Spiropoulos Meliasto Rose'08, Tripoli, Greece

Dry Rose wine from Peloponessos in Greece. Both very fruity and floral although it is a dry wine. A very good surprise! I will sip it again during this summer without a doubt!

Technical Data: 100% Moschofilero grape, indigenous to Greece. Stainless Steel tanks to preserve the freshness of the wine.

Description: Bright and light pink color. Distinctive aromas of rose petals, raspberries and strawberries. Soft entrance for this medium bodied dry rose wine. Raspberry flavors backed up by rose petal. Good lengthy finish. Quite refreshing.

Food Pairing & Service: Very versatile wine, can be of course drunk by itself. Food suggestions would be as follow, white meats (turkey is delicious with it), mild cheeses, pastas with tomato based sauce, fresh cut apples and pears. Serve slightly chilled.

Score: 9/10.

Ageing Potential: Up to 2-3 years.

Price as seen on DC shelf: $14.99

Spiropoulos Mantinia'08, Peloponnese, Greece

This is an Appellation of Origin Controlled "Mantinia" from Peloponnese in Greece out of the famous Spiropoulos Winery. A crisp and refreshing white wine exclusively made from the Moschofilero grape. Produced from vineyards Certified Organic.

Technical Data: 100% Moschofilero grape, which is indigenous to Greece. Stainless Steel Tanks only for this wine to preserve the freshness of the grapes.

Description: Light bright gold color complemented by greenish hues. Fragrant and elegant nose. Aromas of green apple and pear are dominating, backed up by rose petals aromas. On the palate the wine is soft at first. Crisp and refreshing mid-palate, for a dry wine, well balanced with a nice acidity thru and thru. Very long and powerful aftertaste for this medium bodied wine.

Food Pairing & Service: Mild fish or shellfish based dishes with fine but not overly aromatic character.

Score: 8/10. Perfect during summer!

Ageing Potential: up to 3 years.

Price as seen on DC shelf: $13.99

Kanonkop Kadette Red Meritage'08, South Africa

This complex wine might surprised more than one consumers for its boldness and rich flavors but it is considers a very classic style meritage in the Stellenbosch region in South Africa.

Technical Data: 45% Pinotage, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc. Aged 6 months on oak.

Description: Ruby red color. Fruity aromas of ripe black cherries layered with spice, herbs and tobacco. The wine is full-bodied and surprisingly complex, displaying a wide array of elegant flavors mingled together, from red berries and ripe cherries to spices, cedar, tobacco and toast, all and all very pleasing. Supple velvety tannins with a clean long lasting finish.

Food Pairing & Service: This wine will benefit to being open about 10 to 15 minutes prior consumption, served at room temperature. Will accompany well a chili bowl or anything with beef or pork. Will also delight you with hearty pasta dishes or a slice of pizza.

Score: 7/10.

Ageing Potential: Up to 8 years. Can definitely age but try it out now as well and you'll like it all the same!

Price as seen on MD shelf: $14.99

Ken Forrester Petit Pinotage'09, South Africa

A "juicy" fruit forward and easy going wine with a round palate from the Stellenbosh Region in South Africa. You just found your everyday wine meal!

Technical Data: 100% Pinotage harvested fully ripe. Cool fermented after a cold maceration on the skins and pressed off early, before the development of hard tannins. Reminder: Originally, Pinotage was a cross-breed of Pinot Noir with Cinsault, nowadays, it is considered a grape on its own.

Description: Dark plum color. Classic Pinotage nose for this wine displaying ripe plum, cedar and oaky aromas back up by chocolaty nuances. A juicy wine, easy going on the palate, medium bodied, with very subtle tannins and a delicious fruit concentration of plum, dark ripe cherries as well as a little bit of smoky flavors.

Food Pairing & Service: This "Juicy" unwooded wine can be served with a generous slice of pizza or a BBQ, ideal with Turkey as well. Perfect with almost any casual occasion!

Score: 7/10.

Price as seen on MD shelf: $12.99

Teliani Valley Unfiltered Saperavi 2007, Kakheti, Georgia (Rep. of)

A full bodied Saperavi dry wine from the Kakheti Region in Georgia in Eastern Europe. Great find, try something new and while you are at it, stack it up for the year around!

Technical Data: Made from 100% hand-selected premium Saperavi grapes. Unfiltered. Probably aged a bit on oak because of the smoky flavors this wine boasts but did not find any "sure" information about it.

Description: Deep ruby color with purple hues. Powerful nose showing off red and black fruits entangled with smoke, dry herbs and leather aromas. Full bodied wine expressing dark ripe cherries, plum and black currant flavors. Also present, are some dry earthy tones and a hint of cedar and roasted coffee, the leathery flavors kicks in at the very end of the palate .This wine has a nice spiciness into it, kind of reminiscent to me to a big bold Zin or a spicy Syrah/Shiraz. The tannins are ripe and velvety, leading to a long lasting smooth finish.

