Vic was away for this Vintages release; he'll be back for the April Vintages release tasting. Mark Tandan (MT) is your guest reviewer. Vic has known Mark for a number of years and is pleased to have him contributing to Winecurrent.

Mark's extensive involvement with wine and wine tasting includes 15 years as a restaurant wine buyer and sommelier. He's garnered multiple awards for his wine programs at a number of culinary establishments. Currently he's the Assistant Coordinator of the Algonquin College Sommelier Program and Instructor for the Advanced Course. His tasting focus is on the ratio between a wine's quality and its price, right in line with Winecurrent's thinking.

This release begins with a number of wines from Burgundy—a.k.a. The Allure of Burgundy. There's a good selection of styles from many of the appellations. Surprisingly, many of the reds are drinking well right now, although they'll also develop more complexity with time. The main release follows with the familiar country/region format.

Domaine du Chardonnay Chablis Montmains 2006
AOC 1er Cru Chablis $28.95 (68106)
There's a subtle but attractive nose of green apple, lemon and lime notes coupled with white flowers and chalk. It's moderately acidic with a vibrant mouthfeel on a medium-bodied frame. The nice balance leads to good length; a pleasant grapefruit pith lingers. Great as an aperitif, or enjoy with pan-seared sole with a lemon butter sauce. (MT)


Duvergey-Taboureau Meursault 2005
AOC Meursault $39.95 (67124)
Here we have lovely peach, tangerine and baked apple aromatics with just a kiss of oak. The wine is soft, with an almost creamy texture, and carries enough acidity to preserve balance. It's medium in body, and neither oak nor alcohol overpowers. The expressive palate replays on a long, mouthfilling finish. Poached grouper with a peach/apricot compote would suit. (MT)


Paul and Mallory Talmard Mâcon-Uchizy 2006
AOC Mâcon-Uchizy $15.95 (66639)
An expressive nose reveals lemon, citrus zest, peach and slate aromas. It's fresh on the palate with balanced acidity, a medium body and very good length. This wine is quite impressive for the price—a slightly lesser known appellation often translates to a lower impact on your wallet. The usual array of sea foods in lemon would work, but I'd try it with pork tenderloin and apple chutney. (MT)

Frédéric Magnien Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes 2005
AOC Chambolle-Musigny $55.95 (66480)
This wine's very pretty nose expresses abundant raspberry fruit, cinnamon, and subtle forest floor aromatics. It's medium bodied, with plenty of structure as the palate opens with bright acidity and finishes with firm tannins. This one needs time for the tannins to settle and achieve harmony with the fruit. If you can't wait, decant for an hour and enjoy with duck breast, seared rare. (MT)


Domaine Vincent Sauvestre Corton-Maréchaudes 2005
AOC Grand Cru Corton-Maréchaudes $57.95 (66472)
This one stands out. The concentrated aromas reveal raspberry, strawberry and red cherry. Combine copious fruit flavours with subtle notes of new leather and floral nuances and you've got the complexity you'd expect from a Grand Cru wine. The palate brings fresh acidity and medium body with plentiful and very ripe tannins. The structure will allow aging for another ten years, but the ripeness of the tannin creates wonderful balance right now. There's great depth on the palate and a seriously long finish. Rare venison with sour cherry gastrique, anyone? (MT)


Antonin Guyon Chorey-Lès-Beaune 2005
AOC Chorey-Lès-Beaune $29.95 (66431)
Here we have a nice mix of red berries, cinnamon and earthy aromas. It's pleasantly light in the mouth with bright acidity and very soft tannins, and seems like the style many Oregon winemakers are trying to emulate. As such, it'll enjoy a place at your table alongside grilled salmon with a wild mushroom ragout. Good value, especially considering the price points of many Oregon Pinots and the difficulty finding them. (MT)

Tawse 'Robyn's Block' Chardonnay 2004
VQA Twenty Mile Bench $48.00 (662841)
The aromatics here are very well integrated, with plenty of caramel and spicy oak, as well as pear, baked apple and cinnamon. I like the nose because no single element overpowers. We have a rich, luscious mouthfeel and balanced acidity with a fairly full body. The harmonious flavours linger into a very long finish. It would be easy to confuse this wine with a top-ranked Burgundy. It's a special wine for a special meal; I'd suggest steamed lobster in a rich butter sauce. (MT)


