Cave Spring Cellars ‘Dry’ Riesling 2009
VQA Niagara Peninsula $14.95 (233635) 11.5% alcohol
Mineral and citrus on the nose, there’s a persistent stream of lip-smacking flavour on the palate with key lime, white grapefruit zest and a fruit salad of tropical fruit. It’s medium bodied with excellent texture and a riveting lip-smacking aftertaste of lemon-lime, green apple and minerality. What’s not to like? Pour on its own pre-dinner or alongside mussels steamed in this white wine, baked ham or mixed deli platter. (Vic Harradine)


Cave Spring Cellars Rosé 2010
VQA Niagara Escarpment $13.95 (295006) 12.5% alcohol
This mostly Cab Franc blend captures your interest with the orange-bronze hue and fruity aromas of strawberry and rhubarb. It’s medium bodied with a generous mouth feel, oodles of tangy spiced cherry/cranberry flavour and a zippy refreshing mouth-watering finish. Low-yielding older vines and lengthy skin contact coalesce in this well-structured effort. Pour with pan-seared salmon, roast chicken or sip on its own. (Vic Harradine)


Château des Charmes ‘Barrel Fermented’ Chardonnay 2008
VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $13.95 (81653) 13.0% alcohol
Vanilla and spiced-apple aromas set up this mid-weight well-integrated Chardonnay. It packs a power punch of flavour with apple pie spice, ripe pear and peach plus tangy lemon riding along a silky smooth texture. It finishes balanced and lip-smacking good with moderating acidity balancing the ripe fruit flavour. Good value here. (Vic Harradine)


Château des Charmes Sauvignon Blanc 2008
VQA St. David’s Bench $14.95 (391300) 12.5% alcohol
Crisp and dry with pizzazz and purpose, this delivers a great mouthful of flavour. Grassy, leafy aromas mingle with a mélange of orchard fruit providing segue to a stream of refreshing flavours—peach, spice-infused yellow plum and tangy lemon-lime. It’s mid weight with good texture and a long mouth-watering aftertaste. Pour with green salad in light vinaigrette and crumbled with chèvre. (Vic Harradine)


Konzelmann ‘Unoaked’ Chardonnay 2008
VQA Niagara Peninsula $11.95 (200535) 13.5% alcohol
Pineapple, tropical fruit and apple pie aromas roll off this crisp and refreshing, well-textured Chardonnay. Crisp green apple and white peach flavours are nicely underpinned by a solid spine of mouth-watering citrus acidity. It finishes balanced and refreshing and pours well alongside steamed mussels or pan-seared fish. (Vic Harradine)


Konzelmann ‘Weissburgunder’ Pinot Blanc 2009
VQA Niagara Peninsula $11.60 (219279) 12.0% alcohol
This is value-packed with a gorgeous mouth feel and loads of off-dry lip-smacking flavour. Honeysuckle and tropical fruit on the nose, it coats the palate with a silky smooth wave of ripe peach, apple and citrus tang. It’s slightly off-dry, mid weight with a long balanced and mouth-watering aftertaste. Lovely on its own, it shines with spicy Asian food. (Vic Harradine)


Konzelmann Riesling 2009
VQA Niagara Peninsula $11.95 (200501) 11.0% alcohol
There’s a splash of Gewürztraminer in here giving a lift to the aromas—rose petals, lemony citrus and mineral nuances. This is racy and zesty with a focused stream of lemongrass, grapefruit and crisp green apple. Light-medium bodied and mid weight, it sports a crisp and refreshing aftertaste. (Vic Harradine)


Peninsula Ridge ‘Inox’ Chardonnay 2009
VQA Niagara Peninsula $13.95 (594200) 13.0% alcohol
Value packed and bursting with crisp refreshing flavour, lifted aromas of green apple, spiced pear and hints of tropical fruit abound. Ripe fruit washes over the palate in waves with green apple and Bosc pear mingling with sweet vanilla and mixed spice. It’s mid weight and generously textured with a lengthy fruit-filled and well-balanced finish. The quality-price balance tips well in your favour. (Vic Harradine)


Peninsula Ridge Merlot 2009
VQA Niagara Peninsula $14.95 (61101) 12.5% alcohol
Aromas and flavours of red cherry and mixed field berry are underpinned by a persistent stream of acidity and silky-smooth fine-grained tannin. This is medium weight with a round and luscious texture and a well-balanced cherry/berry tangy aftertaste. A terrific food wine, it really shines with meat-laden pizza or pasta in tomato sauce. (Vic Harradine)


Peninsula Ridge ‘Top Bench Red’ 2009
VQA Niagara Peninsula $13.95 13.0% alcohol
People and food friendly, you’ll want a bottle of this on your arm—at a party, in a restaurant, at home. This is a seriously yummy red blend that’s easy drinking and chockfull of balanced flavour—strawberry, cherry and dark berry fruit. Stop reading and pick up a bottle; you and those you share it with will be glad you did. (Vic Harradine)


Peninsula Ridge ‘Top Bench White’ 2009
VQA Niagara Peninsula $13.95 13.0% alcohol
This delicious blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer will stop you in your tracks—it’s drop-dead gorgeous. Filling your mouth with zesty balanced flavour—apple, pear and citrus—it delivers a lengthy refreshing aftertaste. Great on its own, at a party or at home, it dishes up inexpensive glasses of conversation starter and lip-smacking white wine. How good is that? (Vic Harradine)


Pillitteri Estates Winery Cabernet Merlot 2009 

VQA Niagara Peninsula $12.95 (349191) 12.5% alcohol
Here’s a smooth delicious mouthful of ripe dark fruit that’s nicely balanced with a long crowd-pleasing fruit-filled aftertaste earning its final ½ star on value. Cherry/berry spice-infused aromas on the nose, it coats the palate with sweet ripe cherry and cassis persisting through the long finish. It’s medium-full bodied with a generous mouth feel and a balanced fruity finish. (Vic Harradine)


Pillitteri Estates Winery Pinot Grigio 2010 

VQA Niagara Peninsula $12.95 (146787) 12.6% alcohol
Floral, tropical and pit fruit aromas provide segue for a lovely wash of racy flavour with ripe pear, white peach and lemony citrus to the fore. Medium bodied with a wonderful fully textured mouth feel, it sports a dry refreshing aftertaste. Perfect sipped as an aperitif, it also pours well with pasta in creamy white sauce or pan-seared prawns. (Vic Harradine)