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Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Quartage Shiraz 2010, Barossa, South Australia, Australia: Towering, dark and deep, this Shiraz has it all. Black fruit, smoke, tar, anise, with juiciness and polished tannins. Perfect for filet mignon. Drink: 2014-2021. 922773 16.10% XD 750 mL  $43.95 Score: 95/100. February 15, 2014 Top Rated Red Wine. Best Beef Wine Full Review
Domaine Tournon Shay's Flat Vineyard M. Chapoutier Shiraz 2010, Pyrnees, Victoria, Australia: Gorgeous concentration here! Black and dark red fruit mingle with pepper, dark spices and brooding mystery. What an incredible wine. It's produced be a classic and respected Rhone Valley producer Chapoutier. Pair with filet mignon or any peppery or spicy hearty meat dish. Drink: 2014-2018. 311480 14% D 750 mL  $29.95 Score: 98/100. January 19, 2013 Top Rated Red Wine. Heavenly Hamburger Wine Full Review
Mission Hill Family Estate Quatrain 2009, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, V.Q.A., Canada: Spectacularly rich, complex and deep. This towering red offers aromas of dark red fruit, smoke, dried herbs and cigar box. It's a multi-layered wine that will cellar very well. Truly one of Canada's flagship wines. Drink: 2013-2020. 218636 14% XD 750 mL  $44.95 Score: 95/100. January 19, 2013 Top Rated Red Wine. Best Beef Wine Full Review
13th Street Cuvée Brut Rosé, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada: This Niagara sparkling wine uses the traditional method also used in Champagne of having the second fermentation occur in the bottle. Crisp with notes of tart strawberry and field berries. Robust yet still refreshing. Pair with fried chicken and potato chips. 147504 12.50% D 750 mL  $31.95 Score: 90/100. May 11, 2022 Top Rated Sparkling Wine. Scrumptious Seafood Wine Full Review
Crémant St-Nicolas Sparkling Light Cider Crémant StNicolas cidre Sparkling Wine, Quebec, Canada: A refreshing and lively cider, with a lively light effervescence. Appetizing notes of green apples. Bottled with a champagne-style cork. 61671 2.80% M 750 mL  $12.00 Score: 87/100. April 22, 2008 Full Review
Vineland Estates Winery Elevation St. Urban Vineyard Riesling 2012, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada: Lovely expression of Niagara Riesling with seductive replays of flavour across the palate: think fresh peach, pear and some mouth-watering lime zest. Drink: 2013-2019. 38117 9% M 750 mL  $19.95 Score: 92/100. April 15, 2015 Top Rated White Wine. Charming Grilled Chicken Wine Full Review
Domaine Ehrhart Rosenberg Gewurztraminer 2011, A.C., Alsace, France  315705 13.50% M 750 mL  $18.95. March 16, 2012 Full Review
Luce Luce Della Vite 2011, Tuscany I.G.T., Italy: OMG! This is a wine spa for your tongue. Drop dead gorgeous. Proposal wine: any proposal. Seductive nose of black violets dipped in moonlight, fleshy black plum. But this is all about texture: satin wrapped in silk wrapped in clouds. Drink: 2015-2028. 685263 14.50% XD 750 mL  $99.95 Score: 98/100. October 25, 2014 Top Rated Red Wine. Gorgeous Gift Wine Full Review
Michele Castellani Colle Cristi Classico Amarone Della Valpolicella 2006, D.O.C., Ca' Del Pipa, Veneto, Italy: Dried raisined cherries with a deep, luxurious layers of richness. Full-bodied and lip-smacking delicious aromas. A finish that says “buy me again!” Drink: 2011-2020. 222109 15.50% XD 750 mL  $45.95 Score: 96/100. August 20, 2011 Best Value Red Wine. Full Review
Michele Castellani Colle Cristi Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2008, D.O.C., Ca' Del Pipa, Veneto, Italy: Dried raisined cherry aromas on the nose of this seductive red wine, with a deep, luxurious layers of richness. Full-bodied and lip-smacking delicious aromas. A finish that says “buy me again!” This is a very generous Amarone, and lovers of this style should stock up. Incredibly long finish. Try it with hearty meat dishes. Drink: 2014-2022. 222109 15.50% XD 750 mL  $45.95 Score: 95/100. April 12, 2014 Top Rated Red Wine. Best Beef Wine Full Review
Michele Castellani Colle Cristi Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2010, Veneto D.O.C.G., Italy: Dried raisined cherry aromas on the nose of this seductive red wine, with a deep, luxurious layers of richness. Full-bodied and lip-smacking delicious aromas. This is a very generous Amarone, and lovers of this style should stock up. Incredibly long finish. Try it with hearty meat dishes. Drink: 2015-2020. 222109 15.50% D 750 mL  $45.95 Score: 95/100. April 16, 2016 Top Rated Red Wine. Magnificent Meat Pizza Wine Full Review
Farina Classico Amarone Della Valpolicella 2008, D.O.C., Veneto, Italy: Love this! Towering yet deep, with rich luscious layers of black cherry liqueur flavours. Full-bodied is an understatement. Glorious flavour heaven. Drink: 2012-2020. 995910 14.50% D 750 mL  $34.95 Score: 95/100. September 1, 2012 Full Review
Villa Maria Private Bin Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Marlborough, New Zealand: This is just the third year that Villa Maria has produced this delightful, lightly sparkling wine. It's an interesting (and delicious) take on Sauvignon Blanc, for which New Zealand is famous. Tropical fruit and melon on the nose and palate. If you love moscato, try this wine. The bubbles don't dry out on the finish, yet it's refreshing. Perfect as an aperitif or companion to seafood. Drink: 2015-2017. 429969 12.50% M 750 mL  $69.50 Score: 89/100. February 18, 2017 Best Value Sparkling Wine. Scrumptious Seafood Wine Full Review
