16 Wonderful Wines @ Vintages for Under $20

The Strong Canadian dollar is a real boon for Ontario wine drinkers. This week’s Vintages release is an excellent example of this, as I have selected 16 wines for under $20 …well really 14 and the two others are only $2 over, but still great value. Pick 3 or 4 wines from this selection that appeal to your tastes and give them a try. Enjoy this great winter weather and have a nice weekend.

Red Wines

Château St. Cosme Les Deux Albions Côtes Du Rhône 2008, Ac
Rhone, France
#194985; Rating – 90; $19.95

A wonderful medium to full bodied Rhone red, with very good length and depth. Spicy pepper and blackberry undertones that will pear well with a salt crusted prime rib of beef.

Trentadue Old Patch Red 2006, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County
California, USA
#686709; Rating – 89; $15.95

A Zinfandel based blend that is medium bodied with a long finish. Great value for this price. Will go well with grilled ribs or pulled pork sandwiches. Drink through 2015.

Escudo Rojo 2008, Maipo Valley
Chile
#590331; Rating – 89; $16.95

Owned by the Rothschilds of Bordeaux. A well proportioned and balanced red that will go nicely with a hard cheese or roast lamb. Very good length and will drink from now to 2015.

Nottola Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano 2006, Docg
Tuscany, Italy
#184960; Rating – 89; $18.95

This value-priced wine has great structure and is tantalizingly fruity on the palate, offering up plum, smoke, floral and herbal tones. The finish is medium-long and deliciously spicy. Enjoy with slow-roasted beef in a red wine sauce.

Errázuriz Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Aconcagua Valley
Chile
#203364; Rating – 89; $19.95

The warm dry climate from the Aconcagua Valley is ideal for this varietal. A rich wine packed with red fruit, black currant, blackberry and a hint of cedar. Nice balance and length. Serve with a hearty beef stew. This is a nice choice for the cellar. Better to let it age for 2 more years and drink from 2013 to 2020.

Cooper Hill Pinot Noir 2008, Willamette Valley, Made With Organic Grapes
Oregon, USA
#199802; Rating 89; $ 21.95

My second wine that is marginally more than $20, but it is great value as it is very difficult to get a fine Oregon Pinot for this price. Light and airy with cherry and raspberry flavours. An old style wine with excellent finish that will drink nicely for the nest 2 or 3 years. This will be a big hit with Pinot fans.

Cardeal Reserva Touriga Nacional 2007, Doc Dão
Portugal
#191346; Rating – 88; $13.95

This Silver Medal winner at the 2010 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is a fantastic value. A dry medium bodied palate with great balance and good lenth. Will pair well with roast pork. Drink now through 2014.

Château Peyros Madiran 2005, Ac
Southwest, France
#208249; Rating – 88; $14.95

Will appeal to fans of mature Bordeaux at half the price. Well structured, evolved and complex for the price.

Château De Nages Réserve 2009, Ac Costières De Nîmes
Rhone, France
#427617; Rating – 88; $14.95

This a young, pretty red with sour plum, blackberry, pepper and evergreen aromas. It’s light to mid-weight, supple, sweetish and licoricy with soft, refined tannin. Ready to enjoy now through 2015.

Château St. Roch Vieilles Vignes Côtes De Roussillon Villages 2009, Ac
Languedoc Roussillon (Midi), France
#195107; Rating – 88; $14.95

Another nice young red for under $15. Superb value. Drink now through 2015 and try pairing with Tandoori chicken.

Joséphine Dubois Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2009, Ac
Burgundy, France
#208025; Rating – 87; $15.95

A flavourful, fresh and fruity Pinot from the 2009 vintage. This is a very good bellwether for the fine quality to come with the 2009 red Burgundies. Try with veal tenderloin or filet mignon.

Vinos Sin Ley Gra 2 2008, Doca Rioja
Spain
#190819; Rating – 88; $16.95

This is a Rioja wine, but not a blend, made with 100% graciano grapes. A deep ruby red colour with dark cherry and mint undertones. Decent length and a good value rating.

White Wines

Cédrick Bardin Pouilly Fumé 2009, Ac
Loire, France
# 202416; Rating – 91; $21.95

While this really doesn’t qualify as a pick this week, I couldn’t leave it off my list. French wines like this typically sell for $25 to $30, so enjoy while the $Cdn dollar is strong. Wonderful layers of citrus that will pair well will with light fish cooked with butter and lemon.

