This release starts with a Merlot feature that highlights Merlots from many countries, then moves on to the usual country-by-country listing. Rod has taken the lead with Vic adding "Upstream" wines experienced in Australia during his arduous vinous trek; tasting and spitting his way across that continent despite the sunny skies and warm weather.

Domain des Aspes Merlot 2003
Vin de Pays d'Oc $15.95 (951665)
A quite hefty Merlot from the 2003 vintage when the vines in southern France baked day after day. But although this has real concentration and intensity of flavour (look for dark plum and cherry, with a touch of smokiness and pepper), it's well balanced and makes for a delicious partner to grilled red meats. (RP)

Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Merlot 2004
DO Peumo, Rapel Valley $19.95 (939827)
Plush in texture and rich in fruit, this is a big Merlot that shouts its Chilean roots. It delivers real depth of flavour (dark spicy fruit) with layers of complexity, good structure, and nice harmony among the components. There's little point trying to pair this with anything less than a hunk of well-seasoned red meat, grilled medium-rare. (RP)


Montes "Alpha" Apalta Vineyard Merlot 2004
DO Colchagua Valley $23.95 (22228)
Montes is one of Chile's premium producers and their wines are excellent across the board. This rich Merlot is packed full of dark fruit flavours with streaks of spice, pepper, chocolate, coffee, and smoke. It's medium-plus in weight, dry but fruity, and an excellent partner for spicy red meat dishes. (RP)

Weinert Merlot 2002
Mendoza $15.95 (656371)
So it's not just Malbec these people can grow! Here's a really nicely-made Merlot that's terrific with food. It's medium bodied and well structured, with attractive flavours of ripe plum and dark berries, accented with spicy and smoky notes. Try it with roast lamb and root vegetables. (RP)

Mike Weir Estate Pinot Noir 2005
VQA Niagara Peninsula $21.95 (000075)
Tired of golf metaphors in reviews of golfer-wines, like the Vintages catalog reference to the first vintage of this Pinot as its "first round"? Me too. So let me just say that this Pinot performs really well from tee-off to the hole. It has firm fruit and balance on the attack and right through the palate, where you'll find attractive cherry with notes of spice and herbs. The texture stays out of the rough and steers resolutely in the smooth, and the finish is as impressive as a putt clean across the green. It pars [sic] well with grilled lamb chops. (RP)

Windmill Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Lodi $16.95 (034074)
This is a well-priced Cabernet Sauvignon that delivers very solid fruit and good complexity from start to finish. The texture is slightly rustic and tangy, it's medium bodied, and the tannins are soft. This is a very decent and versatile Cab that will pair will with red meats, rich pizza and gourmet burgers. (RP)

Bodegas Catena Zapata "Alamos" Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Mendoza $13.95 (467944)
(Previously reviewed in Winecurrent) Wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon typicity here with a nose of bramble berry coupled with hints of mint and cassis. It is medium weight, well balanced and delivers a fruit-forward finish. You will pick up good fruit in the mouth and on the finish (cherry and spiced plum) a portend of a lovely cuisine match with spiced beef. This is excellent value. (VH)


Altos "Las Hormigas" Reserva Malbec 2005
Mendoza $28.95 (678987)
With so many terrific Argentinean Malbecs under $16, I wonder how attractive this will be. But the quality certainly justifies the price, because this is at least a step up from almost all the Malbecs at the lower price-points. Here you get the intense fruit and complexity, but also a degree of finesse and a length and quality of finish that's generally absent from the others. Try a bottle of this with a less expensive Malbec and see the difference. (RP)

Viña Santa Rita Medalla Real Chardonnay Reserva Especial 2004
Casablanca Valley $18.95 (303628)
(Previously reviewed in Winecurrent) Made from grapes grown in a single estate in the cool-climate Casablanca Valley, this is a new, reduced-oak style for Medalla Real. It offers intense, pungent aromas and flavours of pure fruit, dominated by peach and tropical fruit. It has excellent balance, luscious texture, and it's the sort of wine that will revive the interest of anyone who's jaded by too many mediocre Chardonnays. (RP)

Echeverria Carmenère 2005
Central Valley $12.95 (009084)
This is a terrific buy. I'm a big fan of Chile and Carmenère (see my piece in February-March 2007 Wine Access) and this bottle shows the quality you can get for a very reasonable price. It delivers concentrated flavours of dark plum with typical Carmenère spiciness, medium-plus body, and a tangy texture. It's friendly to foods like red meats. (RP)

Dowie Doole Chenin Blanc 2005
McLaren Vale $15.95 (709246)
This is a mouth-watering Chenin that makes a perfect partner to sweet seafood like seared scallops or boiled lobster served as soon as it's cold. There's a beautiful seam of acidity here that balances the ripe pungent melon and green apple flavours. With a compelling, smooth, ever-so-slightly oily texture and medium weight, this is a terrific Chenin for the price. (RP)

Cockfighter's Ghost Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Langhorne Creek $23.95 (672550)
Langhorne Creek is one of the oldest wine regions in Australia that is only now becoming well known through a small number of boutique wineries denoting the appellation on the label. This region's fruit is a significant portion of the blend in some of the best known premium Aussie wines, but labeled under the broader "South Australia" region. This is a really wonderful Cab, very dry, with well-focused fruit (dark tree fruit and berries), sweet tannins and a very dry texture. (RP)

Skillogalee Basket-Pressed Shiraz 2003
Clare Valley $20.95
(Previously reviewed in Winecurrent) This was entirely hand harvested from low yields - 1.6 tons/acre - from estate-owned unirrigated vines. The basket-pressed fruit showcases black pepper and ripe Bing cherry aromas plus an elegant layering of flavours with currant, licorice, mint and black currant discernible. The finish is lengthy and luxurious complemented by ripe tannins and a plush texture. The 24 months of oak is unobtrusive and brilliantly integrated. Gorgeous now to 2014, on its own or with rack of lamb. (VH)


