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

Quinta de Camarate 2004
Vinho Regional Terras do Sado $14.95 (357962)
A lifted nose of spiced black plum blossoms from this medium-bodied red. The palate is treated to a gargantuan attack of robust and rustic flavours - Montmorency cherry and currant - while the lengthy finish adds ripe tannin, a dollop of tang and great balance. Portugal continues to provide the adventuresome wine lover with quality wine at very reasonable price points. (VH)


Alentex Premium 2003
DO Alentejo $14.95 (21527)
You can't go wrong with this red if you're looking for something to accompany grilled red meats. This is a hearty, full-fruit number that delivers a range of dark fruit flavours, spiciness, and a nice degree of rusticity. It's dry with quite firm tannins and is well priced. (RP)

Miguel Torres Viña Esmeralda 2005
DO Catalunya $11.95 (113696)
A perennial favourite of Ontario and Spanish imbibers. Tapas bars throughout Spain make this the des rigeur go to wine with seafood. The super-charged aromas offer spice box and beguiling floral notes. The mouth feel is medium in texture and refreshing. Look for citrus, pear, and exotic spice - cardamom, peach chutney and five spice - notes. The tangy sweet and zesty finish provides the perfect foil to spicy seafood dishes. (VH)

Juan Gil Monastrell 2005
DO Jumilla $14.95 (013656)
This Mourvèdre is a screaming buy that opens with a nose of spicy smoke and toast, after maturing 4 months in French and American oak. There are black cherry and bramble berry flavours galore on the palate. What makes this special is the wonderful balance, deft handling of oak, full throttle fruit flavours, ripe tannins and lengthy finish. There is enough oomph and complexity here to warrant a multiple buy and a 2 hour decant before serving. (VH)

Pierre Sparr Riesling Réserve 2005
AOC Alsace $15.95 (959361)
Mineral and light floral notes waft from the glass of this well-made white. It is medium-bodied and has citrus and green apple notes in the flavour profile. It finishes dry and with considerable zest. Try with smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers on a bagel. (VH)


Roux Père & Fils Santenay 2005
AOC Santenay, Sous La Roche $26.95 (013490)
Wisps of smoky, nutty aromatics curl from the glass of this medium-bodied Chardonnay. There are oodles of tangy and zesty flavours in the citrus zone along with green apple and Bosc pear. The lengthy finish offers the same. Give this a whirl with lemon veal. (VH)


Guy Saget Montlouis Les Hauts Boulay 2004
AOC Loire $13.95 (656751)
As the Vintages catalogue notes, you will find pink grapefruit, lemon-lime and apple flavours on this medium-bodied very tangy offering. The joy of it is the residual sugar that provides perfect balance and an interesting and refreshing wine that is perfect on its own or when poured alongside spicy Thai or East Indian cuisine. (VH)

Château Ducla 2003
AOC Bordeaux Supérieur $15.95 (162461)
Toast, oak and smoke greet the fortunate taster of this extremely well-priced Bordeaux red. It offers a well-balanced and well-structured experience with its cherry and red berry flavours that are not jammy, in spite of the blistering heat of the 2003 vintage. Expect ripe fruit flavours to the fore, with enough tannin, deftly handled oak and zest to provide excellent drinking over the medium term - now to 2012. Good value here. (VH)


Domaine Nudant Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Pinot Noir 2004
AOC Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits $20.95 (007815)
This is just a very well-made Pinot at a very fair price. Look for good fruit weight from front to back, medium body, and a good range of flavours that include cherry, strawberry, earthiness and some mineral notes. On the lighter side of the Burgundy spectrum, this pairs well with grilled salmon. (RP)


Château de Gourgazaud Cuvée Mathilde 2004
AOC Minervois $12.95 (958629)
This is very good value for a red that delivers quite weighty and concentrated fruit flavours that are complex and layered. A blend of Syrah and Mourvèdre, it's almost astringently dry with firm tannins. Pair it with red meat grilled medium-rare. (RP)


Domaine des Sénéchaux Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2004
AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape $35.95 (677922)
Oh, my! - one of those aromatic treasures that makes you afraid to taste the wine in fear it doesn't live up to expectations. This delivers on all counts. An aromatic cornucopia of exotic spice, bramble berry, creosote and black licorice blast from the glass and hold your attention. The fruit-forward flavour profile includes Bing cherry, black plum and some of those wonderful spice notes. It provides a sturdy texture, balancing zest and a lengthy and luxurious finish. Good to go now to 2010. (VH)

