027540    (D)   750 mL    $23.95  

024133    (D)   750 mL    $17.95    

678458    (D)   750 mL    $24.95   

This wine won a Silver medal at the 2006 Canadian Wine Awards.

Tasting Note: Deep ruby in colour, the nose suggests cherry, blackberry and a hint of vanilla oak. Dry, medium full-bodied with ripe blackberry flavours and a fair amount of tannic grip, this terrific Merlot needs 2 to 3 years in cellar to reach its full potential. (VINTAGES panel, Nov. 2006)

643445    (XD)   750 mL    $21.95    

271056    (XD)   750 mL    $24.95   

This Lake County winery is one of the champions of Petite Sirah in California. This robust wine has bold flavours of wild berry, plum and cherry along with spice, pepper and toasty oak notes that lead to a smooth lengthy finish. Enjoy with smoked meats or ribs or chili.

019935    (XD)   750 mL    $16.95   

012732    (XD)   750 mL    $29.95   

Ravenswood built their reputation by specializing in distinctive old-vine zinfandels from top vineyards around the state such as the Dickerson Vineyard in Napa Valley.

Tasting Note: An easy wine to love. Blackberry fruit with notes of mint, eucalyptus and dark chocolate. Soft tannins; medium-long finish. (W. Blake Gray, San Francisco Chronicle, July 27, 2006)

599183    (XD)   750 mL    $45.95   

This silky smooth wine shows why the Russian River Valley is the 'go to' region for quality Pinot Noir in California. Seductive aromas of cherry, plum, cinnamon, and oak spice replay on the medium full-bodied palate. Dry and well-balanced, it's soft and smooth with a peppery finish. If you're not a Pinot lover, you're about to become one.

954834    (D)   750 mL    $24.95   

983742    (XD)   750 mL    $9.95   

Bodegas Santa Ana owns some of the finest vineyards in the Cuyo region of Mendoza. Here, in the higher altitudes of the Andes, the growing conditions can be challenging, which helps restrict yields. The fruit also benefits from increased exposure to sunlight during the day and cool evening temperatures. This richly coloured, full-bodied wine is chock full of blackberry, raspberry and meaty notes along with toasty oak flavours. It's an excellent value.

014399    (XD)   750 mL    $11.95   

This inky-black, award-winning Malbec offers great value. Very fruit forward, it has ripe blackberry, cherry flavours along with notes of chocolate and smoke. It would match nicely with smoked sausages or a rack of lamb with rosemary.

746727    (XD)   750 mL    $12.95   

Punta Nogal uses carefully selected grapes from their estate vineyards in the cool Casablanca Valley to craft this deliciously concentrated Chardonnay. Half of the juice was fermented and aged in stainless steel, the other half in medium-toast French oak. The resulting wine has exceptional balance between the tropical fruit and toasty oak characteristics. Pair it with penne alla Vodka or baked salmon in a cream sauce.

000760    (D)   750 mL    $13.95   

This muscular and stylish premium Cab is packed with concentrated ripe black fruit, mineral, toast and cedar characteristics. Although no reviews for the 2004 were available at press time, it's been a consistent favourite of Wine Spectator magazine scoring 90 points or more for the previous five vintages. Enjoy with beef or roasted game over the next five years.

562918    (XD)   750 mL    $29.95   

Vina La Playa is a partnership between the Axelsan family of Napa Valley and the Sutil and Errázuriz families of Chile. Not suprisingly, Colchagua Valley has been described as "The Next Napa" by Wine Enthusiast magazine (March 2002). The same publication named it "Wine Region of the Year" in 2005. This rich and supple Cabernet is a superb value with ripe plum and cherry flavours, smoke and chocolate notes.

016782    (XD)   750 mL    $15.95   

The 'Marques de Casa Concha' rides again with aromas and flavours of cassis, blueberry, chocolate, smoke and cedar. Dry, medium full-bodied, this wine is quite robust with ripe tannins and a hint of pepper on the medium long finish. Enjoy with lamb and chicken paella.

337238    (D)   750 mL    $18.95   

This intensely flavoured Carmenère offers terrific value. Punta Nogal hand picks and sorts the grapes for this reserva, ensuring only the best quality fruit is used. An extended maceration period as well as a year ageing in French and American oak also help define this wine's distinctive character. This medium-full bodied elegant red boasts aromas and flavours of blackberry, cherry, chocolate, vanilla oak and smoke.