Food Pairing & Service: This wine is food-friendly and more particularly will accompany well a big steak on the BBQ.

Score: 8/10.

Ageing Potential: Up to 8 - 10 years.

Price as seen on DC shelf: Around $11.99 - For those of you whom will ask me where to find it, I know Schneider's of Capitol Hill as it, has I bought one from them.

Saperavi Grape

The Saperavi grape is the main red grape from the Republic of Georgia, it can be found alone or blended and it produces from semi-sweet to bold full bodied and a bit spicy wines. A good example of the dry wines made out of Saperavi is the Teliani Valley Unfiltered Saperavi I tried out not so long ago. Check out my description of it in the Georgian Wines section.

Georgian -Eastern Europe - Wines

Georgia is historically recognized has being the first country producing wines in the world. This Country is producing wines from incredible indigenous grapes not well known world wide, hopefully a lot more of these wines will come soon our way into the USA for us to try and be charmed!

Pölka Dot Crisp Riesling'08, Germany

A Crisp (meaning medium-dry) Riesling from the Pfalz Region in Germany, known to be the best one for the production of Riesling!

Technical Data: 100% Riesling . Aged in Stainless Steel Tanks to preserve its freshness.

Description: Light bright gold color with green hues. Strong green apple aromas followed up by pear and lime. Refreshing medium bodied crisp wine, showing off a nice acidity and a complex palate. Flavors of white flowers, orange blossom, lime and green apple are entangled as well as a hint of caramel. Long lasting finish.

Food Pairing & Service: Very versatile wine, it can be drunk by itself or pair wonderfully spicy dishes in general. Good pairing with Asian Style dishes or Latino dishes. This wine will stand proudly against grilled fish or even poultry. Serve chilled not frozen!

Score: 7/10. Great find, stack it up for the year around!

Ageing Potential: Up to 3- 4years.

Price as seen on DC shelf: $14.99

Pölka Dot Pink Riesling'08, Germany

A sweet Riesling from the Pfalz Region in Germany, known to be the best one for the production of Riesling!

Technical Data: 100% Riesling . Aged in Stainless Steel Tanks to preserve its freshness.

Description: Light bright gold color. Delightful and refreshing wine showing off blossom and stone fruits aromas. On the palate, lots of pear at first, then there is an explosion of flavors well mingled together tangerine, apricot and orange blossom finishing by a hint of honeysuckle and white flowers. This wine is medium sweet, have a nice acidity and is long lasting.

Food Pairing & Service: Very versatile wine, it can be drunk by itself or pair wonderfully spicy dishes in general. I tried it with Asian food and it was a keeper! Any dish served with saffron rice will do too. Serve chilled not frozen!

Score: 8/10. Great find, stack it up for the year around!

Ageing Potential: Up to 3- 4years.

Price as seen on DC shelf: $14.99

Alamos Malbec 2009, Argentina

From the famous Catena Winery. This wine is one of their flagship.

Technical Data: 100% Malbec . 9 months in 50% French and 50% American Oak, 25% new.

Description: Deep purple color with violet hues. The nose shows plum, oak and pepper aromas with herbal notes and a touch of toast. Full bodied wine expressing generous characters, with ripe flavors of plum, black berry and black currant interwoven with a touch of cedar, some chocolate and soft toasty flavors from light oak aging. The finish is long lasting with velvety smooth tannins. A very nice example of what Malbec grape can do in Argentina!

Food Pairing & Service: A charming wine which will pair well with a nice assortment of food and especially with Herbs and Spices BBQ Steak or a nice juicy rack of lamb.

Score: 8/10. Great find, this is usually the wine I bring to parties when meeting with friends, easy to drink, full of character, great conversation starter, try it you'll love it!

Ageing Potential: Up to 4 years.

Price as seen on DC shelf: $13.99

Alexander Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon'07, CA, USA

A rich and full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Sonoma County. This wine is the Flagship of Alexander Valley Vineyard.

Technical Data: A blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Aged for 14 months in French and American oak, 25% new.

Description: Deep red color with ruby hues . Fruits forward nose concentrated on plum and cassis mingled with clover, pepper and cedar aromas. In the mouth, the wine is full bodied, with velvety tannins and spices. Lingering taste of plum, black berry and black cherries associated with cedar, liquorice and some chocolaty flavors. Long lasting.

Food Pairing & Service: This wine is a steak-lover!

Score: 8/10.

Ageing Potential: Up to 15 years.

Price as seen on DC shelf: $24.99

Alexander Valley Estate Chardonnay'08, CA, USA

A flavorful and rich Chardonnay blend from Sonoma County.