Gladiator Primitivo di Manduria 2004
DOC Puglia $15.95 (023119)
Opaque, almost black, in the glass this offers up cherry pie filling and red licorice aromas. Sweet red and black berry flavours are nicely balanced off with a generous dollop of zest. This would pour beautifully with lasagna or any tomato-based sauce. (VH)


Bello Stento Chianti Classico 2004
DOCG Chianti Classico, Toscana $18.95 (015966)
The gorgeous nose of spice, toast and mixed berry aromas opens up this light to medium-bodied red. You will experience Montmorency cherry and cranberry flavours that are underpinned by a very delicate tannin structure with a generous portion of bracing zest. A true food wine that cries out for pasta in a bolognaise sauce. (VH)


Poggio Al Tufo Rompicollo 2004
IGT Maremma, Toscana $17.95 (013755)
Tar, coffee and cigar box notes form the aromatic profile of this gem from trusted producer, Tommasi. The flavours are abundant and in the sweet ripe red and black cherry and berry zones. Look for a dry lengthy finish that pulls it all together, good zest, ripe tannins and lovely fruit in a beautifully balanced and well structured manner. A bargain. (VH)


Zenato Merlot 2003
IGT delle Venezie $16.95 (016030)
Heavily toasted oak and cinnamon aromas form the lifted nose on this mellow, smooth and well-rounded beauty. Loads of black berry and Bing cherry flavours intermingle with the creamy texture and underlying toasty French oak notes. The finish replays the flavour profile with a lovely spoonful of tang to add interest and balance. The price to quality ratio is in your favour making it worthy of a multiple purchase. Drink to 2010. (VH)

Thirty Bench Riesling 2005
VQA Beamsville Bench $17.95 (024133)
This sports one of the new VQA sub-appellations. The lifted nose bursts forth with gorgeous aromas of mineral, floral and distinctive petrol notes. It is medium-bodied, extremely well balanced and provides a full flavour profile of zesty lemon, white peach and Anjou pear. The finish is tangy and medium in length. An extremely well-made Riesling from one of Ontario's revered producers. (VH)

Jackson-Triggs Proprietors' Grand Reserve Merlot 2004
VQA Okanagan Valley $21.95 (643445)
The superior soil and aspect of the Bull Pine Estate Vineyard and overall warmth of the region shines through here. Aromas of brioche and black raspberry form the segue to this medium-bodied mellow Merlot. Look for sweet (13.8% alcohol) black fruit flavours - plum, raspberry and cherry - that are balanced off with perceptible, but certainly acceptable tannins and just enough acidity to keep it honest. Drink now to 2010. (VH)

Macrostie Merlot 2001
Carneros, Napa Valley $29.95 (012732)
This has an invitingly warm (14% alcohol) nose of raspberry and red currant. It is a gorgeous blend of 77% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon that offers a plush mouth feel and sweet ripe black berry flavours on the palate and dry lengthy finish. Proudly poured with a spiced and herbed leg of lamb. (VH)

Casa de Campo Cepas Privadas Malbec 2004
Mendoza $11.95 (014399)
You don't get much better value than this if you're looking for a flavour-filled red to go with dishes as varied as grilled red meats, pizza and hearty winter stews. This is full of rich dark fruit flavours with notes of oak and spice, with medium body and firm tannins. (RP)


Finca Flichman Malbec Reserva 2005
Mendoza $12.95 (746727)
Owned by Portuguese giant, Sogrape, who also has an ownership position in Ontario's Colio wines, these folks make very fine wines. Clove and dark chocolate aromas blend into the up-front fruit flavours of black raspberry and black currant that abound on the palate. It is full-bodied with a generous ladle of zesty tang, making it a great partner to generously spiced and herbed red meats - roast beef with a melting chunk of blue cheese would be divine. At this price, a very worthy candidate for a multiple purchase. (VH)

Concha y Toro Terrunyo Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
DO Pirque $29.95 (562918)
This is a quite stunning Cabernet that excels year after year. The 2004 vintage delivers what aficionados have come to expect: concentrated dark fruit with loads of complexity and depth, with fine balance. It's dry with sweet tannins and it makes an excellent partner to grilled red meats. (RP)


Punta Nogal Carmenère Reserva 2004
Colchagua Valley $14.95 (000752)
An intensely-perfumed nose of exotic spice box and sweet juicy black fruit opens up this medium-bodied gem. Full throttle fruit flavours of black currant and Bing cherry intermingle with smoke, oak and spice notes on the palate. Expect great balance, ripe tannins and a lengthy, luxurious finish. Stock up at this price and drink now to 2012 (VH)