Creekside Estate Butler's Grant Riesling 2008, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada
#220293; Rating – 90; $15.95

A German style spatlese Riesling. Excellent length that you can drink over the next few years. Compare with the Kruger Rumpf Riesling Spätlese 2006 below.

Henry Of Pelham Reserve Off Dry Riesling 2008, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada
#557165; Rating – 89; $15.95

A wonderful Off-Dry Riesling from Niagara’s Bench region. Well balanced with peach, apricot, honey and citrus. Very good to excellent length. Drink now to 2015

Kruger Rumpf Riesling Spätlese 2006, Rhine Nahe Qmp, Münsterer Dautenpflänzer
Rheingau, Germany
#189662; Rating – 89; $16.95

A light bodied floral palate with hints of pear and white melon. Very good length. Drink now or over the next 15 years. Try a bottle of this and compare with the Henry of Pelham wine above. See how terroire can influence the wine`s outcome.

Ring in the New Year with 6 great Value buys at LCBO Vintages

A 6-Pick for the January 8^th Release

The credit card bills are now arriving and you probably don't have a lot of money to spend on wine, but these New Year releases are some some of the best buys of the year. I've selected six wines for the January 8th release. Enjoy and all the best in 2011.

Majella The Musician Cabernet/Shiraz 2008, Coonawarra, South Australia
142018; Rating – 93; $19.95

When you see a wine with such a high rating for under $20, it’s a must buy. Buy and bottle or two and enjoy with a hearty winter stew.

Domaine André Cologne & Fils Beaujolais Villages 2009, Ac; Beaujolais, France
187591; Rating – 88; $13.95

Beaujolais is making a comeback and the 2009 vintage may be the best in the last 20 years. Will pair nicely with grilled salmon or roast pork

Domaine Perrin Nature Côtes Du Rhône 2009, Ac; Rhone, France
10363; Rating – 87; $9.45

This is an easy drinking mid-weight red that you can’t beat for $9.95. Buy a case.

Moindrot Sancerre 2009, Ac; Loire, France
196717; Rating 89; $19.95

Good Sancerre for under $20 are hard to find, so when you see them grab a few and put them away. Pair it with pan fried scallops or simply seasoned freshwater fish

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Marlborough, South Island New Zealand
160085; Rating – 89; $9.95

This is one of my favourite wine and now available in the 375ml half bottle, which is great for those evenings when you can’t finish a whole bottle.

Dominio Del Plata Crios De Susana Balbo Torrontés 2009, Cafayate, Calchaquies Valley Argentina
1834; Rating – 89; $11.95

A wonderful new world wine from Argentina. At this price pick up a few and save them for summer drinking.

No "Wine-ing" it's Christmas ...and Turkey Cooking Tips

The title of today's blog was meant two fold: (i) There will be no wine blog this week, because if you haven't been to the LCBO yet, there will only be Wine Tetras left on the near naked shelves, as all of my readers would have read the blog from two weeks ago and scooped up all the good wines and (ii) Christmas is a joyous time of year, meant to celebrate the best of the past year, so pour a glass of lovely wine and celebrate with all the people you care about ...and if your year had some bad notes, the wine will help you forget them!

A FEW TIPS FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER
1. If you want the moistest and tastiest bird ...brine your turkey. You can do this two ways: (i) fill a cooler with liquid brine and submerge the turkey for 24 hours. Before cooking rinse the turkey thoroughly and dry completely. Rub the turkey with olive oil and then add your favourite herbs (thyme, sage, etc.). Roast breast side down for two hours, then flip the bird and complete the roasting. Here is a good link for this method http://bit.ly/dTmgBh or
(ii) Use a dry brine. Coat the turkey with olive oil and then using 1 cup of Kosher salt, rub and coat the bird completely. Refrigerate for 24 hours before cooking. This is probably the easiest method and if this interests you, here's a link with all of the instructions on how to dry-brine your turkey http://bit.ly/9QneQS

2. DO NOT stuff your turkey. In the olden days (40+ years ago) turkeys were tough old birds, mostly free range. The cooking time was much longer and the stuffing helped to make the meat tastier and more tender. Today's turkey has evolved genetically and they are bred to be more tender, less muscled and cook 20 to 25% faster. If you stuff your bird two things may happen: (i) the bird may be undercooked and you give your guests food poisoning or (ii) in order to cook the stuffing the breast meat gets over cooked and dries out. So make your stuffing separately and add some pan juices at the end for flavouring.