Technical Data: A blend of 98% Chardonnay with 2% Viognier. Although most of the wine sees no oak, 30% is aged for eight months in an equal combination of new, one and two-year- old French oak barrels.

Description: Bright gold color. First aromas coming to mind is of tropical and green fruits. A medium bodied chardonnay with lush flavors of citrus, peach and mango followed quite quickly by green apple, pear, some spice, oak and toastiness. This is a creamy style Chardonnay but in the good way, its creaminess is not overpowering thus adding to the nice panel of flavors. A very long lasting well balanced wine. The addition of 2% Viognier grape in the wine add to its spectrum of flavors nicely as well.

Food Pairing & Service: Very versatile wine, although it will accommodate a wild range of dishes, it would best accompany shellfish (sautéed scallops) and grilled fish like salmon. Consider also pairing it with lemon and herb roasted chicken as well as vegetable stews. The medium body of this Estate Chardonnay means it can also handle richer dishes like Fettuccini Alfredo. As well as any dish served with saffron rice. Asian spicy fusion food would also be a good accompaniment to this flavorful wine. Serve chilled.

Score: 9/10.

Ageing Potential: Up to 5 years.

Price as seen on DC shelf: $19.59

Alexander Valley Sin Zin'07, Sonoma County, CA, USA

This is probably the most famous wine from Alexander Valley Vineyards in Sonoma County. Elegant but bold wine at the same time, a delightful one to try out.

Technical Data: 100% Zinfandel. Aged in 75% American oak and 25% French oak for 10 months.

Description: Bright ruby red in color. Tons of cherries and raspberries aromas backed by spice and cedar on the nose. On the palate red and black fruits flavors are laced together, giving to this full bodied wine a nice complexity. Plum, morello cherries and chocolaty flavors are on board here with blueberries, spices and oak. I detect a touch of earthiness, "dry earth" flavors and some herbs. Velvety tannins and a good balance for a smooth long lasting finish.

Food Pairing & Service: A food -friendly wine. It would be a perfect match with casual Italian food like pizza or lasagna. I would also definitely pair it with red meat off the grill, from barbecued steak to ribs.

Score: 9/10.

Ageing Potential: Up to 5 years.

Price as seen on DC shelf: $24.99

Jaboulet Paralléle 45 Red' 07, Côtes du Rhône, France

An elegant and quite famous by now Jaboulet red wine from the Côtes du Rhône region in France. This Côtes du Rhône takes its name from the 45th North parallel which runs two kilometres from the cellars of Maison Paul Jaboulet Aîné.

Technical Data: This is a blend of 60% Grenache Grape and 40% Syrah from 25 years old vines . The wine was aged in stainless steel tanks to preserve the freshness of its fruits.

Description: Bright ruby red in color. Aromatic wine loaded with red fruits and spices. On the palate, rounded tannins for a full bodied wine, redcurrant and plumy flavors are in charge here up until the Syrah characteristic spiciness kicks in. Some cedary note and pepper are also present. This wine, has a nice bite in the end, but it is not overwhelming, on the contrary, the fruity flavors and the spiciness are well integrated together to construct a delightfully complex wine with a long lasting finish.

Food Pairing & Service: I strongly recommend to pair this wine with food such as Grilled/roasted meats or Cheeses.

Score: 9/10.

Ageing Potential: This Côtes du Rhône should be drunk young, within 1 to 5 years.

Price as seen on DC shelf: $15.99

Jadot Beaujolais-Villages'07, Burgundy, France

A very fruity medium bodied Beaujolais-Villages from the Negociant Louis Jadot located in Burgundy France.

Technical Data: 100% Gamay .

Description: Bright purple in color. Quite enticing nose with a load of fresh red fruits aromas and a hint of spice. On the palate, the entrance is firm, but nice and refreshing, with smooth tannins, good balance and a long lasting finish. Plumy and raspberries flavors followed by dark cherries are dominating here. The wine shows off as well a pinch of white pepper, a smudge of cedar and Rose flavors. A complex wine at a not so complex price!

Food Pairing & Service: Very versatile wine. Can be drunk by itself or accompany food such as Grilled red meat, white fish and cheeses. It will also do wonders with your summer's light dishes!

Score: 8/10.

Ageing Potential: This Beaujolais-Villages is supposed to be drunk young although it can be kept easily up to 5 years.

Price as seen on DC shelf: $14.59.

Jadot Mâcon Blanc Villages'08, Burgundy, France

A quite refreshing medium bodied White wine from the Negociant Louis Jadot in Burgundy France.

Technical Data: 100% Chardonnay . Vinified in stainless steel tanks in order to extract the maximum floral and fruity aromas and freshness.

