Winecurrent.com delivers a comprehensive and complete review of the Vintages Release wines tasted. No short cuts, no skimping, just honest and complete reviews of the wines that were made available for tasting at the LCBO, earning 3 stars and above, to help you make your selections.

This Vintages release and winecurrent newsletter begins with a feature on Spain and Portugal followed by a mini-feature on Champagne. Unfortunately, none of the Daniel Lenko wines were presented at the tasting. The familiar country/region format follows in the 'Main Release' with wines reviewed in the order they appear in the Vintages Release brochure.

Other highlights in this winecurrent newsletter include:

• Spain and Portugal showcase their wines with most of them worthy of close attention, especially the value-packed Vinho Verde and ‘Crasto’ from Portugal.
• There are many dazzling reds to be found throughout the California, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay!, Australia and France sections.
• Lailey Vineyard—consistently delivering top quality and good value wine—have their whites featured in the section immediately following the Main Release.

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



Muga Barrel-Fermented White 2007
DOC Rioja $15.95 (958736)
This blend—Viura and Malvasia—is fashioned in a hybrid of traditional and fashionable wine-making styles. Spain traditionally aged white wine in older barrels, producing wines that could last for years. This is fermented in new French oak, producing a fresh wine that is drinking well now and offers a two- to three-year drinking window. Look for brioche aromas and a medium-bodied medium-textured wine with flavours of ripe apple, peach, pear and citrus with a clean and racy finish. (VH)



Muga Reserva 2004
DOC Rioja $23.95 (177345)
This is rich, fruity and delivers impeccable balance. Quite stylish on the nose, there are aromas of vanilla, leather and dark berry fruit. It’s medium to full bodied and lusciously textured with focused flavours of sweet ripe black briary berry, tangy red currant and cranberry. There’s good grip from ripe supple tannin and a lovely balanced finish. Serve with rare to medium-rare grilled strip loin or aerate/decant a couple of hours before serving. (VH)


Palacios Remondo La Vendimia 2006
DOC Rioja $16.95 (674564)
More famous for his Priorato wines, Palacios also delivers the goods in this gorgeous blend—an even split between Tempranillo and Garnacha. Round and ready for early consumption, this delivers aromas and flavours in the dark sweet berry zone with moderating acidity and a lingering finish redolent of vanilla and ripe dark cherries. Pair this with gourmet sausages and burgers. (VH)


Miguel Torres 'Salmos' 2005
DOC Priorat $32.95 (60772)
(Previously reviewed in winecurrent) This is a fabulous blend from Priorato, Spain's tiny Catalonian wine region. The perfumed nose offers black plum and dark berry jam aromas. Full bodied and robust, the flavours are incredibly spicy with up front bramble berry and sweet cassis. Beautifully structured, fleshy in texture; it delivers zesty tang along with vanilla and spice from deftly integrated oak. The warm finish is lengthy and luxurious—drinking well now to 2014. (VH)


Emina Prestigio 2005
DO Ribera del Duero $24.95 (067066)
Rioja’s neighbour, Ribera del Duero, is lesser known, but home to Spain’s iconic winery, Vega Sicilia. Perfumed aromas of dark berry fruit and spice box billow from this medium-bodied and nicely textured 100% Tempranillo red. There are oodles of concentrated flavours with rich ripe Bing cherry, mixed field berry and espresso roast among them. The finish is well balanced and lengthy. This pairs well with lamb, make mine grilled tenderloin, please. (VH)


Viña Vilano Crianza 2004
DO Ribera del Duero $20.95 (082180)
Inky and gutsy, this is full value. Savoury, tobacco and dark berry aromas segue rich dark and juicy flavours of mulberry and briary berry with nuances of herbs and spices. It’s medium bodied, nicely textured and underpinned by a grainy tannin structure. The finish is full bore with sweet ripe fruit and yet more spicy notes. Will pair well with the red meat you grill at your home. (VH)


Jean Leon Terrasola Syrah/Garnacha Crianza 2005
DO Catalunya $15.95 (673707)
Lots of racy tang here with aromas and flavours of cranberry and ripe pomegranate infused with a generous helping of herbs and spice. There’s also a ripe supple tannin frame that carries through to the medium-length finish. Aerate/decant this an hour or two before serving then pair with a rich seafood and sausage paella in a tomato-based sauce. (VH)