000752    (XD)   750 mL    $14.95   

This is an unbelievable value from one of Australia's top producers. Established in 1838, Yering Station has a long established reputation for quality. Aussie wine guru James Halliday awarded Yering Station *****(out of 5) in his Australian Wine Companion 2007 Edition, and the winery was named Best Australian Wine Producer at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in 2004. The Little Yering Chardonnay is a great introduction to this winery that has a terrific balance of ripe pear and tropical fruit flavours with notes of minerals and new oak.

024331    (XD)   750 mL    $12.95   

This refreshing, aromatic wine is from a small family winery in the stylish Margaret River region. It's crisp and dry with gooseberry, tropical fruit, green apple and herbaceous characteristics. It's ideal as an aperitif or pair it with crab cakes or sushi.

015834    (D)   750 mL    $17.95   

Named after the property where Dr. William Angove first planted vineyards in the 1880s, Sarnia Farm is Angove's single vineyard, single variety range from Padthaway. Rich blackcurrant and ripe cherry characteristics are at the core of this delicious wine along with some toasty cedar and vanilla notes. Enjoy with lamb stew or grilled steaks.

012716    (XD)   750 mL    $18.95   

606236    (D)   750 mL    $13.95   

015529    (D)   750 mL    $19.95   

This is the fifth vintage from this exciting, family-owned winery. This medium-bodied Pinot shows prominent cherry, violets and some earthy characteristics. It is dry, impeccably balanced and quite beautifully made. Enjoy with tuna steaks or roasted herbed chicken.

595348    (D)   750 mL    $20.95   

926790    (XD)   750 mL    $29.95   

005199    (XD)   750 mL    $16.95   

017475    (XD)   750 mL    $17.95   

This well-balanced, juicy wine features equal parts Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon (36% each) from the Penny's Hill vineyard rounded out with 28% Merlot from their Gross Corner property. Aged for 18 months in both French and American oak, it's packed with ripe plum, red berries, spice and floral notes with toasty vanilla oak characteristics. This is a real-crowd pleaser with some notable complexity.

015420    (D)   750 mL    $24.95   

Stonehaven was the first settlement in the Limestone Coast region of South Australia. This namesake winery was opened in 1998 and is located just south of the town of Padthaway, the 'gateway' to the region. Consistently rated a best buy year after year, with its intense cherry and black pepper characteristics, this Shiraz is best enjoyed with lamb or chicken satay in a coconut and peanut sauce.

681098    (D)   750 mL    $12.95   

597351    (D)   750 mL    $18.95   

650242    (D)   750 mL    $18.95   

009134    (XD)   750 mL    $19.95   

017368    (D)   750 mL    $19.95   

South Africa has shown outstanding results in recent years with Sauvignon Blanc. Savvy from the Cape tends to find a style that is a happy middle ground between Loire Valley and New Zealand. This one exhibits the crisp elegance of the former and the racy, grassy, gooseberry nature of the latter. Enjoy it tonight with grilled chicken and asparagus.

018507    (XD)   750 mL    $12.95   

Now in its second vintage, this wine exhibits baked plum, blackberry and cassis aromas and flavours. It is dry and ripe with a lively acid streak for balance. It is an excellent choice for pot roast or braised meats. Our Quality Assurance laboratory has determined that this organic wine contains 15 mg/l of free sulphur.

018739    (D)   750 mL    $14.95   

This is a no-holds-barred, 'go for it' wine that not only impresses now, but will also reward serious cellar time (5+ years). Originally a joint project between Mark Van Buuren and Tibor Gál, Buuren faced the 2005 vintage alone when Gál was tragically killed in a car crash. St-Émilion château owner Count Stephan von Neipperg stepped in to assist. This bold proprietary red uses four of the five Bordeaux grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc). The resulting wine makes a huge impact and a major statement about super premium wines in South Africa. It is a blockbuster in the making.

000265    (XD)   750 mL    $34.95   

An excellent value, this soft and spicy red is certified organic by the SKAL organization. Pair it with pasta in a red meat sauce. Our Quality Assurance laboratory has determined that this organic wine contains 15 mg/l of free sulphur.

999961    (D)   750 mL    $12.95   

The Winery of Good Hope is a stylish, quality-driven range that is part of a larger group project known as 'The Winery'. Led by 'marketer, locomotive and creator' Alex Dale and 'Barossa Valley-based soil scientist, modern viticulturist and winemaker' Ben Radfords, this unpretentious band of passionate wine pros represents the modern face of South Africa. Check out their website www.thefunwinery.com. This 60/40 blend shows remarkable complexity and elegance with ripe dark fruit, hints of minerals and cedar notes. Terrific value!