De Bortoli Gulf Station Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Yarra Valley $19.95 (015529)
A lovely drop of Cabernet that goes very well with grilled lamb. The flavours are focused and concentrated. Look for blueberry, cassis and spice with great balance and firm tannins. It's drinking well now and will develop nicely over the next three years. (RP)


Kilikanoon Blocks Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Clare Valley, South Australia $29.95 (926790)
Cherry compote and floral notes waft from the nose of this medium-bodied red. Ripe, sweet (14.5%) and juicy black fruit flavours - cherry, plum and currant - blast from the glass while the monumental finish offers more of the same with a layering on of spiced bramble berry and kirsch. This is the result of sourcing non-irrigated hand-picked fruit from choice vineyard sites. Beautifully balanced, well-structured with a touch of elegance, what's not to love? Drink with confidence now to 2015. (VH)


Kilikanoon The Lackey Shiraz 2003
South Australia $16.95 (005199)
From the perfumed nose of creosote and cherry to the lengthy and luxurious finish, this is a lovely drop, mate. The creamy, plush mouth feel also offers flavours of peppered and spiced black plum, currant and Bing cherry. Expect sweet ripe tannins, moderating zest plus great balance and enjoyment from this crowd-pleasing red. Earned its last half star from the quality to price ratio, swung crazily in your favour. Shop early, stock up. (VH)


Marquis Philips Shiraz 2004
South Eastern Australia $17.95 (017475)
The aromatic nose of bramble berry and mocha opens up this medium-bodied beauty. Expect very sweet and warm (15.5% alcohol) fruit that are found in the black berry and Bing cherry zones. The finish layers on dense and rich flavours of chocolate and black licorice in a generously lingering experience. Drinking gorgeously on its own, would pour well alongside rack of lamb. (VH)


Penny's Hill Specialized Shiraz/Cabernet/Merlot 2004
McLaren Vale, South Australia $24.95 (015420)
One of those Wow! wines that sweep you off your feet, it offers up currant, smoke and brioche aromatics on the lifted nose. A lovely blend that offers delicate balance and an abundance of flavours including tarry black berry and spiced plum on a medium-frame with very smooth tannins and barely a touch of acidity. This has an element of class and would be a lovely match to roast beef or crown roast of pork. (VH)

Te Awa Merlot 2002
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay $19.95 (017368)
This burgeoning region for classy Kiwi Merlot scores again. Floral and mocha on the nose it opens up nicely to a complex mouthful of sweet juicy black currant and black berry flavours underpinned by ripe tannins and moderating acidity. The luxurious finish provides a cornucopia of flavours including spice box, licorice and pomegranate. (VH)

The Ruins Syrah-Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
WO Elandia, Robertson $14.95 (018739)
Well made in every respect, this organic wine delivers good, solid fruit. Look for cherry, plum, dark berries and cassis. It's very well balanced with attractive acidity and makes an excellent partner for grilled red meats. (RP)


The Winery of Good Hope Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot 2005
WO Stellenbosch $11.95 (008748)
A very well-priced Cab-Merlot that's full of fruit (dark tree and berry fruit flavours to the fore) with some hints of oak and toast. Not just fruit-forward, it's layered and complex with decent tannic structure and it's a natural for flavoursome red meat dishes. (RP)

Vicchiomaggio La Prima Chianti Classico Riserva 2003
DOCG Chianti Classico Riserva, Toscana $34.95 (682062)
Owner and winemaker John Matta seldom misses the mark and this is no exception. You will find this a bundle of soft round textures and ripe, black fruit. Look for plum and Bing cherry on the nose and palate with a plush mouth feel from smooth, but perceptible tannins and well-balanced acidity. The finish adds a spoonful of dark creamy chocolate. A perfect wine for a cold winter's night, from now to 2012, and piping hot osso bucco with mushroom risotto. (VH)

Coto de Imaz Reserva 2000
DOC Rioja $19.95 (023762)
This perennial favourite is showing some age with its orange-brick rim, but has 5 or more years of good drinking left. A traditional-styled Rioja showing complexity, restraint and a touch of elegance. Subdued aromas of coconut and cherry provide the entry point for gorgeous flavours of red cherry, cranberry and assorted spice. The finish is lengthy and luxurious. Would be a great partner to seafood and sausage paella. (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