Juan Gil Tinto 2006
DO Jumilla $21.95 (001677)
Very expressive on the nose and palate; look for powerful aromas and flavours of rich dark cherry, boysenberry, and hints of mocha and black licorice. Medium bodied with good texture and weight, this sports a lovely finish of dark bramble berry fruit and spiced black plum that washes over the palate in layers. Give this a go with lamb tagine. (VH)


Celler de Capçanes ‘Mas Collet Barrica’ 2005
DO Montsant $17.95 (080705)
An involved blend of several grapes, this straightforward and uncomplicated red has considerable tannin requiring a two-hour aeration/decant before serving. Look for aromas of mocha leather and berry fruit with flavours that are in the black and red berry fruit zones. It’s medium bodied and underpinned by those firm tannins for now. Pair with burgers, gourmet sausages or pizza. (VH)


Piedra Azul 2005
DO Toro $15.95 (082214)
Round n’ ready with no rough edges, this bistro-styled Tempranillo offers good value, earning its final half star because of it. Alluring aromas of mixed spices, black pepper and black plum form the lifted nose while red cherry, cranberry and blackberry delivery a racy and tangy mouthful of flavour. This is medium bodied and lightly textured with a finish that’s dry, clean and refreshing. It’s best paired with pasta in a tomato-based sauce. (VH)



Torres Moscatel Oro
Spain $16.95 (642173) 500 mL
(Previously reviewed in winecurrent) This opens with fragrant aromatics of orange and honey followed by palate-coating candied fruit—pineapple, orange and apricot—and hints of cigar box. It’s quite sweet, almost treacle-like, but is held together on the finish with enough zest and tang to keep it from becoming too cloying. Serve it well chilled, as dessert, or with crème caramel. (VH)



Loureiro Vinho Verde 2007
DOC, Sub-Regiao do Lima $13.95 (681775)
The best-value Vinho Verde I’ve tasted, you’ll want an armful to drink with seafood and fish as summer winds down; the price-value balance swings wildly in your favour. Perfumed and exotic aromas of spice box, mineral and spice-infused citrus waft form the glass while the flavours that wash over the palate in delicious waves are all about sweet ripe peach, nectarine and citrus. It’s very clean and refreshing on the finish with fruit flavours of red grapefruit and white peach. (VH)



Quinta do Crasto ‘Crasto’ 2006
DOC Douro $15.00 (081588)
This is rich and flavourful, combining the treasured grapes of Port wine with meticulous winemaking skill. These factors produced a delectable dry red offering very good value—seriously consider a multiple purchase. Savoury and leather on the nose, the flavours deliver a focused stream of red cherry tang and sweet cassis. It’s well balanced, framed by ripe supple tannin and sports a lingering finish of mixed dark berry flavours. (VH)


Brunheda Vinho Tinto 2003
DOC Douro $19.95 (077222)
There’s surprising structure given the blistering hot vintage, but it works to good advantage providing ageability and a firm underpinning. You’ll find tangy red cherry and concentrated sweet cassis flavours that are nicely wrapped in firm tannin and delivered on a richly textured and medium-bodied frame. The finish lingers and is deftly balanced. Drink now to 2014 with a rich stew like osso bucco. (VH)


Capela de Sta. Margarida Tinto 2006
DOC Alentejo $18.95 (082172)
Vinified from indigenous grapes, aged ten months in American and French oak and subjected to minimal filtering and fining; this red blend delivers a rich, robust and rustic mouthful of deep rich and luscious flavours. Aromas of dark berry and earthy tones introduce the rich flavours of mulberry and sweet kirsch liqueur that are infused with wild and racy herbs and spices. There’s perceptible tannin, lovely texture and a lingering balanced finish. (VH)



Georges Gardet ‘Cuvée Saint Flavy Brut’ Non-Vintage
AOC Champagne $39.95 (924654)
This has an attractive nose of mineral, floral and heady citrus notes. There’s a lovely attack on the palate with a rush of white grapefruit and green apple flavours infused with spice and mineral nuances. It’s medium in weight and texture and offers a lingering finish that’s zesty and clean. There’s enough oomph for it to be paired with light appetizers and the attractive price allows it to be served as the welcoming wine at large gatherings. (VH)


