A big, ripe pinot from the Santa Rita Hills in central California, with 14.4-per-cent alcohol, but remarkably lively and balanced. Rich cherry and blueberry flavours become juicy on the finish thanks to a good acid backbone, with more balance coming from notes of spice and herbs. Try it with roast pork or seared duck breast.
Stags’ Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (California)
SCORE: 90
Price: $49.95
Full-bodied and subtly complex, with a core of plum, cassis and chocolate against a backdrop of earth and mineral, finishing with sweet, chalky tannins. Decant it if you can and try with steak, or cellar for up to 12 years.
Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Riesling Kabinettt 2008 (Germany)
SCORE: 90
Price: $16.95 in Ont.
Drippy, sweet apricot fruit gets a lift from zippy acidity in this medium-dry Mosel charmer, with nuances of petrol and slate on the lip-smacking finish. Great value and a good, sophisticated aperitif to kick start a dinner party.
Alain Geoffroy Beauroy Chablis 2007 (France)
SCORE: 90
Price: $24.95 in Ont.
Medium-bodied and more evolved than one might expect from a 2007, this crisp, premier-cru chardonnay leads off with a slightly oxidized, Sherry-like tang supported by a fleshy lemon-and-melon flavours and hint of minerals. Perfect for oysters.
Château de Beaucastel Coudoulet de Beaucastel white (France)
SCORE: 92
Price: $33.95
A southern Rhône blend of marsanne, viognier, bourboulenc and clairette, this medium full-bodied white delivers plump orange- and guava-like fruit accented by herbs and spice and a long, harmonious finish. Versatile at the table and an especially fine option for the cheese course.
Château de Beaucastel Coudoulet de Beaucastel red 2008 (France)
SCORE: 90
Price: $29.95 in Ont.
The baby brother to Beaucastel’s esteemed and much more expensive Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this Côtes du Rhône is full-bodied and deftly balanced with ripe dark-skinned fruit, silky texture and spice rising through the long, succulent finish. Try it with braised beef or lamb shanks.
Terres d’Avignon Reserve des Armoiries Eleve en Fut de Chene 2007 (France)
SCORE: 90
Price: $15 in Ont.
A bargain. Medium full-bodied with a core of ripe fruit, this red Côtes du Rhône unfolds with nuances of cedar, sweet herbs and licorice. Like the wine above, it would pair nicely with braised red meats.
