successfully with rich seafood dishes like scallops or lobster. (RP)


Monterra Chardonnay 2004
Monterey County $16.95 (688010)
Somehow this wine manages to be both lean and round at the same time. The fruit is all ripe peaches, apricots and tropical, but there's a clean acid spine that keeps the ripe sweetness nicely in check. Pair it with grilled firm white fish. (RP)


R.H. Phillips "Toasted Head" Chardonnay 2004
Russian River Valley $25.95 (686840)
A well-made Chardonnay that delivers on fruit and balance. Look for peach, apricot and tropical fruit here, with soft, sweet spicy notes and a hint of oak. The smooth texture verges on creaminess, and it's very well balanced. Pour a glass when you're serving roast turkey or grilled chicken breast. (RP)

White Oak Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Napa Valley $34.95 (684233)
This is a barn-burner that Rod and I both loved. Oak, smoke and black berry fruit rip from the glass of this full-bodied, hedonistic red that will only get better with time. Hand-picked fruit, treated to 20 months of French and American oak, this comes from the 10% of grapes they keep for their own label, selling the remaining 90% to other wineries. Expect black currant, chocolate and licorice flavours that are all underpinned by the ubiquitous black cherry and spice. The finish is long and tannic making this a candidate for drinking between 2010 and 2016. (VH)


Zaca Mesa Syrah 2002
Santa Ynez Valley $29.95 (687475)
A big, soft-textured Syrah with full-on ripe dark fruit (black cherry, plum), soft tannins, and a good finish. Definitely on the Syrah side of that Syrah-Shiraz divide, it's plush and juicy and is versatile enough to go well with many full-flavoured red meat dishes. (RP)

Cono Sur Chardonnay Reserve 2005
Casablanca Valley $13.95 (590802)
A very well-priced Chardonnay from one of Chile's cooler regions, not far from the Pacific Ocean. You get rich aromas and flavours that are a mélange of tropical fruit, good structure, and lovely weight and balance. Really, they've done it right, all the way through. Drink this now and over the next two-three years, and pair it with rich seafood or creamy chicken dishes. (RP)

Viña Seña "Arboleda" Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Maipo Valley $17.95 (606764)
This is an elegant Cabernet that delivers impressive complexity and style-over-delivers for the price, as so many Chilean wines do. Look for lovely dark fruit flavours with notes of coffee and chocolate. It's medium bodied with tannins that are firm but manageable, so that you can drink this now (with red meat) or tuck it away until the end of the decade and beyond. (RP)

d'Arenberg "The Money Spider" Roussanne 2004
McLaren Vale $19.95 (656710)
The Australians seem determined to compete on all varieties, and here's a take on the Rhône's Roussanne. The aromas and multi-layered flavours are dominated by peach, apricot and spice, and it has impressive, well-integrated acidity. Medium bodied and well-structured, it's a natural for rich and spicy seafood dishes. (RP)


Nepenthe Pinot Gris 2004
Adelaide Hills $17.95 (684266)
A well-made Pinot Gris with the classic aromas and flavours of peach and apricot and, in this case, a finish that carries hints of roasted nuts. The fruit is sweet and ripe, the weight medium and the balance excellent. Pair it up with spicy Asian dishes. (RP)


Rosemount "Hill of Gold" Chardonnay 2002
Mudgee $20.95 (614792)
This is a well-balanced Chardonnay from a small, up-and-coming Australian region. It delivers attractive fruit (peach, pear, sweet apple) with complementary acidity and good structure. It goes well with grilled herbed chicken breast or grilled white fish. (RP)

Bidgeebong "Triangle" Shiraz 2003
New South Wales $17.95 (684134)
This is a terrific Shiraz, full of ripe, dark fruit flavour but this side of jammy, and well structured. It's full bodied with a slightly rustic (in the best sense) texture, has ripe tannins, and a long, complex fruit finish. Pair it with well-seasoned roast or grilled lamb. (RP)


Taltarni Shiraz 2002
Pyrenees, Victoria $25.95 (937219)
Tasted in Australia, with a host of other Victoria Shiraz - we need a lot more of these here. The quiet nose offers mocha and berry fruit while the flavours attack in delicious waves of currants, red berry, black pepper and cherry. All this is entwined with perceptible tannin and deftly handled oak and verve. This is no fruit bomb, but rather style and class with the guts to go until 2015. Try with something big and flavourful - venison or rack of lamb, mate. (VH)


Woodstock Grenache 2002
McLaren Vale $20.95 (696252)
A medium bodied Grenache that's a nice introduction to the variety (which happens to be one of my favourites). Expect ripe red fruit (sweet cherry dominant) with spicy notes, and gentle tannins. The alcohol (14%) is modest and it makes a great partner to a grilled veal chop. (RP)