WINE PAIRING - You can serve either white or red with your bird. I recommend a dry Riesling as the white (Angels Gate Riesling Sussreserve 2008, Niagara Peninsula; Ontario, Canada; LCBO #620104; Rating - 88; $13.95) and a Pinot Noir as the red (Inniskillin Varietal Series Pinot Noir 2009, Niagara Peninsula; Ontario, Canada; LCBO #261099; Rating - 88; $14.95 ). if you can't find these, there are also, many other wonderful Ontario wines in both of these categories, that will pair well and are reasonably priced.

In closing I just wanted to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

All the best in 2011 ...Greg

Santa’s Bringing some Great Wines to the LCBO This Week

Vintages Release for December 11, 2010

This is by far the best release of the year, as there are over 43 wines with a rating of 90 or higher. Of course some of these are quite expensive, but there are some great value picks here as well. The LCBO has released another 58 wines that are rated at 88 or 89 and this is where I have found some real gems this week. I have picked 25 wines that I think are worth looking at and you can see all of them by clicking on this link:

http://www.winealign.com/user-list/gheller/a-dec-11

However, to make the decision making process easier I have listed 5 “Must Buys” and another 8 worth looking at. Enjoy and get out today or early on Saturday, as the stores will be pillaged by mid-afternoon on the 11^th.

Champagne is a big hit at this time of year and the Charles Duret Brut Crémant De Bourgogne, Ac, Burgundy, France (LCBO #185694) is great value at $17.95 or the Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava from Spain (LCBO #158493) is a steal at $14.55. Both are rated an “88” but buy them now, as the shelves will be empty by December 31^st.

Five Must Buys

Baron De Ley Gran Reserva 2001, Doca Rioja
Spain; LCBO #642496; Rating – 92; $29.95

This is an amazing 9 year old wine that is drinkable now, but will cellar for another 10 years. It is balanced, well structured and has excellent finish.

Disznókö Late Harvest Furmint 2008, Tokaji
Hungary; LCBO #185074; Rating – 90; $21.95

Tokaji is an excellent desert wine from Hungary. This is a late-harvest style that is drinkable now to 2020. Very elegant, well balanced and great length. Pair this with crème brulée.

Creekside Estate Laura Red 2007, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada; LCBO #117960; Rating – 89; $19.95

A wonderful Bordeaux style blend from Niagara that won double gold at the 2010 All Canadian Wine Championships. The vintner suggests pairing this with pulled pork or a hearty soup or stew.

Dr. Hermann Riesling Kabinett 2008, Erdener Treppchen
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany; LCBO #189647; Rating – 90; $16.95.

A truly wonderful wine at a great price. This must be on your Christmas table if you are serving turkey!

Kendall Jackson Vintner's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Sonoma, Napa, And Mendocino Counties (375ml)
California, USA; LCBO #706077; Rating – 89; $12.95

This is a half bottle, but a reasonable price for a night when you’re all alone with a great steak. Hide the bottle when you’re finished at the bottom of the recycling box and no one will be the wiser!

More Great Buys

Red Wines

Coriole Redstone Shiraz 2007, Mclaren Vale, South Australia
Australia; LCBO #59915; Rating – 90; $17.95

It's lush, rich and dense - very finely tuned with McLaren Vale finesse. Excellent length. David Lawrason from Wine Align says …Grab a case!

Bodegas Franco Espanolas Rioja Bordón Reserva 2004, Doca Rioja
Spain; LCBO #194753; Rating – 90; $18.95

A Gold Medal winner in Decanter Magazine World Wine Awards for 2010. Aged to perfection but cold hold for another 5 to10 years. Would pair nicely with a Beef Tenderloin Roast.

Rocca Delle Macìe Chianti Riserva 2006, Docg
Tuscany, Italy; LCBO #111641; Rating – 89; Price - $15.00

Wonderful wine at a great price. Buy a case and save for those Italian dinner nights.