Mission Hill 'Family Estate Reserve' Sauvignon Blanc 2006
VQA Okanagan Valley $21.95 (57430)
Concentration is the key word to describe the nose here. Focused aromas of fresh grass, pink grapefruit, lemon and lime waft from the glass. This light-bodied effort carries zesty acidity while maintaining crisp balance and moderate length. The lower alcohol gives it more food pairing versatility. Try it with a salad of baby greens, goat's cheese and cherry tomatoes in a lemon vinaigrette. (MT)

Le Clos Jordanne 'Village Reserve' Pinot Noir 2005
VQA Niagara Peninsula $25.00 (33894)
The Village Reserve Pinot has intense aromatics of fresh raspberry and strawberry fruit, with subtle herbaceous and earthy notes. The ripe raspberries continue on the palate, which offers balanced acidity and very soft tannins. Medium in body with impressive length, this is an easy drinking, very approachable Pinot Noir. Chill it slightly before serving alongside seared Ahi Tuna. (MT)


Gray Monk Pinot Noir 2006
VQA Okanagan Valley $17.95 (60491)
The subtle nose shows raspberry and sour cherry fruit alongside a faint earthiness. The flavours are of ripe fruits, and the structure is high in acidity and quite low in tannin. I enjoy the fact that it's light bodied. Given the balance and length, this is a great effort for the price. This wine will be versatile at the table, equally comfortable with grilled salmon in a cherry glaze or roast duck with wild mushrooms. (MT)


Tinhorn Creek Merlot 2004
VQA Okanagan Valley $19.95 (530725)
Tinhorn's Merlot features red cherry and black plum aromas with a touch of cedar and vanilla. This medium weight wine shows nice balance with soft acid and refined, yet lingering tannins. It's got good presence in the mouth and decent length. Enjoy with slow braised lamb shank in a red wine jus. (MT)

Clos du Bois 'J. Garcia' Chardonnay 2006
North Coast California $22.95 (57398)
Wow! Asian pear, golden apple and caramelized butter aromas weave seamlessly alongside toasty oak and butterscotch. It's got a dense feel in the mouth with refreshing acidity, full body and plenty of length. The wine's fancy enough to handle Lobster Thermidor, but you can also enjoy its complexity with something simple like smoked Gouda. Tremendous value—Jerry would have been grateful. (MT)

Ridge 'Three Valleys' 2005
Sonoma County $25.95 (652875)
Ridge's Three Valleys is made from mainly Zinfandel, with Petite Sirah, Carignane, Grenache and Mourvèdre playing supporting roles. The perfumed nose expresses dark fruits with chocolate and floral notes. Blueberries dominate the palate, along with spice and a good deal of alcohol. Soft but present tannins combine with the full body to produce great balance, and the flavours persist into a long finish. This wine begs to be served alongside BBQ ribs in a sweet, tangy sauce. (MT)


Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Sonoma County $20.95 (640573)
Here's an expressive nose evoking dark chocolate and cassis with a subtle leafy note indicating some Cabernet Franc in the blend. Firmly tannic and full bodied, the wine is a little young but should develop exceptional balance with a few years in the cellar. It finishes long with no shortage of fruit, and gets high marks for such good value for a wine worthy of aging. If you'd like to enjoy it in its youth, decant for at least an hour and serve with very rare grilled steak. (MT)


Tangley Oaks 'Lot 7' Merlot 2003
Napa Valley $17.95 (68155)
The packaging and Napa appellation would make one think this wine should be more expensive. Inside the bottle, we get a pretty nose of perfumed red berry fruit with vanilla, red licorice and a pleasant mineral streak. It's fairly silky in the mouth and medium bodied with a slightly tannic finish. Slow roasted lamb shanks with fresh herbs would highlight this exceptionally well-priced Napa Merlot. (MT)

Perez Cruz 'Limited Edition' Reserva Cot 2005
Maipo Valley, Chile $24.95 (670547)
(Previously reviewed in Winecurrent) "Cot" is an alternative name for the Malbec variety, and both names are found in southwest France, where the variety hails from. Perez Cruz uses the less-known "Cot" partly because "Malbec" has become identified with Argentina. This is 90% Malbec? er, Cot? with 5.5% Petit Verdot and 4.5% Carmenère. It's a deep, dark wine with a plush texture and generous, concentrated fruit. Look for dense flavours of mulberry and black plum, with seams of herbs, spice, tar and smoke. Rich and intense, but with the acid frame that supports food, it's excellent with red game meats or well-seasoned steak. (RP)