Möet & Chandon Grand Vintage Champagne Brut 2000
AOC Champagne $83.95 (069773)
You’re not just paying for the name, it’s a step above most other Vintage Champagnes and from a very good year. Expressive aromas of brioche, spice and tropical fruit dance off the nose while the palate is treated to a gusher of flavours with spice-laden citrus, poached pear and caramelized apple up front. It’s medium bodied and nicely textured. Serve this now or keep another three to five years allowing further development of the honeyed and sherry-like aromas and flavours. (VH)



Ganton & Larsen Prospect Winery ‘Larch Tree Hill’ Riesling 2007
VQA Okanagan Valley, B.C. $16.95 (070698)
There are oodles of racy ripe lemon-lime aromas and flavours in this medium-weight heady and zesty offering. Additional flavours of white peach and ripe pear are found on the palate and throughout the medium-length clean and refreshing finish. Pair this with pan-seared tilapia under a drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon. (VH)




Beringer Merlot 2005
Napa Valley $29.95 (919647)
A terrific wine that flirted with five stars; look for a lifted nose of spiced sweet dark berry fruit and coffee with an explosion of flavours on the palate with sweet black Damson plum and cassis predominant. There’s perceptible tannin, providing structure, deft balance and the oak has been seamlessly integrated. The lengthy finish layers on ripe black cherry flavours. Grilled steak partners well. (VH)


Big Yellow Cab Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Mendocino County $18.95 (035014)
There are aromas and flavours galore—bright red cherry, spice box, kirsch liqueur and blueberry—in this medium-weight red. It’s straightforward, uncomplicated and delivers perceptible tannin along with a short zesty finish. Pair this with pizza, burgers or pasta dishes in a tomato-based meat sauce. (VH)


Chateau Montelena ‘The Montelena Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Calistoga, Napa Valley $132.95 (709881)
Spice box, espresso roast and mint-infused cherry aromas segue the rich and robust flavours of cassis, black briary berry and spiced black plum that wash over the palate in wave after delicious wave. It’s full bodied, fully textured and still wound up in a solid tannin structure. The generous and well-balanced finish delivers a lengthy taste treat with cassis and black licorice to the fore. A wine for the ages, drink this 2010 to 2020. (VH)


Cline ‘Ancient Vines’ Mourvèdre 2005
Contra Costa County $17.95 (066084)
This is a gorgeous round n’ ready wine at a terrific price—stock up and drink over the next four years. Sweet luscious flavours of blackberry and dark raspberry jam are nicely balanced with zesty red cherry and ripe pomegranate flavours. It’s balanced, fully textured and sports a lengthy fruit-forward finish—think of a restrained Zin. Lovely sipped on its own, it partners perfectly with herb-rubbed rack of lamb with roasted root vegetables. (VH)


Clos du Bois Sonoma Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Alexander Valley, Sonoma $29.95 (054080)
Yet another beautifully sculpted wine from Alexander Valley, it opens with a fragrant nose of spice, earthy nuances and dark berry fruit then gets into top gear with a heady and hedonistic rush of sweet juicy fruit flavours—black currant, mulberry, minty cherry, along with kirsch liqueur. It’s fully textured and well balanced. The finish is luscious and lengthy layering on spiced black plum flavour. Sip on its own or pair with grilled steak, rare to medium rare. (VH)


Gnarlier Head 'Sommers Vineyard' Old Vine Zinfandel 2005
Dry Creek Valley, California $27.95 (67785)
(Previously reviewed in winecurrent) Dry Creek Valley is Mecca for Zinfandel aficionados. Opaque in the glass, aromas of blueberry, boysenberry and spiced black plum rip from this fully textured, full-bodied and complex Zin. Flavours of Bing cherry, spice box and sweet briary berry are deftly juxtaposed with a good spine of zest and well-integrated oak. Great fruit and equally great winemaking coalesced to make this stunning wine. It was difficult to spit. (VH)


Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel 2006
Contra Costa County $26.95 (070425)
Expressive and perfumed aromas of black pepper, spices and licorice set up this beautifully balanced and creamy-textured gem. There’s a fruit salad of sweet juicy flavours that includes blueberry, Bing cherry and black currant along with spice and mint. It’s medium weight and delivers a lingering and luscious finish. (VH)



