Craig scored this wine: 89/100

Crafted only with hand-harvested Monastrell grapes, the Sericis hails from the east coast of Spain from the wine area called Alicante. Alicante has been producing wine for hundreds of years, but it flies under the radar when compared other areas in the country. So what is it like? in my glass, it is a full-bodied, lush, juicy, food friendly experience. Its confident, dialed down expressions of dark berries and plums are everywhere. They’re approachable, pleasing, and team up nicely with some mild-mannered flavours like dried spices and toasted oak. Some friends introduced me to this red as their house wine last week, and I’m glad they did. Enjoy this one with baked comfort foods that have some heft. Final thought. The 2017 Sericis is certified by V-Label as a vegan product. Reviewed November 22, 2023

Craig scored this wine: 90/100

For my senses, this wine’s beauty is the savoury, jammy, vanilla evoking expressions of dark berries and plums that stand out from the moment the bottle is opened. Yes indeed, the 2020 release of the Serraia has mouth feel appeal, too. Juiciness, dry as a desert, velvety lushness, acidity that edges upward but isn’t mouth-watering, and camouflaged integrated tannins. They’re all part of the pleasurable experience that I had while sipping wine. However, they are supporting characters to the main stars. Crafted with only Barbera grapes, this delicious red is classified as Barbera d’Alba, one of the many wine areas in Piedmont, northern Italy. Enjoy. Reviewed November 24, 2023

Craig scored this wine: 89/100

The 2021 Castiglioni – which is mostly Sangiovese but has some Merlot too - is a satisfying, easy drinking Chianti for any day of any season. Like people, some Chianti are extroverts and others are introverts. Both tell our senses of their journey from soil to bottle, but they do it differently. I’m good with that. The 2021 Castiglioni is the latter (at least in my glass), evoking small scale expression of fresh strawberry and raspberry, faint florality, microbursts of dark chocolate, and touches of savoury spiceness. This Chianti’s super dry, velvety, mid-weight mouth feel leans in a similar direction with its even keel acidity and gentle tannins. Enjoy with grilled veggies served with (or with) pasta and tomato sauces.

Craig scored this wine: 90/100

My senses have reached a verdict. This blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot is delicious, especially at this price point. The deliciousness comes from big impact flavours and aromas and a marvellous mouthfeel appeal. In my glass, the flavours and aromas evoke candied red berries and ripe dark cherries, bold threads of eucalyptus and savoury spice, and compelling mini doses of cola. I’m a fan of how these notes don’t rush for the exits. They stay for a while. The drivers for this mid weight red’s lovely mouth feel appeal are an amped up acidity, desert dryness, mild mannered tannins, and a velvety kind of texture. This Monte Antico hails from Tuscany, is classified as Toscana IGT, and has been aged in barrel and bottle for three years. In case it is on your mind, the blend bills is 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot. I’d serve this with savoury meals put on the plate straight from the oven or the grill. Reviewed November 19, 2023

Craig scored this wine: 88/100

The other day, I was on a mission to find some “new to me”, don’t break the budget, cool climate reds. This is one of bottles that I brought home. In my glass, the Domaine Gouron 2020 Rouge is cheerful, lean, and juicy. From nose to finish, this middle weight 100% Cabernet Franc evokes ripe red berries (the star of this show), dried herbs, and cassis. The mouthfeel appeal landed and left in the blink of an eye. I wish it would have stayed longer. But when it landed, it was super dry with hints of spicyness, showed mild mannered acidity, and it had a tannin imprint that’s integrated and dialed down low. My favourite part of this experience? The aromas. They were lovely. I’d served this with hearty plant-based stews. This Cabernet Franc was harvested from vineyards in Chinon, a wine region France’s Loire Valley. Reviewed November 19, 2023