Vintage after vintage, Château des Charmes proves it is one of the finest producers of Gewürztraminer in Ontario. They always achieve the perfect balance between Gewürz's 'orchid aroma' tendencies and fresh fruitiness. This 2005 is structured yet intense with a long, accomplished finish. A perfect wine for rich fish or a stuffed pork tenderloin or put away a few of bottles for your upcoming Thanksgiving dinner.

In The New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia, Tom Stephenson recommends the Henry of Pelham Baco Noir for those interested in discovering the potential of hybrid grapes. Produced from mature, low-yielding vines their Reserve Baco just keeps getting better. The 2005 may be their best yet, winning the gold medal at the Ontario Wine Awards 2007.

A multi-award-winning wine, Pillitteri's Merlot Reserve is aged for 20 months in a combination of new, one- and two-year-old French and American oak barrels. The 2002 vintage was one of the best on record for Merlot in Ontario and Pillitteri took full advantage, producing a wine filled with cherry and plum aromas and flavours. Try it with grilled steaks.

Located on the southern-most tip of the Sonoma Coast benchlands, Two Rock Vineyard occupies one of coolest locations in Sonoma County. As a result, the Chardonnay grapes ripen slowly, retaining the crisp acid and classic apple characteristics frequently lost in some of the hotter California vineyards. This refreshing Chardonnay is an excellent choice for pork tenderloin or pan-fried freshwater fish.

The 2005 St. Francis Chardonnay is aged for 6 months in new and seasoned barrels. To soften the acids, the wine is put through 100% malolactic fermentation. The resulting wine displays tropical fruit, banana and toasty oak aromas. Dry and full-bodied, it has a lingering, fruity/toasty finish. Enjoy with grilled salmon, pork chops or bouillabaisse.

Clos du Bois adds 3% each of Petite Sirah and Carignane to this Zin. They then age the wines in a combination of new and seasoned American, French and Hungarian oak barrels. The blending of different grapes and oak treatments adds layers of complexity to this plum- and raspberry-scented wine. Delicious with barbecued backribs.

Duckhorn changes the make-up of their Decoy Meritage every year depending on which of the Bordeaux-blend grapes showed best. The 2005 combines 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Petit Verdot. By all reports, the vintage was similar to the great 1997 when they had an abundant crop and high quality. This full-bodied wine is chock full of lovely blackberry, cherry, rose petals and vanilla notes. Ready-to-drink tonight with lamb or game meats or cellar for 3-5 years.

Since Cabernet Sauvignon can taste a little hollow on its own, Edge Wines adds a little Merlot (15%) in order to create a wine with flavour all the way through. The resulting wine displays complete aromas of cassis, cherry and vanilla. Cellar it for 2-4 years or enjoy it tonight with rich beef or lamb dishes.

Here's a quintessential Napa Valley Cab. The region's characteristic warm days and cool evenings create even ripening which results in a wine with intense cassis, vanilla and plum tones. Supple tannins come in on the mid-palate to bring balance to the wine. A touch of Merlot and a smidge of Petit Verdot are used to fill out this fine, beef-friendly wine.

Robert Parker has called this wine from Qupé "California's answer to Crozes-Hermitage". Generally, this means they aim for a wine that is refined, balanced, food-friendly and ageable, rather than plump, ripe and over-the-top. Try this supple, refined Syrah with grilled lamb chops.

Sebastiani added 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Zinfandel, 3% Syrah and 2% Cabernet Franc to the Merlot to add a few more layers of complexity. The resulting wine is full of cherry, cassis, plum and blackberry aromas and flavours. A fine wine for a late summer barbecue.

Mendocino Wine Company's Zig Zag Zin gets its name from the 'zig-zagging' road that wends its way through the Mendocino region. They are Zin specialists, and this crowd-pleasing, berry-fruit-forward wine is a perfect ambassador for their house style. This is the perfect barbecue wine for steaks, gourmet sausages or grilled portobello mushrooms.

TASTING NOTE: Bursting with blueberry and currant fruit, this zips across the palate with a racy texture and refined tannins. Lingers enticingly with a hint of mocha on the finish. Drink now through 2009. Best Value. Score - 90. (Harvey Steiman, www.winespectator.com, May 31, 2007)
 
263418    (D)            750 mL    $19.95   

To give it added complexity, the Lurton Reserva Chardonnay is barrel-fermented and aged for six months on its lees.

TASTING NOTE: ... It tastes just like a top quality California Chardonnay at a fraction of the price. The Lurton wine is super-opulent ... I do find it pretty extraordinary that you can find so much sophistication at this price ... Wine of the Week (for March 13, 2007). (Jancis Robinson M.W., www.jancisrobinson.com, March 13, 2007)
 
591743    (D)            750 mL    $13.95   

This 50/50 blend of Cabernet and Shiraz is given oak contact in both American and French barrels. The duo grapes and the duo woods gives this wine rich, robust and velvety aromas and flavour profile. Enjoy this full-bodied wine with spicy beef dishes, mature cheeses, or grilled steak.