Château La Chèze 2005, Ac
Bordeaux, France; LCBO #191007; Rating – 89; Rating - $18.95

From a great vintage in 2005 this wine is drinkable now. Complex with excellent finish. Pair it with a salt crusted prime rib roast.

Château De Gourgazaud Réserve 2006, Ac Minervois
Languedoc Roussillon (Midi), France; LCBO #986083; Rating – 88; $17.95

Complex, full bodied at a great price. Pair it with a roast leg of lamb.

White Wines

Jackson Triggs Proprietors' Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2008, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada; LCBO #593996; Rating – 89; $20.95

A wonderful example of the great chardonnays being produced here at home. Medium bodied and very good length. Serve this with a nice winter risotto or grilled salmon.

Eikendal Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay 2008, Wo Stellenbosch
South Africa; LCBO #984773; Rating – 88; $18.95

Another nice medium bodied wine with excellent length. Buy a bottle and compare it to the Jackson Triggs.

Wither Hills Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Marlborough, South Island
New Zealand; LCBO #919514; Rating – 88; $17.95

Fresh, crisp, clean and zesty, in an archetypal Marlborough sauvignon style. Good value and excellent length. Drink in the next two years while the fruit is still fresh.

Look for the Port - Vintages Nov. 27th Release

As we get closer to Christmas, LCBO/Vintages releases the best of the best. This release features several wines in the $150+ category that are out of reach for most of us, but it's still nice to dream ...or better yet, if you are a hard person to buy presents for, this would be a good addition to the Santa list. Many people ask, are these high priced wines really that good? The answer is yes and no. In most cases they truly are amazing, but because these elite wines are produced in limited quantities, the laws of supply and demand drive up the price. In addition, they will also require proper cellaring for 5 or 10 years before they truly hit their stride. So yes they are amazing, but not always good value. For us "common folk" I have selected a dozen or so wines for under $20 that offer very good value. Finally, if I had to choose only 3 or 4 bottles to buy this week I would definitely get the Port first, then the Ghost Pines Cabernet blend; the Maculan Pinot Grigio and the Chablis.

Red Wines for the Cellar

Del Jalón Altos Las Pizarras 2005, Do Catalunya
Spain
194746; Rating – 91; $18.95

A wonderful “value” wine that needs a year or two to be its best.

Quinta Do Côa Tinto 2007, Doc Douro
Portugal
182295; Rating – 90; $19.95

Another great value that would benefit from two years of cellaring. The wait will be worth it.

Shottesbrooke Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Mclaren Vale, South Australia
Australia
198275; Rating – 89; $19.95

Full bodied and good value, but should sit for 2 or 3 years.

Red Wine – under $20

Domaine La Bouscade Old Vine Carignan 2007, Ac
Languedoc Roussillon (Midi), France
78758; Rating -89; $16.95

A great value from the south of France that will put many Bordeaux wines to shame.

Perry Creek El Dorado Syrah 2007
California, USA
201194

Lush and smooth with excellent length. Drinkable now to 2015. Vintages suggests that this would go well with zesty ribs.

Trivento Golden Reserve Syrah 2007, Mendoza
Argentina
178129; Rating – 89; $19.95

Big and floral with very good length.

Ghost Pines Winemaker's Blend Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Napa County/Sonoma County
California, USA
135376; Rating – 88; $19.95

This is a must buy! Here is how Vintages describes it “Their technique of blending the best grapes from select sites across Sonoma and Napa has resulted in simply delicious wines that deliver exceptional value. Ghost Pines offers you the enchanting character of Sonoma with the power and precision of Napa, all wrapped up in the one package. With a steak, or with a meaty pasta, this spirited Cabernet is sure to scare up delighted reactions from your guests.”

Domaine Galévan Paroles De Femme Côtes Du Rhône 2007, Ac
Rhone, France
125930; Rating -87; $15.00

Great value from Cotes du Rhone. Mid-weight and a nice everyday quaffing wine.

White Wines

Maculan Pinot Grigio 2009, Doc Breganze
Veneto, Italy
734921; Rating – 88; $13.95

Pinot Grigio is a wonderful summer wine and at this price buy a case and save it for the patio next year or spoil yourself at a house party during the holidays.

Domaine Hervé Azo Chablis 2008, Ac
Burgundy, France
185736; Rating – 88; $18.95

Chablis is Burgundy’s unoaked chardonnay. This particular wine is dry and medium bodied with medium-long finish. Should be nice with Roast Chicken.

