Not typical of Napa, this well-structured Chardonnay is crafted in a crisp and refreshing style. It features green apple and floral aromas followed by a very dry, full body with more apple and mineral flavours and a vivacious backbone of acidity. Pair this with steamed mussels.

This Cab belongs to Clayhouse's Vineyard Series. Aged for 16 months in a combination of American, French and other European oak, this rich and velvety red is driven by flavours of cherry and plum along with complementary oak and coffee notes, and its finish is characterized by toasty inflections and lovely dusty tannins.

In addition to the wine he makes in his native Australia, golfing-legend-turned-wine-impresario Greg 'The Shark' Norman has gone bi-continental with the launch of his California Estates. The 2005 (this wine's fourth vintage) is well-proportioned, exhibiting lovely aromas of herbs (sage and rosemary), redcurrants, black cherry and cedar notes. The tannins are nicely integrated into the whole package. Try it with a grilled steak or rare roast beef, or cellar it for up to three years.

"Vina Cobos is Paul Hobbs' winery in Mendoza. He is better known (at least for the moment) to USA connoisseur/collectors for his namesake winery in Napa Valley which has received many accolades (including 100-point scores from Robert Parker). What is less well known is that Hobbs is a pioneer in fine wine production in Argentina ..." (Jay Miller, www.erobertparker.com, Dec. 2008)

TASTING NOTE: ... It is opaque purple-colored with a splendid aromatic display of cedar, spice box, mocha, black currants and blackberry. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, richly fruity, and layered. There is some well-concealed tannin as well as excellent balance. Although it will evolve for several years, this crowd-pleasing effort can be enjoyed now as well as over the next 10-12 years. Score - 92. (Jay Miller, www.erobertparker.com, Dec. 2007) 

119297    (D)            750 mL    $39.95   

"... This once neglected grape from France's Bordeaux region, first planted in Chile in the 19th Century, has become a red-hot variety. The wine may now be poised to become a global star ..." (Bill Daley, chicagotribune.com, March 25, 2009)

TASTING NOTE: Deep purple in colour this intensely concentrated Carmenère features aromas of plum, leather, smoke, rhubarb and mineral notes. It's dry and full-bodied with plush ripe black fruit and brambly flavours supported by grippy tannins leading to a medium-long finish. A marvellous match for marinated steak or herb-encrusted lamb chops. (VINTAGES panel, April 2009) 

670539    (XD)            750 mL    $24.95   

"Before I visited Western Australia, I accepted the common wisdom that this region produces good Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. By the time I left, I realized that Western Australia's greatest vinous strength is its Rieslings ..."
(Ed McCarthy, "Western Australia: Riesling's New Frontier", www.winereviewonline.com, Oct. 16, 2007) This off-dry Riesling nimbly combines crisp acidity with a delicate sweetness. Fresh citrus aromas and stone fruits sail over a distinct layer of minerality, and subtle notes of petrol surface in time. Perfect with spicy fare and seafood dishes.

Eldredge is a small family winery located in the picturesque Clare Valley. Winemaker Leigh Eldredge uses 100% Clare Valley fruit to create premium wines like the Blue Chip Shiraz. Blue Chip indeed, as this wine definitely reflects the unique character of this region. The 2006 is newly released and has yet to be reviewed, but past vintages have won countless awards and rave reviews internationally. Expect a full-bodied and generous Shiraz bursting with dark berry fruits, spice and toasty vanillin oak. Enjoy now or anytime over the next decade.

Australian film producers David Roe and Les Lithgow turned their attention away from the movie industry to focus on producing distinctive wines. They recruited award-winning winemaker Geoff Weaver and charged him with the task of crafting full-bodied, intensely flavoured, mouth-filling wines like this impressive McLaren Vale Shiraz. Supple and ripe, it displays blackberry, blueberry, toast, and cedar notes culminating in a lengthy finish.

Sourced from old-vine Grenache in the Barossa, this vibrant-pink rosé is bursting with fresh strawberry and raspberry aromas and flavours. It's dry with a round texture, medium body and a seam of natural acidity providing a refreshing backbone. Perfect with a plate of antipasto on the patio.

South Africa is the new hot spot for red Rhône varieties. Reviews of this recently released wine have yet to surface, but it's worth noting that Decanter magazine (March 2009) highly recommended the 2007 vintage and singled it out as a Best Value. This full-bodied, spicy and floral Syrah does the Cape proud and gives its French cousins something to think about. Great with braised beef dishes with lots of cracked pepper.