Many years ago, the Lurton Brothers of Bordeaux realized the potential for winemaking in Argentina. Their investment and intuition have paid off handsomely in wines such as this Malbec Reserva. The aromas suggest plum, licorice, chocolate and cedar. Dry with good fruit replays, this full-bodied, balanced wine is an excellent partner for roast beef with root vegetables.

Here's an opportunity to try a 'nouveau' wine well before the third week of November! Direct from the Southern Hemisphere, this is VINTAGES' first offering from the 2007 vintage. Montes is one of the most exciting wineries in Chile right now, so expect racy, crisp goodness with this fine and fresh Savvy. Chill it down and enjoy it with your favourite shellfish.

A deeply-coloured Carmenère with sweet berry, vanilla and cedar aromas and flavours. A big, full-bodied effort with firm tannins and a long, lingering finish. Very good value. Ageable 2-4 years or tonight with rare leg of lamb.

This wine won a Gold Medal at the 3rd Annual Wines of Chile competition in 2006. Sourced from a very old vineyard near Santa Cruz, the Lurton Brothers' Gran Araucano Cab Sauv displays classic cassis, black fruit, chocolate and vanilla tones. Match it to rare grilled beef.

Uruguay is the fourth largest wine producing country in South America. They have built their reputation with the French grape Tannat, but they also enjoy success with Cabernet Franc. This Cab Franc Rosé is a pretty pink colour. On the nose, it displays an attractive combination of bright fruitiness and crisp acidity. Match it with grilled whole salmon stuffed with rice and seasonal vegetables.

Billy Goat Hill winery is named for the wild goats who often gather on the large granite outcropping that overlooks this property. This beautiful Savvy/Semi is a round and ripe wine that combines sweet herb and tropical fruit aromas and flavours. Try it with pan-fried freshwater fish or lightly spiced grilled prawns.

A perennial favourite of wine guru Robert Parker Jr. (the 2004 vintage scored 91 points!) this Grenache/Shiraz blend has aromas and flavours of blackberry, black cherry, and licorice with background notes of coffee and caramel. The wine lands softly on the palate, and finishes long and smooth. Delicious with beef stir-fry or roasted rabbit. Add this d'Arry to your list of necessary food groups.

During a survey of the Strut River in the late 1830s, one of Dr. Richard Hamilton's forebears noticed that Lot 148 was more fertile than the surrounding ones. He promptly secured it for the family and planted a vineyard. In 2005, Lot 148 is still producing spectacular wines. This Merlot is loaded with ripe plum, cherry and vanilla tones. The wine should continue to improve for 5-8 years, but can be enjoyed now with prosciutto, roast pork or lasagna.

Puligny-Montrachet is renowned for its Chardonnays at all levels. Entry level 'village wines', such as this fine example from Joseph Drouhin, are brimming with crisp Granny Smith apple, citrus and pear aromas and flavours. Try this medium-bodied wine with pork tenderloin. It is also a good candidate for a cellar for up to three years. You will discover the added complexity one can get from mature white Burgundy.

Though not indicated on the label, a portion of this wine is very likely made with the aromatic clone of Chardonnay called Chardonnay Musqué. The wine exhibits unusual-for-regular-Chardonnay aromas of mandarin orange, mango and peach. Light- to medium-bodied, fruit forward and expressive on the palate with balanced acidity, this wine would match well with scallops or your favourite shellfish.

I hope that [my wines] will evoke in you some of the emotions and sensations of my Mediterranean childhood: the warm caress of the wind, the opulent scent of parasol pines, the glimpse of a lizard ... Sharing these emotions around a table creates intense exchanges ... Experiences that are increasingly rare in this era of standardisation and uniform thinking. (Michel Gassier, www.michelgassier.com)

Visan is one of the 20 villages allowed to append its name to the Côtes-du-Rhône Villages AC. Some of these villages have gone on to have their own AC. Visan's style and identity is just beginning to reveal itself, but in the meantime, winemakers there are content to use the C-d-R Villages appellation. Be the first on your block to explore the wines of Visan. This blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah is loaded with blackberry, cherry and cedar aromas and flavours. Match this wine with slow-roasted beef or lamb, or cellar it 3-5 years.

Loaded with blackberry, boysenberry, toast and coffee aromas, this rich, smoky, ripe Syrah will reward short-term cellaring, or pour it tonight with grilled duck breast or braised beef.

Celebrating its 10th birthday, this wine shows the wonders of aged Riesling at an incredibly reasonable price. Schönborn's 1997 Spätlese is just hitting its stride with petrol, ripe peach, pear and citrus aromas and flavours. Full-bodied, lush and deeply delicious, it is a major treat that is an excellent wine to experience on its own, but will also work beautifully with a variety of spicy Asian dishes.

Kékfrankos is red wine grape commonly found in both Hungary and Austria. The Oxford Companion To Wine refers to the grape as a useful variety which produces lively, juicy, peppery, well-coloured reds for relatively early consumption. This dry version is a good choice for Hungarian goulash or other stews.