Yering Station E.D. Pinot Noir Rosé 2005
Yarra Valley $15.95 (15545)
A rosé is a welcome sight during a snowstorm, although it's surprising to see a 2005 here, rather than a 2006. Still, the screwcap has kept this nice and fresh, and you'll find crisp red berry and fruit flavours here, with good structure and body. It makes a very good partner to pasta with a rosé seafood sauce. (RP)


Saxenberg Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
WO Western Cape, South Africa $16.95 (663229)
(Previously reviewed in winecurrent.com) "Smooth and luxurious" are the words that describe the way this feels in your mouth. It explodes with complex, ripe, dark fruit flavours that are accented with coffee, chocolate, smoke and tobacco, and it's wrapped in supple tannins. Delicious and delightful and very good value, this is made for a well-herbed rack of lamb, grilled to medium-rare perfection. (RP)

P. Dubreuil-Fontaine Pernand-Vergelesses Blanc 2004
AOC Pernand-Vergelesses $29.95
This is a lovely, uncomplicated wine that will bowl you over. It has beautiful fruit with attractive minerality, good structure, and a crisp texture. Medium-plus in weight and poised from start to finish, it's a great partner to grilled white fish stuffed with herbs. (RP)

Cuvée des Ardoises Château des Erles 2003
AOC Fitou $16.95 (949222)
A well-made, robust red that pairs well with grilled red meats and flavoursome burgers. It's all dark fruit and berries, with notes of licorice, spice and herbs, but with decent complexity. A little rusticity in the tangy texture simply adds to its appeal. (RP)


Domaine des Aires Hautes Rouge 2004
AOC Minervois la Livinière $19.95 (17137)
Another slightly rustic red from the south that makes an excellent partner to well-seasoned red meat dishes. This delivers dark chewy fruit, a very dry texture, and firm tannins. This is great for the first barbecues of the year. (RP)


Château La Nerthe Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2004
AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape $54.95 (735407)
You could drink this now, but better to wait a couple of years, then drink it by 2015. It delivers big, chewy tannins that still slightly mask the concentrated fruit. Given a bit of time, everything will come into balance and the fruit and acidity will shine through. Drink it with grilled rack of lamb. (RP)

Masies d'Avinyó Abadal 3.9 Reserva 2000
DO Pla de Bages $28.50 (19448)
Already with a bit of age, this is drinking very well now and is about halfway through its life. It will hold for another six-seven years. It's an 85:15 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah that delivers plush fruit with good intensity and impressive structure. Pair it with red meats or very rich vegetarian dishes. (RP)

Look for these wines in forthcoming Vintages releases

Smithbrook Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Pemberton, Western Australia $17.95 (34876)
Unmistakably Sauvignon Blanc, surprisingly from a temperate zone. The maritime climate of this burgeoning region, famous for its Karri trees, make it an unlikely spot for SB of this character and focus, but here you are. The lifted nose sports passion fruit, and spicy citrus aromas. These echo in the flavour along with delectable and racy gooseberry and melon. The tangy finish layers on lemon drop and spicy minerality. Divine sipped on its own or with a goat cheese salad. Well-paced and well-priced. (VH)

McHenry Hohnen Vintners Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon 2005
Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia $19.95
Co-owner David Hohnen, a Margaret River pioneer, founded Cape Mentelle and Cloudy Bay. With winemaker daughter Freya and brother-in-law Murray McHenry, this venture could be a three-peat. Aromas of gooseberry and melon waft from this 50:50 blend. The medium to full-bodied flavours and textures are an explosion of tangy citrus and spiced yellow plum. The clean and refreshing finish is fruit-forward and packs a zingy punch. Perfect for sipping on its own or paired to grilled seafood. (VH)

Look for these new additions or vintages on the LCBO General List

Concha y Toro "Trio" Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz-Cabernet Franc 2004
Maipo Valley $15.25 (433912)
This blend delivers power-packed fruit with plenty of complexity and heft. Look mainly for dark fruit flavours with spice and black pepper. Full-bodied and dry with light tannins, it's a great match for any grilled red meat dish. (RP)

Pfaffenheim Pinot Blanc 2005
AOC Alsace $13.45 (22855)
This is a gorgeous Pinot Blanc, with rich and luscious fruit (stewed pear, peach, apricot) with crisp, balancing acidity. It has a generous, mouth-filling texture and makes a great partner to spicy Asian dishes. (RP)


La Fiole Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2005
AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape $28.15 (26732)
This is a real treat. The fruit (pear, apple, with hints of peach and apricot) is beautifully handled and is balanced with refined acidity. It's medium bodied, well structured, and makes an excellent partner to sweet seafood like scallops and lobster. (RP)

Cave Spring Gamay 2005
VQA Niagara Peninsula $12.95 (228569)
Gamay does really well in Niagara, as this bottle shows. It's medium bodied with bright red cherry and plum flavours, good fruit focus, and the crispness that characterizes a good food wine. Pair it with roasted or grilled chicken or with baked ribs. (RP)


Cave Spring Cabernet-Merlot 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $15.95 (407270)
This is a very pretty Cabernet Franc (60%) and Merlot (37%) blend that delivers solid fruit flavours accented with mint and hints of spice. It's medium bodied and lightly tannic and makes an excellent partner to roast lamb. (RP)

Turning Leaf Chardonnay 2004
California $12.15 (409805)
This is a very reliable California Chardonnay vintage after vintage. It's not too complicated and simply delivers good solid fruit (peach, tropical) in a medium-weight, food-friendly style. Pair it with grilled chicken breast or roast chicken. (RP)

Cheers! Rod and 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