Perez Cruz 'Limited Edition' Reserva Carmenère 2005
Maipo Valley $24.95 (670539)
(Previously reviewed in Winecurrent) As delicious as it so often is, Carmenère alone can be a little simple, a touch one-dimensional. Here, Perez Cruz winemaker Germán Lyon Larraín has blended in 4.4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3.4% Syrah to add complexity to the structure and flavour. It more than works. The fruit is dominated by dark plum and berries, with notes of coffee, chocolate, herbs and spice. The wine has a rich, generous texture, good tannins, and excellent balance. Enjoy it with roasted or grilled red meats cooked medium-rare at most. (RP)


Viña Tarapacá 'Gran Reserva' Carmenère 2005
DO Maipo Valley $15.95 (57513)
Here we have raspberry fruit aromas with leather, smoke and an intriguing gamey character. The palate is expressive with sweet fruits, a very soft structure and full body. With good balance and moderate length, the wine carries great complexity for the price. I'd try it with roasted venison in a red wine reduction. (MT)

Hanenhof Semillon 2006
Barossa Valley $18.95 (64220)
Once a star performer in Australia, Semillon is losing favour to Chardonnay, but dedicated winemakers still strive to produce great wines from this grape. This exceptional example showcases candied peach and tangerine aromatics with a nice floral undertone. It's complex with some buttery and nutty notes on the nose as well. Soft acidity leads to a dense mouthfeel, with fine balance and great length. Enjoy with seared scallops finished with sea salt. (MT)

Barossa Valley Estate 'E&E Black Pepper Shiraz' 2003
Barossa Valley $99.95 (731620)
Typical of Barossa Valley, this wine is very full-bodied, carrying 15% alcohol. It's extremely well made, however, and alcohol doesn't dominate the nose or palate. Expect plentiful red berry, black currant and vanilla aromas. The palate is fleshy and rich, with very fine tannins, exceptional depth and great length. I'd enjoy it with very mild cheese to let the fruit of the wine shine through. (MT)


Peter Lehmann Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Barossa Valley, South Australia $19.75 (605741)
(Previously reviewed in Winecurrent) Like Peter Lehmann himself, this Cabernet makes its presence felt in the room. It's big, brash and bold. There the analogy ends, unless Lehmann is full of dark fruit and berry flavours, with notes of licorice, chocolate and coffee. It's well structured, well balanced, and has a firm tannic grip. Drink it with red meats, of course. (RP)


Rockbare Shiraz 2006
McLaren Vale $20.95 (661991)
In this case, the 15.5% alcohol is apparent on the nose. There's also attractive dark cherry, cassis and milk chocolate aromas balanced with a touch of mint and black licorice. Peppery notes join the fruit on the palate while it's very full bodied and softly structured. There's just enough tannin to create balance with the gobs of dark, dried fruit. This wine demands the fullest-bodied of meals—I'm thinking beef tenderloin smothered in gorgonzola. (MT)

Babich 'Black Label' Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Marlborough, South Island $19.95 (9142)
This Sauvignon has a lovely, seamless nose of citrus and lime, with pear, floral and subtle fresh herbal notes. Unlike some Kiwi examples, this is not dominated by an aggressive herbaceous edge, in fact, the aromas are very harmonious. The wine's wonderfully balanced acidity on a mid-weight frame combines with great length to produce a seriously good value product. Poultry in a dill cream sauce would be a good food choice. (MT)

Robertson Winery Wolfkloof Shiraz 2005
WO Robertson $18.95 (626341)
South Africa is becoming known in inner circles for seriously good Shiraz at ridiculously low prices. Here's an example with a terrific nose of black currant, cassis, dark plum and menthol, with black pepper and chocolate undertones. Although softly structured, the fine tannins create superb balance with the plentiful fruit and lead to a long finish. Curry-spiced rack of lamb would highlight this well-crafted wine. (MT)