Bet you didn't know they make Sauvignon Blanc in Burgundy. Now you can impress your guests with this unique Burgundian wine. And you'll only find them in the Saint-Bris appellation. David Schildknecht, writing on Jancis Robinson's website in May 2004 stated: "the best growers farming this appellation ... render among the most fascinating and delicious Sauvignons on the planet."

From 46-year-old vines grown in the chalk and clay soils of the region, Nadine Ferrand's Mâcon Blanc is a sunny gold colour with silver highlights. Its nose features spice, mineral and floral tones, while the palate is rich and smooth with notes of anise, dried fruit and subtle oak. Crisp and refreshing, this is a great summertime wine.

This was a Gold Medal winner at the Concours Géneral Agricole 2008 in Paris.

TASTING NOTE: (Translated from the French) Pale yellow colour. Mineral notes define the aromatic profile, gunflint. Showing nice structure on the palate, fleshy, with great aromatic expression and nice length. This successful cuvée is perfect for shellfish or with any delicate fish. Score - 90. (Guide Gilbert & Gaillard, 2009) 

682625    (XD)            750 mL    $14.95   

James Suckling of the Wine Spectator awarded 88 points to this wine observing "there's lovely balance to this. Best after 2011." (www.winespectator.com, March 31, 2008)

TASTING NOTE: Deep and purplish. Sweet, opulent, heady purple fruits. Great sweetness and opulence. This is a wine punching way above its weight. Lovely completeness and attack with no tarty sweetness on the finish. Drink 2010-18. Score - 16.5 (out of 20). (Jancis Robinson, MW, www.jancisrobinson.com, April 13, 2006) 

500108    (XD)            750 mL    $25.00   

A fine, value-priced house that generally makes its wines with a blend of 50+% Merlot with support from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. It's now common knowledge that producers great and little-known produced exceptional wines in 2005. Here's a chance to try something special from one of the lesser-known producers.

The Cruse family have owned this winery for 113 years. Winemaker Armelle Falcy-Cruse is one of only a handful of female winemakers in Bordeaux. Her skills in the cellar have been turning heads for many years. This 2005 Bordeaux displays plenty of plum, currant and vanilla aromas and flavours. The tannins are currently very tight so laying this down for 4-5 years will be worth the wait. A bargain-priced cellar-dweller.

This is the second wine of Château Branaire-Ducru.

TASTING NOTE: Velvety and very pretty, with berry, tobacco and light toasty oak. Cedary. Full-bodied, with round tannins and a medium finish. The second wine of Branaire-Ducru. Best after 2010. Score - 88. (James Suckling, www.winespectator.com, Web Only, 2008) 

90142    (XD)            750 mL    $59.00   

In an analysis of the 2006 vintage, Wine Spectator's Bruce Sanderson advised "...Burgundy lovers should not overlook the '06s. There are plenty of ... supple, fruity reds that will make fine bottles to enjoy while waiting for the 2005s." (July 2007) This medium-bodied Pinot Noir from Domaine Poulleau is just that with lovely red fruit, floral, nettle and leesy aromas that carry over beautifully onto the palate. A great value here. Enjoy with veal, beef stew or aged Gouda.

Here's a very rare bird indeed: Beaujolais rosé. Made with Gamay that was only given very short skin contact, this is definitely a conversation piece. Producers in the Beaujolais district make even less of this than they do of white wines. Look for lots of black cherry and citrus aromas and flavours. Chill it down and enjoy it with pan-fried freshwater fish, or just sip it on its own and relax.

This is a fun and refreshing rosé to have on hand for summer sipping on the patio or for the ultimate barbecue bash. Bright pink, fresh, bursting with fruit and balanced by vibrant acidity, this stylish dry wine offers crowd-pleasing refreshment.

Just north of Toulouse and centred around the town of Fronton, the riverside vineyards of the Côtes du Frontonnais produce both red and rosé wines using the local Négrette variety (minimum 50%) with any combination of Cabernet, Syrah, Grenache, Gamay, etc. making up the rest. This pretty rosé is bursting with cranberry, strawberry and hints of citrus fruits balanced by refreshing acidity. Serve it with grilled tuna.

The Furmint grape is best known as the principal variety in Hungary's great sweet wine, Tokaji Aszú. The 2006 vintage turned out to be spectacular for wines from Tokaj. It started cool and wet, then heat came on strong and the rains ended just before September. Throughout September and October the weather turned ideal for picking late harvest and sweet wine grapes. Though this wine can be enjoyed with moderately sweet desserts, it will also complement a mildly spicy dish such as chicken paprika.