Waterbrook Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Columbia Valley $27.95 (090365)
Lots of effort here with 10% Merlot and 4% Cab Franc in the blend; it was aged 20 months in new and seasoned French, American and European oak and left unfined. Oaky, minty and mixed berry aromas open this medium-bodied medium-weight red. The flavours—dark berry and zesty red cherry—are tightly wound in a firm tannin frame. It finishes dry and full of tang. (VH)


Waterbrook Syrah 2005
Columbia Valley $28.95 (070607)
Other than Columbia Crest, we don’t see too many Washington State wines - pity. This is an interesting blend, with 5% Grenache and 4% Viognier providing a lift to the flavours and interest to the wine. The aromas and flavours are focused and firm with spiced red cherry and racy cranberry predominant. It’s medium in weight, texture and length of finish, and quite well balanced. With every taste as good as the one before, it’s a sipping wine with the versatility to pair with red meats—grilled or in stews and casseroles. (VH)



Bodegas Santa Ana ‘La Mascota’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Maipú, Mendoza $15.95 (066720)
Heady, spicy and racy, the aromas and flavours are in the pie cherry, ripe cranberry and sweet pomegranate zones. It’s medium to full bodied and very generously textured. The finish is balanced, dry, zesty and refreshing. There’s a healthy handful of tannin and spice, providing a perfect partner with pasta in a rich tomato-based sauce like spaghetti Bolognese or lasagna. (VH)


Luigi Bosca Reserva Malbec 2005
Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza $15.00 (079293)
The price-quality ratio is skewed well in your favour here—pick up a few bottles for drinking over the next couple of years. Rich, meaty and concentrated, this really delivers with its generous texture. There are earthy tones and sweet juicy dark berry fruit on the aromas and palate; blackberry and black currant to the fore. There’s a gorgeous lingering and well-balanced finish. Grilled rack of lamb pairs well. (VH)


Santa Julia Organica Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Mendoza $12.95 (068452)
Ready to drink now, you’ll find this sweet and juicy with no rough edges. Aromas of mixed spice, toast and field berry fruit waft from the glass of this medium-bodied and medium-textured red. The flavours are in the sweet dark berry zone with currant and blackberry up front and enough zest and tang for balance. It finishes fruit forward with oodles of sweet and juicy black briary fruit flavours. This earned its final half star on value. (VH)



Arboleda Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Aconcagua Valley $19.95 (606764)
Lush and sumptuous, this brims with aromas and flavours of juicy black cherry, cassis and spiced black plum. The tannins are ripe and supple, adding ageability and structure. It’s medium weight, nicely textured and sports a lingering finish with hints of mocha and vanilla layered on. Pair with rare to medium rare grilled strip loin. (VH)



Ysern ‘Blend of Regions’ Tannat 2004
Cerro Chapeu/Las Violetas $13.95 (068643)
Not a wine for sissies, this big and brawny red is surprisingly approachable, given its muscular structure, and is well worth a buy. Cherry and exotic spice aromas form the nose while the expansive and expressive flavours include kirsch liqueur, espresso roast and spiced dark berry. It’s medium bodied, medium textured and delivers a juicy mouthful of fruit throughout. This is an excellent opportunity to expand your wine horizon at a favourable price. (VH)



Gemtree Vineyards ‘Bloodstone’ Shiraz 2006
McLaren Vale, South Australia $17.95 (022111)
This is bursting with flavour, full bodied, fully textured and hi-octane (14.5% alcohol). The twelve months of oak ageing and supple tannin structure have been seamlessly integrated in this balanced wine. Red currant, spice box and sweet Bing cherry flavours mingle with spice-infused black plum and black pepper on the attack, mid palate and lingering finish. This will fly off the shelf—pick up a case and drink now to 2011. (VH)


Grant Burge ‘Filsell Old Vine’ Shiraz 2005
Barossa, South Australia $35.95 (987453)
Aromas of dark berry fruit, black pepper and black plum waft from the glass of this full-bodied and satiny-textured Aussie red. The sweet and juicy fruit flavors—mulberry, kirsch liqueur and black currant—are nicely juxtaposed with a moderating stream of acidity. The expressive finish layers on sweet briary fruit and mocha flavours. Grant Burge will be in Ontario (Toronto and Ottawa) in early September at a number of public dinners and tastings; Google for dates and times. (VH)


Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Coonawarra, South Australia $29.95 (590471)
Even for this stellar winery—situated in a premiere Australian Cabernet Sauvignon region, routinely delivering quality and value—this is special. Deeply coloured, almost opaque, the expressive aromas of dark sweet berry fruit, toasty oak, earthy and floral notes segue robust flavours of red cherry tang, cassis and black briary berry that are entwined in a supple tannin structure. Medium bodied and generously textured, it sports a lingering well-balanced finish. (VH)


Pikes ‘The Assemblage’ Shiraz/Mourvèdre/Grenache 2006
Clare Valley, South Australia $18.95 (014332)
No one-trick pony—their Riesling is legendary—this red blend is perfumed with expressive aromas of toasty oak and dark berry fruit galore. It delivers a plush mouthful of warm and generously textured flavours with mulberry and ripe juicy Bing cherry up front. It’s medium weight with a lingering fruit-forward finish. Good to go now alongside all manner of grilled red meat; make mine rack of lamb, grilled medium rare, thank you. (VH)



Martin Steimer Gewürztraminer 2006
AOC Alsace $18.95 (709790)
Dry, clean and refreshing, this is a wonderful warm-weather quaffing wine. There’s a wide array of aromas and flavours in this light-bodied and delicately textured offering—rosewater, floral, nectarine, spice box and citrus among them. Perfect as an aperitif, it also pairs well with light and spicy appetizers, garlic-rubbed prawns lightly sprinkled with chilies, for instance. (VH)


Domaine Huet Le Haut-Lieu Vouvray Sec 2007
AOC Vouvray $30.95 (705764)
Certified Ecocert and Demeter, this winery historically showcases bio-dynamics at its absolute best. My ’93s are still drinking well, but this vintage will be much shorter-lived, peaking by 2014. The highly perfumed nose is all floral with hints of parrafin wax and mineral notes. Although labelled ‘Sec’, a.k.a. dry, there’s an underlying sweetness expressed in the peach and nectarine flavours. This is medium bodied, generously textured and delivers a plush finish. (VH)



Château Pibran 2003
AOC Paulliac $49.95 (594739)
Funky on the nose—tobacco, musk and smoked bacon—it delivered a delicious, if a bit gamey, mouthful of spiced black Damson plum and sweet rich dark berry flavours. It’s full bodied and silky textured with a fairly well-balanced finish. Unusual for the searing hot vintage, there’s considerable tannin remaining and this needs a couple more years in the cellar or a two-hour aeration/decant before drinking. (VH)


Le Gravillas Gigondas Vendanges 2005
AOC Gigondas $25.95 (078808)
Gigondas is a Grenache-predominant (often blended with Syrah and Mourvèdre) southern-Rhône wine region offering good-value reds. This one has a rich and firm structure with supple tannin, a generous texture—almost creamy—and a cornucopia of aromas and flavours with sweet ripe berry fruit, red tangy cherry, spices and nuances of espresso roast. The finish lingers and is fruit dominant. (VH)


Mas Des Aveylans Syrah Cuvée Prestige 2005
Vin de Pays d’Oc $21.95 (673244)
This take-no-prisoners fruity red is chock-full of sweet juicy and ripe flavours with black briary berry, vanilla, mulberry and ripe pomegranate among them. It’s medium weight and very plush in texture with a seamless integration of oak and tannin. The fruit-forward finish—black raspberry and black currant—is quite lengthy. Pair this with a rich stew; osso bucco or beef daube will both go well. (VH)



Herzog Von Württemberg Riesling Kabinett Halbtrocken 2006
QmP Württemberg $19.95 (071449)
Halbtrocken literally translates into ‘half dry’; translate this one into ‘half sweet’. Floral with hints of over-ripe tree fruit on the nose, the sweet ripe flavours of peach and pear are infused with spice. The texture is very generous and the finish medium in length. Pair this with simple fruit desserts, with the wine well chilled. (VH)