Margan Shiraz Saignée Rosé 2006
Hunter Valley $15.95 (675447)
A very good rosé for summer dining. It's dry, juicy and full of flavour, with good balance and structure. In other words, it's all the things that so many roséphobes can't imagine in a wine of this colour. Of course you can drink this with summer salads, blah, blah, but it has the heft to work with steak and frites or grilled salmon, too. (RP)

Quarry Road Sauvignon Blanc 2005
Te Kauwhata $18.95 (694844)
Here's a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with a difference. The acidity is a lot lower than in the usual suspects from Marlborough and even Hawkes Bay. In this Sauvignon Blanc from Te Kauwhata (a couple of hours' drive south of Auckland) you get familiar flavours of gooseberry and lemon-lime, but soft acidity that makes this a good pre-dinner sipper, as well as a partner for seafood and fish. (RP)

Delheim Shiraz 2003
WO Simonsberg-Stellenbosch $19.95 (959080)
Tar and floral notes dominate the aromas of this 100% Shiraz while the flavours are rich and redolent of spiced black plums and Bing cherry. Lots going on in this medium to full-bodied red with lashings of oak, a balancing spine of acidity and a lengthy peppery finish that is fruit forward and sweet. Try now to 2011 with grilled red meats. (VH)


Goats Do Roam "Goat-Roti" 2004
WO Paarl $19.95 (943175)
If it's not bad enough that they parody the name, they have to make this from Shiraz and Viognier. This is a dry-very dry-red with good structure and complex aromas and flavours: red and dark fruit, spice, and pepper. Don't even think of pairing this with roasted goat (the winery has a goat farm). Instead, think of lamb or other red meats. (RP)

Talmard Mâcon-Uchizy Blanc 2004
AOC Mâcon-Uchizy $15.95 (733956)
A favoured area and from, perhaps, the top producer of value Burgundy whites. 100% Chardonnay and not a stave of oak add to its fresh and appealing nature. This light to medium-bodied offering has quiet aromas of floral and apple notes while the flavours are tropical fruit, zesty citrus and green apple. Stock up for delicious summer enjoyment. (VH)


Cave les Costières de Pomerols Beauvignac Viognier 2005
Vin de Pays d'Oc $11.95 (525295)
Honey and beeswax aromas float from this smart little medium-bodied white. The flavours are muted, but attractive, peaches and nectarines, while the finish is clean and quite short. A welcomed change from over-oaked fruit bombs even though there is a lovely supple texture to it. If you are looking for honest and easy at under twelve dollars; look no further. (VH)


"Les Vignes Retrouvées" Blanc 2004
VDQS Côtes de Saint-Mont $13.95 (525451)
Quince and vanilla aromatics lead the way to this medium-bodied dazzler. Hand picked indigenous grapes provide a zesty and refreshing splash of red grapefruit, lemon zest and enough ripe pit fruit to make it interesting and food friendly. This is concentrated and well balanced, making it an absolute bargain at this price. Pair with a mixed green salad with grilled chicken strips. (VH)

Château Beaumont 2003
AOC Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur $21.95 (580548)
Dark and brooding in the glass, it gives off aromas of black currant and earthy notes. This richly concentrated and deftly balanced peppery red offers sweet ripe black fruit intermingled with generous oak, and a racy spine of verve to keep safely away from jammy. The finish is lengthy, fruit forward and on the sweet side, but there is enough grip to keep it honest. Incredible value here and you can consume now to 2012 with confidence and veal shanks. (VH)


Château Bel-Air 2003
AOC Pomerol $44.95 (592808)
This is very impressive, a wine that over-delivers at a good price. The fruit is rich (remember, this was 2003) and complex, with clean flavours of cherry and plum and notes of earth, coffee and spice. It's medium bodied with quite grippy tannins that might persuade you to put it in a dark place until the 2010 Winter Olympics. Then break it out, decant it, shovel the snow off the barbecue, and grill a rack of lamb. (RP)


Château d'Or et de Gueules 2003
AOC Costières de Nimes $14.95 (597104)
From the toasty nose to the long and satin smooth finish, this is one easy-drinking red. Sweet cherry and bramble berry flavours coat the palate while the lengthy and layered finish gives a perfect replay. This is smooth, round and mellow and should prove a backyard favourite at your next summer gathering. Match to backyard burgers and grilled sausage. (VH)


Jérome Quiot Saint Gervais 2004
AOC Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Saint Gervais $15.95 (531863)
Kirsch aromas float from the nose while the palate is treated to a solid core of sweet (14% alcohol) red berry fruit wrapped around ripe tannin that eases into a zesty and dry finish. This is ripe, rich and seductive. There is supple charm and enough oomph to pour this proudly beside smoked and bar b qued baby back ribs. Drink now to 2011. (VH)