Szamorodni means "the way it was grown". During the late-autumn harvest, botrytis-affected grapes are not separated from the bunches which means the resulting wine will be either dry or sweet depending on the conditions of the vintage. When there are fewer Aszú grapes, as was the case in 2002, the result is a bone dry white with binned apple and dried fruit flavours supported by zesty acidity. A refreshing aperitif to serve with firmer goat cheese.

The Attems family have an ancient lineage in the Friuli region dating back to 1106. Recently, they joined forces with another wine dynasty, Marchesi de' Frescobaldi. Bright tropical fruit, pear and apple flavours, a viscous texture and a crisp finish are the hallmarks of this popular Pinot Grigio. Serve it as a refreshing aperitif or with grilled chicken breasts and summer salads.

This 2007 vintage marks the first time all producers in Friuli who grow the Friulano grape may not call it by its long-used name, Tocai Friulano. The Hungarians rightly objected to the use of Tocai, so an agreement was reached to drop Tocai from the name as of the 2007 vintage.

This single-vineyard Barbera gives you a taste of Piedmont for a song! It displays elegant aromas of ripe cherry, red plum, leather, and hints of new oak. Medium-bodied, it's fresh and fruity with sour cherry and plum flavours, ripe tannins and a medium-long finish. Enjoy with tomato-based pasta, chicken marengo, or a meat-and-cheese antipasto platter.

This is the perfect wine to toast the first day of summer. Made with Primitivo and a smidgeon of Negroamaro, this wine is filled with cherry, blackberries and a hint of raspberry. Dry and very rich, this wine does not overwhelm the palate, nor food. Enjoy it with grilled gourmet sausages.

A fresh and fruity Sangiovese-centric wine with cherry/berry dominating. It is light-bodied with a rather lengthy, fruity finish. A perfect wine for a simple pasta dish with fresh tomato and basil.

You just can't beat this price. An easy to like red (95% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot) that delivers a bushelful of ripe berry fruits and a touch of earth and spice on the bouquet. Enjoy now with roasted meats, ravioli, or with a Tuscan favourite, Caciotta cheese.

Sourced from the estate's San Jacopo vineyard, this Chianti Classico is designed to be enjoyed within the first three or four years. Expect a lot of fruit and nice balancing acid tones in this friendly wine. A good match for pasta with meat sauce, or pizza.

2006 was an extremely good vintage in Tuscany. A blend of 95% Sangiovese and a combination of 5% Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Malvasia Nera and Canaiolo, this Chianti showcases aromas and flavours of berries and red cherry, harmonious acidity and well-typed tannins. Winemaker Stefano Chioccioli designs the wine for current consumption with an ageing potential of 2-4 years. Try it with wild mushroom risotto or veal parmigiano.

Raboso – thought to be from the Italian rabbioso (angry) – is a lively grape variety that can produce very enticing wines. Cantina La-Salute is considered a specialist with the variety.

A pretty rosé that calls out for a variety of food, such as barbecued chicken, grilled tuna, or grilled pork with a mango chutney. Filled with lemon zest, black cherry and spice aromas and flavours, this wine is dry and finishes with a zingy fruitiness.

The Dão region of central Portugal is a relatively cool valley that lies between two mountain ranges. The granite soils here produce delicious fruit-driven reds that usually spend a moderate amount of time in oak for added complexity. This medium-bodied example is bursting with bright red fruit flavours and exotic spice notes. Combining great quality and value, this red should be enjoyed with grilled sausages or medium-aged cheeses.

Albet i Noya has been Spain's leading organic wine producer since 1979. This charming, medium-bodied blend of Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan evokes ripe black plum, smoke, pomegranate and soft gamey notes. A solidly made, easy-drinking, and even vegan-friendly red.

Our Quality Assurance Laboratory has determined that this organic wine contains 17 mg/L of free sulphur.

The red wines of the Morges region tend to be made by blending Gamay and Pinot Noir with the Swiss-bred Gamaret and Garanoir, both crosses of Gamay and Reichensteiner.

TASTING NOTE: A sweet-centred wine featuring aromas of red berries, plum, black cherry and citrus. Dry, fruity, lightly spicy with a good refreshing core of acidity. A great red wine for grilled salmon. (VINTAGES panel, Oct. 2008) 

123414    (XD)            750 mL    $18.95