Lailey Vineyard Chardonnay unoaked 2007
VQA Niagara Peninsula $16.00
An inviting straw colour with a tinge of green, this sets up nicely on the nose with delicate aromas of floral, yellow peach and hints of spice. It’s medium bodied and nicely textured with expressive flavours of pineapple, honeydew melon and citrus on the palate. It finishes with a good burst of lemon-lime tang and pleasant nuances of fennel. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery directly from Lailey Vineyard. (VH)


Lailey Vineyard Chardonnay 2007
VQA Niagara River $20.00
The perfumed nose delivers vanilla, apple and mixed spice aromas while the flavours offer sweet stone fruit—peach and nectarine—along with moderating acidity from ripe citrus fruit. This is very generously textured, is medium weight and sports a lingering and well-balanced finish. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery directly fromLailey Vineyard. (VH)


Lailey Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2007
VQA Niagara River $20.00
This opens with a quiet nose of peach and mineral aromas then dazzles the palate with a delightful explosion of flavours including ripe citrus—predominantly key lime—supported by hints of peach and mineral nuances. It’s in a lighter style, but provides creamy texture and near-perfect balance throughout. The finish is dry, clean and refreshing. This is just the wine for pre-dinner quaffing and to pair with all manner of shellfish and seafood. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery directly from Lailey Vineyard. (VH)


Lailey Vineyard Riesling 2007
VQA Niagara Peninsula $18.00
There are mineral and floral notes on the quiet nose before exploding on the palate with a delicious gusher of lemon, green apple and white grapefruit flavours. It’s light to medium bodied and generously textured. Pristine and clean on the lip-smacking finish, this will appeal to both Riesling aficionados and those who simply enjoy fine wine. Stunning on its own, it’s a versatile food wine, pairing perfectly with prawns, pan-seared freshwater fish and pork roast. Order by the case for daily home or office delivery directly from Lailey Vineyard. (VH)




Angove’s ‘Nine Vines’ Grenache Shiraz Rosé
South Australia $11.95 (695049)
Your attention will first be drawn to the vibrant pink liquid in your glass, then the spice-infused aromas of cranberry and blueberry. It’s medium bodied with a smooth texture while the sweet and tang flavours that glide along are in the red currant and Montmorency cherry zones. The crisp finish is mouth-watering, suggesting a pairing with pan-seared Atlantic salmon with a generous squish of lemon. (VH)



Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Marlborough $18.95 (316570)
This is a Vintages Essentials product—always available in selected stores. Pungent and herbaceous aromas of nettles and passion fruit leap from the glass. The expressive flavours are an explosion of spice-infused citrus, pineapple and sweet melon. This is well balanced, silky smooth on the palate, and sports a generous level of alcohol—up to 13% from the 11% in 2007. The dry, clean lip-smacking finish lingers luxuriously. This is excellent value. (VH)




Tosh and Pepper Chardonnay 2007
South Eastern Australia $14.75 (64170) 1L
Bottled in an enviro-friendly PET bottle (lightweight and ultra-convenient for trips and quaffing around the pool), this delivers aromas of pineapple and mineral as segue to a rush of racy flavours with citrus and green apple up front. It’s medium bodied and medium textured with a racy lemon- lime hit on the dry cleansing finish. Pair this with picnic fare—chicken Caesar salad or chicken and veggie wraps. (VH)


Tosh and Pepper Shiraz 2007
South Eastern Australia $14.75 (64188) 1L
Dried berry fruit and earthy/mineral aromas open this medium bodied, medium textured warm sweet (13.5% alcohol) Aussie red. Along with the sweet dark plum, there are gobs of tang delivered in red pie cherry and racy cranberry flavours. It finishes with more sweet berry flavours infused with mixed spice. This is very good value, earning its final half star because of it. (VH)

Dopff & Irion Gewurztraminer 2006
AOC Alsace $16.45 (81463)
There are quintessential Gewürztraminer markers here with a blast off the glass of highly perfumed and persistent rosewater and exotic spice aromas. It’s medium bodied and stunningly smooth with its silky texture. The flavours are a mélange of tree fruit, spice and tropical fruit. The finish is deftly balanced. Pair this with Alsatian onion tart. (VH)

Cheers,

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