Delheim Sur Lie Chardonnay 2009, Wo Simonsberg Stellenbosch
South Africa
956219; Rating – 90; $18.95

A new world style chardonnay with excellent length. Good value!

Santa Rita Medalla Real Chardonnay 2008, Limarí Valley, Gran Reserva
Chile
303628; Rating – 89; $17.95

Another good value New World chardonnay. Buy a bottle of this and the Delheim and compare the two.

Port

Quinta Do Noval Tawny Port, Doc Douro
Portugal
141119; Rating – 90; $16.95

Dig out the dark chocolate and try this wonderful Tawny right away. I’m asking Santa for a bottle of this!

My lucky 13 Picks (plus 1) for the Nov. 13 Vintages Release

Today's release features some big Tuscan wines at typically big $$$, however I did find one for a reasonable price that you should try. I would also try the De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon 2007 at $29.95 it is a steal. Finally, if you were only to buy one wine this week get the Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru 1999, Ac Actually hop in your car right now and get it before it is gone. This is a $50+ bottle of wine normally, so at $26.95 it is a steal. Enjoy and happy shopping.

Must Try’s

De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon 2007
Australia
917252; Rating 95plus; $29.95

If you have never tried desert wine, this is a great one to start with. This will go well with most decadent deserts or try it with seared fois gras with caramelized apples.

Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru 1999, Ac
Burgundy, France
641308; Rating 90; $26.95

Hard to believe, but an 11 year old wine for less than half of what it would normally sell for. Stop reading now, get in your car and grab as much as you can before it is gone.

Château De Beaucastel Châteauneuf Du Pape 2008, Ac
Rhone, France
968750; Rating 93; $46.95

Another great selection, this time from France’s Rhone region. Try one bottle for a nice occasion, or if you’re getting a nice Christmas bonus buy a case.

Red Wines

Hecht & Bannier Saint Chinian 2007, Ac
Languedoc Roussillon (Midi), France
184184; Rating 91; $22.95

A complex southern France wine with depth and density. Extremely good value that’s drinkable now or will cellar for another 6 to 8 years

Quinta De Ventozelo Touriga Nacional 2007, Doc Douro
Portugal
657452; Rating 90; $18.95

John Szabo from Wine Align gives this three stars for value. Full bodied with a very long finish.

Ruffino Modus 2006, Igt Toscana
Tuscany, Italy
912956; Rating 90; $28.95

There are some big Tuscan wines in this release and none are better value than this. A nice blend of Sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Excellent length and drinkable now.

Raimat Abadia Crianza 2007, Do Costers Del Segre
Spain
935460; Rating 89; $14.95

The Vintages writers describe this as rich and quaffable. I need not say more. At this price, pick up more than one, or even a case to drink over the next year.

Rignana Chianti Classico 2007, Docg
Tuscany, Italy
187971; Rating 89; $18.95

I’ve been looking for a good Chianti Classico that’s reasonably priced and this certainly fits the bill. Full of flavour, a little edgy with excellent length. Open a bottle and get out your favourite Italian cook book. Drink 2011 to 2014

Château Signac Combe D'enfer Cuvée Côtes Du Rhône Villages Chusclan 2007, Ac
Rhone, France
184226; Rating 89; $18.95

A nice medium bodies Rhone wine. Very good length, but tannins are a little green so let it sit for a year or two. Best 2012 to 2014.

White Wines

Tabali Reserva Especial Chardonnay 2008, Limarí Valley
Chile
663005; Rating 90; $18.95

Done in a Burgundy style due to limestone content in the soil that is rare in Chile. Very good length with wide appeal for group situations.

Château Des Charmes Chardonnay Musqué 2008, VQA Niagara On The Lake
Ontario, Canada
640516; Rating 90; $16.95

Chardonnay Musqué is a cousin of chardonnay. This is a nice vibrant wine with great finish.I’m sure you will like this one.

Jackson Triggs Proprietors' Grand Reserve White Meritage 2008, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada
109371; Rating 89; $18.95

A very nice Canadian wine made in the Bordeaux style.

Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2009, Casablanca Valley
Chile
602649; Rating 87; $13.95

A nice quaffing wine. Keep it on hand for the white wine drinkers at holiday parties.