A terrific value wine with a fairly complex aroma profile including pear in syrup, melon and green apple. Serve this crisp, fruity wine with pan-fried chicken breast and mushroom risotto.

Dolcetto is a fruity, low-acid wine that is great as a sipper or as a match to everything from grilled chicken to pesto pasta to grilled salmon steaks.

Rivera's 'Il Falcone' is named for the 13^th century emperor, humanist and falconer, Frederick II of Swabia. He built the castle - Castel del Monte - that later gave this region its name. The wine is a blend of 70% Nero di Troia and 30% Montepulciano and is aged for 12 months in French barriques and then a further year in bottle before release. Enjoy its rich, ripe, balanced bouquet with braised meat or game dishes.

This wine commands respect as it is consistently one of the best of the region. (Wine Spectator awarded the 2001 vintage 93 points!) Aromas of raspberry, coffee, truffle, plums, sage, and oak leads to dry, ripe fruit flavours surrounded by velvety tannins. A hearty, full-bodied wine to be enjoyed with sirloin steaks. It will improve further with two to three years in the cellar.

An excellent choice for classic Tuscan dishes such as chicken sautéed in white wine or chicken liver crostini, this Sangiovese-based wine has lovely aromas of currant, cranberry, cherry and spice. It is dry with attractive fruit tones and very gentle tannins for balance.

A supple, round, charming wine ideal for pot roasts or venison. You will find aromas of cherry, sweet spice, raspberry jam and leather in this dry, long-finishing wine. Try it with stuffed veal tenderloin or bacon-wrapped filet mignon.

Indigenous to Veneto, Raboso is a grape that produces a wine that can be firmly tannic and acidic in its youth. As it ages, as seen in this 2001, the tannins drop off and pretty, dried roses and berry aromas and flavours come to the fore. Some liken this unique grape variety to Piedmont's Nebbiolo. This is an ideal food wine that will pair beautifully with rare cuts of meat or mature cheeses. For the patient, this wine will hit its full stride in five years.

A delicious Amarone with classic aromas of plum, new leather, berry/oak and sweet herbs. It has a terrific structure and solid finish. If decanted, it is ready to drink now with roast beef, lamb or game birds, but it will also reward 1-3 years in a cellar.

Gambero Rosso, the influential Italian wine guide, has given Speri's Amarone della Valpolicella Three Glasses (their highest rating) many times including the recent 2000 and 2001 vintage. Expect more of the same from the spectacular 2003 vintage. The wine is full of plum, new leather, berry/cherry aromas and flavours. Full-bodied and intense, it is an excellent partner for osso buco or grilled duck breast.

Tommasi's 'Ripasso' is the unique result of refermenting its Valpolicella Classico Superiore wines on the warm skins of dried grape skins from which their Amarone is pressed. This process imparts a heightened richness of character and intensity of flavour to the finished product. Expect rich plum fruit surrounded by sweet herbs and a hint of dark chocolate. This flavourful wine is an excellent match for braised ox tails, rich stews or pasta with meat sauce.

An unusual blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Nero (aka Pinot Noir) that has been aged separately for 15 months in Slavonian oak barrels. After blending, the wines are then allowed to meld for a year in bottle before release. The Cabernet brings fruit, body and weight while the Pinot gives the wine its aromatic fruitiness and an earthy undertone. Enjoy with wild mushroom risotto and game meat such as quail or pheasant.

35444    (D)            750 mL    $22.95   

A pretty, flavourful rosé made with a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. We rarely see rosé from Tuscany, but with one sip you will see that this wine is made for a summertime Tuscan meal, such as pecorino with broad beans, antipasto, grilled mushrooms, etc. It is perfectly poised between the ripe fruit and the crisp acidity one expects from the region.

Though the vineyards that produce Acorex's 'Terre Verde's wines have been going through the conversion to organic viticulture for several years, the 2004 vintage is their first wine certified as organic. Our Quality Assurance laboratory has determined that this organically grown wine contains 17 mg/l of free sulphur. Serve with organic meats and vegetables.

Until recently, the blend of this dessert wine was a long-held secret. We now know it is a combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Saperavi and the local Rara Neagra. This deeply coloured dessert wine delivers an array of delicious aromas including plum, dried fruit, clove and allspice. Medium sweet, ripe and well-structured, this Port-like offering will make a lovely match for rich desserts.

Brimming with blueberry, vanilla and cola aromas and flavours, this ripe wine has an intriguing peppery note on the mid-palate. Enjoy this fruity wine with a pepper steak.

Oak from the Limousin forest in France is used for making barriques. Riscal not only ages their Verdejo wine in Limousin oak, they ferment in it too. A pretty toastiness surrounds aromas of golden delicious apple, sweet majoram and parafin. It is dry, round and supple with a nice integration of fruit and oak. Enjoy with simply prepared freshwater fish or herbed chicken dishes.