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf "Estate" Riesling Trocken 2004
QbA Pfalz $16.95 (991315)
Pricey for QbA (allowed to add sugar), but it plays out well. Trademarks of this appellation's Rieslings are less acidity than say, Mosel, but lots of character and structure. This begins with spicy apple pie aromas before it opens up with more spice and apple flavours that clean up nicely with the addition of zingy citrus notes in this medium-textured white. There's enough sweet and sour tang here to venture into mildly spiced Asian dishes. (VH)

Pighin Pinot Grigio 2005
DOC Grave del Friuli $15.95 (987545) Toast, white flowers and mineral on the involved nose, this light-bodied white is all about zing, verve and refreshing citrus flavours. Some notes of pit fruit, but mainly built to match up to sea food. Try with friends and grilled scampi drizzled with lemon juice and you'll certainly get the idea. (VH)


Tenuta S. Anna Chardonnay 2004
DOC Lison-Pramaggiore $16.95 (531681)
Slate and Granny Smith apples waft from this light to medium-bodied Chard. Smoothly textured, you will enjoy more green apple flavours, gorgeous spice and oodles of citrus on the lingering and cleansing finish. This is lovely on its own, but would shine brightly beside lemon chicken or lemon veal. (VH)

"Memoria" Primitivo di Manduria 2003
DOC Primitivo di Manduria $12.95 (687210)
This is a lip smacking fruit bomb from the scorching '03 vintage. Spicy black currant and rich, sweet, black berry flavours coat the palate while the sweet fruit forward finish is medium in length and powerful in strength. Local dialect for this wine is "Mirr Test" (hard wine), but no sign of that here. This will not be accused of have intricate structure or elegance; it delivers full bore fruit at a favourable price point. Stock up. (VH)


Rubino Marmorelle 2004
IGT Salento $13.95 (730077)
Rustic, but charming, this offers smoked meat notes and spice on the nose and red berry compote on the medium weight palate. The soft tannins and barely perceptible acidity fashion a round and mellow red with a nice kick of spice and herbs on the finish. Would partner very well with spaghetti bolognaise liberally sprinkled with shaved parmigiano reggiano. (VH)


Baglio dei Monaci "Duccara" Nero d'Avola 2004
IGT Sicilia $20.95 (687905)
This gorgeous expression of the Nero d'Avola grape punches up the flavour bar in a medium-bodied beauty that offers rich and concentrated flavours of black brambly fruit and anise. Not used to wines of this character from Sicily? This has layers of fruit and earthy mushroom, deftly handled oak and pleasing acidity, marking it a winner worthy of a place at your table alongside osso bucco and portobello risotto. (VH)

Aveleda Alvarinho Vinho Verde 2005
DOC Vinho Verde $16.95 (699843)
Impossible to pass an outside café in Lisbon or the Algarve without spotting many bottles of this alongside mounds of prawn shells and happy Portuguese diners with garlic butter dripping from their fingers. The nose is lifted and spicy, but this wine is about sipping in the summer sun. Slightly spritzy, a wonderful citrussy attack, a cleansing finish and the perfect foil to grilled prawns and seared scallops. This is a summer 'must serve'. (VH)

Segura Viudas Viña Heredad Rosado 2005
DO Penedès $11.95 (680918)
These folks produce wines that are certain to tip the price to quality ratio in your favour. No exception here. From a cooler region of NE Spain, this is medium-bodied, spicy and fresh. There is enough body and fruit flavours (strawberry, cranberry and sour cherry) to let you enjoy this on its own or pair with light hors d'oeuvres such as smoked salmon or tabouli in a mini-pita. (VH)

Valle de Salinas 2004
DO Yecla $10.95 (688788)
Vic and I agree that this is a wine to buy by the armful or the case, whichever you feel more comfortable with. It's fruit-forward and impressively complex, with flavours of ripe red and dark fruit and notes of spice and dried fruit. It's perfect for all manner of red meat dishes, from burgers to steaks to lamb. It's drinking beautifully now and will see you through this and next summer. (RP)

Wits End "The Procrastinator" 2004
McLaren Vale, South Australia $14.95 (684100)
In the most recent newsletter I reported this as a 95% Cab Franc and 5% Shiraz blend. I took this information from the winery's web site only to find later they have 2 wines named,"The Procrastinator". The wine reviewed is a Shiraz / Cabernet Sauvignon blend. All but the information on the grapes in the review hold true. Sincere thanks to winecurrent subscriber and sharp-eyed oenophile Nick Christopoulos at the Applewood Hills Plaza LCBO in Mississauga for spotting this. (VH)

Cheers!

Rod and Vic

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