Desert Wine

Reif Estate Vidal Icewine 2007, VQA Niagara River, With Gift Tube
Ontario, Canada
582247; Rating 89; $7.95

It’s pretty rate to find good ice wine at this price. Pick some up for the holidays!

Vintages Release for October 30th 2010

No Tricks …just Treats!

Traditionally, some of the best Vintages releases are in late October to early December as wine lovers start stocking up for the holidays. This week's release is one of the best this year with many wonderful wines to choose from. It may be Halloween this weekend, but these are all treats and no tricks.

When I went through the www.winealign.com release notes on Thursday evening, there were so many good choices that I actually selected a total of 21 wines. Some are high priced, but amazing wines. Try one of these treats and save for a special night, or they also make a perfect gift …to someone special …or even your favourite wine blogger!

I’ve also selected several wines that will be even better after a few years in your cellar and as always some great value wines for under $20. If you want to see all 21 picks click this link http://bit.ly/aljQG8 or scroll down below to see my baker’s dozen for the October 30^th release.

Cellar Reds

Forman Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Napa Valley
California, USA
143925; Rating – 95; $94.95

It’s not often that you see a wine rated this high, so while the price is high it will be an amazing wine that is drinkable now or can be cellared for up to 20 years.

Bodegas Alejandro Fernandez Tinto Pesquera Reserva 2006, Do Ribera Del Duero
Spain
323345; Rating – 92; $41.95

This is a great wine that needs time in the cellar. Drink 2014 to 2016. Excellent to outstanding length.

Osoyoos Larose Le Grand Vin 2006, VQA Okanagan Valley
British Columbia, Canada
626325; Rating – 90; $45.00

This is a wonderful Bordeaux style wine from the BC interior. Excellent length, full bodied and rich. This wine will do nicely in your cellar for 4 to 8 years.

Cellar Whites

Gerald Favre Vieilles Vignes Pouilly Fuissé 2009, Ac
Burgundy, France
187658; Rating – 91; $27.95

A fine white wine in the burgundy tradition. This is great bang for the buck for a medium-full bodied white. Match with poached salmon or a soft burgundy cheese.

Value Reds

Luis Felipe Edwards Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Colchagua Valley
Chile
169847; Rating 90; $16.95

A great value for a “Gran Reserva” wine. The wine makers save these wines for their family gathering. Nice with grilled steaks, leg of lamb or game meats. Drink now to 2015.

Nieto Senetiner Don Nicanor Blend 2007, Luján De Cuyo, Mendoza
Argentina
640938; Rating – 90; $17.95

A lovely new world blend of cabernet, malbec and merlot that still shows young tannins. Cellar for a year or two or try now with a rare steak.

Herencia Remondo La Montesa 2007, Doca Rioja
Spain
674572; Rating – 90; $18.95

A very nice Spanish red from one of the country’s new modern winemakers. Smooth, with very good length that will fare well from now to 2014.

La Madonnina Les Valats Cotes Du Rhone Villages Rasteau 2007
Rhone, France
185876; Rating – 89; $18.95

A good value full bodied Rhone at this price. Drink now or age for up to 10 years.

Felicité Pinot Noir 2009, Wo Eilandia, Walker Bay
South Africa
173005; Rating – 88; $14.95

The best value buy of this release. A medium bodied pinot with very good finish. Try with grilled salmon topped with fresh dill.

White Wines

Dr. Pauly Bergweiler Riesling Kabinett 2008, Qmp, Wehlener Sonnenuhr
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany
189175; Rating -89; $16.95

Excellent length, with a light body. Serve with pork roasted with peaches and dried apricots.

Jean Geiler Gewurztraminer 2009, Ac Alsace
Alsace, France
106864; Rating – 89; $16.95

A gold medal winner from Alsace. Off dry and fruity I would match this wine with spicy Asian fare.

Babich Black Label Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Marlborough, South Island
New Zealand
9142; Rating – 89; $17.95

A nice value full bodied Sauvignon Blanc. Try matching with Thai food or save it for a warm summer night on the patio.

Domaine Du Chardonnay Chablis 2008, Ac
Burgundy, France
183574; Rating – 88; $18.95

A traditional unoaked Chablis that is tangy and crisp. A great sipper that will go nice with grilled trout or sole almandine. Good value at this price.