008748    (XD)   750 mL    $11.95   

Winemaking has been ongoing in this North African country since the times of the Phoenicians. After the French occupation ended in 1956, the wine regions went into decline. With the influx of European investment beginning in the 1990s, wine production is on the upswing again. Their AOC is modelled on the French system. This bright, smoky, berry-fruity wine is round and soft. It is an excellent companion for lamb kebabs or chops.

008946    (D)   750 mL    $12.95   

687178    (XD)   750 mL    $12.95   

Jean-Pierre, François and Pierre Perrin created 'Les Sinards' as an homage to their late grandfather. With some of the grapes sourced from their famous Château de Beaucastel estate, this is a classic Châteauneuf with cocoa, blackcurrant, cherry and leather aromas. It's dry, medium- to full-bodied and packed with rich fruit flavours, as well as earth and smoke notes. With such great structure, this big wine needs char-grilled steaks or rack of lamb.

926626    (D)   750 mL    $38.95   

Many producers use now Feinherb instead of Halbtrocken because the home market thinks Halbtrocken (half dry) is code words for 'sweet'. In fact, most are not, but perception is perception. Feinherb is a looser term. This barely off-dry wine exhibits fine peach, apricot and pear aromas with a layer of citrus. The lemony acidity balances out what sweetness there is quite nicely. Enjoy with pork roast or game bird.

013672    (D)   750 mL    $18.95   

This multi-award winning wine is made from the seldom seen Ortega grape, a cross between Müller-Thurgau and Siegerrebe. Ortega's full-flavoured nature and very bright fruitiness make it a natural for creating dessert wines. Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) is the German designation for totally botrytis-affected wines, similar in style to Bordeaux's Sauternes. This sweet, ripe, soft and very approachable full-bodied wine is an excellent dessert unto itself or serve it with mature cheeses.

909960    (S)   375 mL    $32.95   

Foradori led the quality revolution that has pushed the Teroldego grape to the forefront of winemaking in Italy's far north.

Tasting Note: Youthful deep ruby/purple colour leads attractive aromas of black cherry, chocolate, new oak and raspberry. It is dry and ripe with good structure from the fine tannins. Medium full-bodied and long finishing. This wine is a good match for crown roast of pork or grilled duck. (VINTAGES panel, May 2006)

712679    (XD)   750 mL    $26.95   

986513    (D)   750 mL    $52.95   

The hot 2003 helped to ripen the Sangiovese grapes to their optimum here. The ripe berry/cherry flavour leads to a palate that is rich and robust with well-integrated new oak. Match this full-flavoured Chianti with a rib roast, roasted potatoes and root vegetables.

682062    (D)   750 mL    $34.95   

An intense Amarone with beautiful layers of aromas and flavours, including black cherry and cassis balanced by coffee and cedar notes. The tannins are soft, making this a very approachable wine. Enjoy with grilled lamb or, if you are just sipping and talking, 70% cacao dark chocolate.

673566    (D)   750 mL    $37.95   

Made with the regional grapes Avesso, Loureiro, Pederna and Trajadura, this perfumed, floral, pit-fruit scented and flavoured wine is an excellent choice for grilled salmon or bouillabaisse. It is ironic that this wine uses a stelvin screwcap closure, since it comes from the land of the cork tree.

021469    (XD)   750 mL    $12.95   

Founded in 1970, El Coto de Rioja combines the traditions of Rioja with the modern techniques generally found in the New World.

Tasting Note: Tempranillo flavors of cool red cherries last through this wine, their juiciness made elegant by oak aging. The aromas slowly open with air toward black pepper spice, pure Rioja in feel, for tapas or tripas braised in white beans. Score - 90. (Wine & Spirits,June 2006)

23762    (XD)   750 mL    $19.95   

This wine is such a steal that you will think you are dreaming! A real joy, it boasts ripe cherry, vanilla, cocoa and blueberry aromas and flavours. It's dry, medium full-bodied, well-structured with a lengthy finish. The easy-going, soft tannins make this wine very approachable. Enjoy with grilled meats.

479014    (D)   750 mL    $15.95   

208405    (S)   750 mL    $19.95   

Made with the indigenous Portuguese grapes of Trincadeira, Aragonez and Castelão, Alentex Premium is a great introduction to the fruit-forward nature of Portuguese wines. The warm climate creates wines with complex aromas of ripe berry fruit and vanilla tones from the judicious use of oak. A robust wine for flavourful meat dishes.

021527    (D)   750 mL    $14.95