Zeyssolff Klevener de Heiligenstein 2005
AOC Alsace $17.95 (65656)
Alsace wine labels are usually easy to decipher—usually, that is. Klevener de Heiligenstein is another name for the Red Traminer or Savagnin rose grape. Here we have focused aromas of pink grapefruit with lightly honeyed tangerine and apricot, along with some orange blossom. The wine is off-dry with an oily texture, low acid and good length. Light in body, it will pair wonderfully with smoked salmon. (MT)

Château du Grand Barrail 2004
AOC Côtes de Blaye $18.95 (672170)
You'll be impressed by aromas of dark fruit combined with herbs, pepper spice and garrigue. Medium-bodied, with pleasant acidity and a moderate tannic structure, the wine is wonderfully balanced and shows good length. Enjoy with duck confit. (MT)


Château Kirwan 2004
AOC 3er Cru Margaux $52.95 (664391)
This Margaux has wonderfully concentrated aromatics of tobacco, cassis and bell pepper. Quite full bodied with a strongly tannic structure, it needs time for the tannins to resolve. Lay it down for ten years, or decant before serving with the rarest of red meats. (MT)


Château Moulin de Lavaud 2003
AOC Lalande-de-Pomerol $25.95 (65607)
The nose is spicy with red currant, dark chocolate and herbaceous undertones. There's refreshing acidity and a ripe, yet substantial, tannic structure. It's superbly balanced, full bodied and very long in the finish. Enjoy with grilled bison in a red wine demi-glace. (MT)


Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005
AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape $89.95 (711317)
Drought affected the region in 2005, reducing yields and leading to very intense fruit. The nose here is packed with cassis and black cherry, along with garrigue and a touch of menthol. The dark fruits replay on the very full-bodied palate, where firm ripe tannins provide plentiful structure. This one will be best after 2012—enjoy it with aged white cheddar. (MT)

Endrizzi Teroldego Rotaliano 2005
DOC Tradizione $16.95 (51748)
This wine's fruity nose includes plenty of red berry with a mineral undertone. With nice acid to balance and negligible tannins, its light-bodied style reminds one of Beaujolais. Serve it slightly chilled as an aperitif or alongside pan-roasted salmon. (MT)


Tommasi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2003
DOC Amarone della Valpolicella Classico $49.95 (356220) $26.96 - 375mL (980128)
A concentrated, complex bouquet includes roasted coffee, dark chocolate, black cherry, fig and violet aromas. The palate boasts chocolate and cherry flavours with a syrupy texture. Very ripe, mid-level tannins give it some grip, and the full body helps carry the flavours through a long finish. Enjoy with something as simple as Parmigiano, or perhaps cocoa-dusted veal chops. (MT)

Castelo de Medina Verdejo 2006
DO Rueda $13.95 (67017)
The Verdejo grape is a mainstay in Rueda and this effort displays grapefruit and lime aromas, with fresh grass and floral notes. Quite lively and dry, it's medium bodied and refreshing. This wine would make a natural aperitif, or enjoy alongside shrimp stir-fry with a squeeze of lemon. (MT)


Cune Monople Rioja 2006
DOC Rioja $13.95 (66951)
Yes, it's from Rioja, and yes, it's white! Viura (a.k.a. Macabeo) is a local white grape, and here it shows lime, pear and green apple fruit flavours along with a fresh herbal note. Some subtle mineral flavours appear on the light-bodied palate, and although soft on acidity, it's nicely balanced. The finish is surprisingly long, and there's terrific value here. Enjoy with freshly-shucked East Coast oysters with fresh lime. (MT)

Marqués de Vitoria Rioja Gran Reserva 1996
DOC Rioja $30.95 (902916)
This Rioja is showing signs of complexity with age. Expect sour cherry, coffee and leather notes along with some subtle nuttiness. The palate is integrating nicely, still carrying good acidity but with tannins softened by time. The result is terrific balance and a fine example of an aged Rioja. A tray of mild cheeses with walnuts and salted pecans would do the trick. (MT)


Ondarre Rioja Reserva 2001
DOC Rioja $15.95 (723452)
Here's a younger Rioja that shows a lot of vanilla and milk chocolate, along with dark plum and red cherries on the nose. It's firmly structured, with a lot of acidity and substantial, ripe tannins. Medium-full in body, it could use a few more years to achieve ideal balance. However, serving it now alongside rare prime rib would take the edge off those tannins. (MT)

Cheers,

Vic and Mark

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