Quinta Dos Carvalhais Colheita Vinho Tinto 2011, Dão D.A.O., Portugal: A full-bodied Portuguese red wine with aromas of black fruit, tar and smoke produced by Sogrape Vinhos. Toasty oak but not too much. Finishes with prune, blackberry, mocha and dried tobacco leaves. This robust red wine blend of mostly the native Touriga Nacional grape. Decant 1 hour and enjoy with a rare steak. This wood-aged Portuguese red wine is only produced in great years. Aromas of mulberry and blackcurrant on the nose and palate. Vanilla smoke from oak barrel aging. Drink: 2015-2018. 13474 13.50% XD 750 mL  $18.95 Score: 90/100. November 28, 2015 Best Value Red Wine. Best Beef Wine Full Review
Barón de Ley Gran Reserva Tempranillo 2001, Rioja, DOC, Spain: This is a remarkable wine -- please save me some as I intend to get a couple of cases. Matures aromas of leather, cigar box, dried herbs and black plums. It's rare to get a mature wine like this on a release, snap it up but not too much. Drink: 2012-2022. 642496 13% D 750 mL  $34.95 Score: 94/100. December 3, 2020 Top Rated Red Wine. Full Review
Decoy Duckhorn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Sonoma County, California, United States: This robust Californian cabernet is almost chiseled in structure. Loaded with dark fruit aromas and flavours, it delivers. Generous character with great fruit, structure, complexity and balance. Now let's try it with duck comfit, shall we? Drink: 2014-2019. 186171 13.90% D 750 mL  $31.95 Score: 92/100. March 7, 2015 Top Rated Red Wine. Delightful Duck Wine Full Review
The Dreaming Tree Chardonnay 2013, Central Coast California, United States: Fleshy ripe peaches and pears on the nose and palate wrapped in toasty oak. Full-bodied, juicy and very pleasant. Pair with veal chops. Drink: 2013-2016. 364265 13% D 750 mL  $16.95 Score: 88/100. September 27, 2014 Full Review
Château St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Alexander Valley, California, United States: Balanced, complex and distinguished: this full-bodied Californian Cabernet hails from the cool climate of Sonoma. The dramatic difference in day and nighttime temperatures (diurnal) makes for ripe wines that have underlying balance. Finishes with cassis, smoke, anise and dried tobacco. Drink: 2015-2020. 977173 14.20% XD 750 mL  $65.00 Score: 91/100. March 19, 2016 Top Rated Red Wine. Best Beef Wine Full Review
Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay Oaked 2012, Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County, California, United States: Mer Soliel translates to sea and sun in Californian surfer dud speak (I'm fluent). A rich and full-bodied white wine with lovely layers of golden apple and butterscotch from oak aging. Drink: 2013-2018. 958975 14.50% D 750 mL  $34.95 Score: 93/100. October 16, 2014 Top Rated White Wine. Remarkable Roast Chicken Wine Full Review
Columbia Crest Winery Grand Estates Merlot 2013, Columbia Valley, Washington, United States: Now I understand why Washington is renowned for Merlot! This gorgeously rich and layered Merlot is so flavourful and interesting that even Miles in the movie Sideways would relent. It's a merlot for cabernet drinkers in it's power and concentration yet it's still smooth and supple on the palate. The reason is that merlot has tighter and smaller berry (grape) clusters so the skin to juice ratio when macerating and fermenting is lower which results in the more flavour compounds transferring to the juice (wine) before the skins are remove yet the tannins are shorter than in cabernet so you don't get that furry mouth feeling. Great weight, structure and finish. Pair this with veal shank or duck. Drink: 2014-2018. 454835  13.50% D 750 mL  $17.95 Score: 91/100. March 3, 2017 Best Value Red Wine. Voluptuous Veal Wine Full Review
La Crema Chardonnay 2013, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, United States: A full-bodied, well-rounded, buttery wine with lovely balancing acidity and citrus fruit notes. Ideal for roast chicken or seafood with cream sauces, as well as lobster in butter. The Chardonnay grapes for this Californian white wine are a regional blend from vineyards in the Russian River valley. Finishes with nuances of fresh golden apple, pear and crème brûlée. Pair with roast chicken. Drink: 2013-2018. 67231 14.50% D 750 mL  $40.95 Score: 91/100. April 4, 2015 Perfect Pasta and Tomato Sauce Wine Full Review
Frei Brothers Winery Reserve Chardonnay 2013, Russian River Valley, Northern Sonoma, California, United States: Toasted bread along with green apple aromas on the nose and palate of this classic Californian white wine made from the icon Chardonnay grape. Medium- to full-bodied and balanced. Very tasty. The 2012 vintage of this Russian River Valley Chardonnay shows its cool-climate regions roots, with the grapes being whole cluster pressed to avoid bitterness and preserve fresh fruit notes. This Chardonnay undergoes a full malolactic fermentation to add richness and depth. Pair with veal chops. Drink: 2013-2017. 317891 14% D 750 mL  $26.95 Score: 91/100. April 15, 2015 Top Rated White Wine. Charming Grilled Chicken Wine Full Review

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