Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Napa Valley, California $85.95 (15578)
Aromas of earthiness, mushroom and red cherry waft from the glass while the flavours are restrained and in the red cherry and red currant zones. It’s medium in weight and texture with perceptible tannin adding interest and structure. It finishes with good red berry fruit flavours and drying tannin. Aerate / decant this for a couple of hours then serve with Swiss steak. (VH)


Sterling Vineyards ‘Three Palms’ Merlot 2004
Napa Valley $94.95 (387860)
The Merlot in this hails from a very tony vineyard and gets full V.I.P. treatment—18 months in French oak, 40% new, and is egg-white fined. There’s also 19% Cab Sauv and 4% Petit Verdot in this. Savoury spice, sweet black plum and leather aromas segue succulent flavours of mulberry, cassis and black briary berry. It’s medium weight, fully textured and sports a persistence fruity finish with balance, toasty notes and elegance. Drink 2010 to 2018 alongside a medium-rare grilled rib eye. (VH)



Bodegas Catena Zapata ‘Alamos’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Agrelo-Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina $13.95
This ‘Alamos’ tag signifies an honest wine delivering more-than-fair value. This is aromatic with expressive aromas of mixed spice, lilac and dried crushed berry fruit drifting off the glass. The flavours are smooth, mellow and fruit forward—black plum, minty cherry and sweet ripe mulberry. It’s medium bodied, generously textured and sports a lingering finish that layers on tart pie cherry for balance and some interesting hints of espresso roast and black briary berry fruit. Drinking now and looking for a grilled red meat partner. (VH)


Chakana Bonarda 2007
Agrelo, Mendoza, Argentina $13.95
Surprisingly, the Bonarda grape flies under the radar screen of most wine lovers in spite of being widely planted in Argentina. The nose on this is quite aromatic with spiced berry fruit and hints of licorice while the palate is treated to a persistent wave of rich spicy flavour with black currant, kirsch liqueur and bramble berry to the fore. It’s medium bodied and delivers a lingering finish of fruit and black licorice flavours plus a lovely hint of espresso roast. Great value, pick up a cartful and drink now to 2014. (VH)


Don Cristobal ‘1492’ Verdhello 2008
Los Campamentos, Rivadavia, Mendoza, Argentina $12.95 (81182)
A grape more commonly associated with Portugal (Madeira) or, possibly, Australia, winecurrent was told this is the only Verdhello wine from Argentina, pity. It’s very aromatic with lifted aromas of honeysuckle, tropical fruit and citrus notes. It’s medium bodied, nicely textured and sports a bracing stream of lemon acidity that’s nicely supported by flavours of yellow plum and white peach. Pan-seared scallops under a drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon would make this wine sing. (VH)


Familia Zuccardi ‘Santa Julia Reserva’ Malbec 2007
Mendoza, Argentina $13.95
This displays many fine attributes not often found in this price range outside of Argentina. There are expressive spice and fruit aromas on the nose while the palate is enriched with a lovely bathing of layered and succulent flavours—cassis, cherry compote and rich black currant jam. The tannin is fine-grained and unobtrusive while the balance is near perfect and the finish lengthy and fruity. From the makers of Fuzion, this is a step up in quality and price. (VH)


Humberto Canale Estate Merlot 2007
Rio Negro, Patagonia, Argentina $13.95
This is hand-picked 100% Merlot from one of the world’s most southerly wine regions. Look for expressive and concentrated flavours of ripe red pie cherry, juicy red raspberry and red currant. It’s full flavoured, medium weight and generously textured with a delightfully lengthy aftertaste that’s redolent of plum compote and blueberry pie. With just a hint of oak and supple tannin, this is ready to drink now, either on its own or alongside braised short ribs. (VH)


Tempus Two Cabernet Merlot 2006
Barossa Valley / Langhorne Creek, Australia $18.95 (91736)
Inky purple, this barrels out of the glass with lifted aromas of mixed spice and savoury herbs, aromatic bitters, toast and tarry notes. The flavours bathe the palate in rich and concentrated waves of prune plum compote, dark raisiny berry fruit and a mélange of sweet mulberry and racy pie cherry, all underpinned by ripe supple tannin. This is a superb rendering of Aussie fruit in a style that offers balance, a lengthy finish and very good value. Pick up an armful. (VH)


Tempus Two ‘Wilde’ Chardonnay 2007
Hunter Valley / Adelaide Hills, Australia $18.95 (91710)
Copious amounts of vanillin oak, toast and nutty aromas drift off the glass of this medium-bodied creamy-textured—barrel fermented with loads of lees stirring—gem. It was vinified using wild yeast (the play on words ‘Wilde’ is in reference to Oscar) and spent nine months in oak. Flavours of sweet yellow peach, honeydew melon, ripe pineapple and lemon zest burst forth on the mid palate while it finishes with a mouth-watering hit of ripe citrus tang and nuances of toasty oak. (VH)


Trapiche ‘Broquel’ Cabernet Franc 2006
Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina $15.95
Their mantra is ‘value wines’ and this one certainly fits the bill. It opens with a forward nose of mixed spice and herbs and freshly sliced strawberry. The texture’s plush, the weight moderate and the flavours are a gusher of black currant jam and boysenberry with zesty red pie cherry for balance. The persistent aftertaste is well balanced and sports a lovely flavours of mixed dark berry fruit. (VH)



Chakana Malbec 2007
Agrelo, Mendoza, Argentina $13.95
Seeing only three months in oak and barely a hint of tannin allows early and pleasurable consumption. Aromas of underbrush, tobacco leaf and a salad bowl of berry fruit segue racy and heady flavours of Montmorency cherry, ripe pomegranate and red currant. It’s medium in weight and texture with a generous aftertaste of berry fruit and spice. Pair this with pasta in tomato-based sauce like spaghetti Bolognese. (VH)


Dominio del Plata ‘Crios de Susana Balbo’ Syrah – Bonarda 2007
Mendoza, Argentina $18.95
This shows great depth, structure and concentration conjuring up terms like ‘elegant’ and ‘classy’. It’s a 50/50 blend of Syrah and Bonarda with the aromas nodding to both as there are both black pepper and anise. It washes the palate with richly textured flavours of juicy Bing cherry and plum compote then finishes with a never-ending stream of dark fruit flavours that are nicely framed by moderating acidity and a supple tannin structure. Unfined and unfiltered, this really has it all; you should get at least some of it. (VH)


Familia Zuccardi ‘Santa Julia Magna’ Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec/Syrah 2005
Mendoza, Argentina $14.95
This is drop-dead gorgeous; run, don’t walk, and pick up a case. Drink now, after a two-hour decant and on to 2014. Crushed dried berry and dusty mineral on the nose it explodes on the palate with rich concentrated and succulent flavours of raisined dark berry fruit, kirsch liqueur and dollops of thick creamy black raspberry jam. It’s still underpinned by grainy tannin, but will soften with bottle age. It’s medium to full bodied, fully textured and delicious on the well-balanced lengthy finish. (VH)