Description: Bright gold color. A very appealing fragrant nose full of tropical and stone fruits and floral scent. A quite refreshing medium bodied dry wine showing off a nice acidity and good balance thru and thru. On the palate, lots of fruits flavors such as peach and pineapple laced with elderflower flavors. A hint of white pepper and limestone are present as well. All these flavors mingled together contribute to make this wine a great one to enjoy chilled and rather young to benefits of its freshness.

Food Pairing & Service: Very versatile wine. This wine can stand alone without being ashamed of itself or pair sublimely a wild range of dishes, it would best accompany seafood in general and shellfish. My personal favorite would be with a grilled fish like "Salmon on a cedar plank". Consider also pairing it with lemon and herb roast chicken as well as grilled vegetable . Any dish served with saffron rice will do too, as will any Asian Fusion Food as well. Serve chilled. Perfect during Summer Time as well!

Score: 9/10.

Ageing Potential: This wine will be at its best within 5 years of its vintage, if kept in good conditions of temperature and humidity.

Price as seen on DC shelf: $18.99, considering this is a Burgundy it is an excellent Price for it, stack it up.

Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc'09, South Africa

An Off Dry and slightly wooded juicy White Wine from the Stellenbosh Region in South Africa.

Technical Data: 100% Chenin Blanc . 30% of the wine was fermented and matured for six months in new American and Hungarian oak and new and second fill French oak barrels. The wine was then slightly sweetened with Chenin Blanc Noble Late harvest, fined, sterile filtered and bottled.

Description: Light bright gold color. Complex nose exuding lots of fruity aromas such as ripe pineapple and white peach but also hints of lemon and lime. On the palate, the wine is luscious yet spicy. Great texture, well balanced with a good acidity. It overflows with flavors, from white peach and apricot to spice, light oak and white flowers all mingled together but yet still recognizable on their own. Long lasting finish for a delightful wine.

Food Pairing & Service: Very versatile wine, although it will accommodate a wild range of dishes, it would best accompany shellfish and grilled fish like tuna or even sardines. Consider also pairing it with lemon and herb roast chicken as well as vegetable stews. Any dish served with saffron rice will do too. Serve chilled.

Score: 8/10. Great find, stack it up for the year around!

Ageing Potential: Up to 5 - 8 years.

Price as seen on MD shelf: $15.99

Mulderbosch Rosé Cabernet Sauvignon'09, South Africa

A juicy and lush yet Dry Rosé Wine from the Stellenbosh Region in South Africa.

Technical Data: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes were harvested and crushed. To achieve the desired color on the free run juice, the grapes were cold-macerated. After settling in tank, the juice was racked and inoculated with yeast cultures for fermentation. After fermentation, the wine underwent lees contact, a light fining and filtration before bottling. No Wood ageing to preserve freshness of the wine.

Description: Bright and lively raspberry pink color. Strawberry, rose petal and raspberry aromas are laced together to offer a complex, lush, fruit forward yet Dry Rosé. On the palate, this is a sophisticated and "sexy" Rosé combining strawberries, raspberries and ripe cherries flavors as well as some spices inherited from the Cabernet Sauvignon own character.

Food Pairing & Service: A very versatile dry Rosé wine, easy going on the palate. Serve well chilled. It will stands very well against “modern style” cuisine, fusion cuisine, light Italian cuisine as well as some spicy Asian dishes. The ideal summer salad wine. Enjoy it with sushi and other Japanese delights as well. Great to have at a picnic or at the beach. An excellent aperitif wine as well. Serve chilled.

Score: 8/10. Great find, stack it up for the summer!

Ageing Potential: Up to 3 years.

Price as seen on MD shelf: $13.99

Rust en Vrede Merlot'08, South Africa

A juicy and lush dry red from the Stellenbosh Region in South Africa.

Technical Data: 100% Merlot. The wine was left to mature for 14 months in French oak, after which it received a light filtration prior to bottling.

Description: Bright Ruby red color. Distinctive Strawberry, Raspberry aromas underlying spice and coffee notes. Very subtle palate, smooth tannins, balanced and structured wine showing off red/black fruits flavors as well as some spice and toasty oak . Good lengthy, smooth finish.

Food Pairing & Service: A very versatile wine, very accessible to any palate. Will do wonders either way, by itself or accompanying a dish. Tomato based dishes in general or hearty food would be a great match for it, I would also consider give it a try with Moussaka or even with Shrimp Calamari, Yum! Enjoy this great food wine now through at least 2013 .

Score: 8/10. Great find!

Price as seen on MD shelf: From $17.99 to $24.99

Guardian Peak Frontier Cab/Shiraz/Merlot '08, South Africa

A juicy and leathery very dry red from Western Cape Region in South Africa.

Technical Data: Cabernet Sauvignon 52%, Shiraz 32%, Merlot 16%. Ten months of French and American oak maturation. The three cultivars were vinified separately for eight months, followed by two months of blending prior to bottling.

Description: Dark ruby red dress. This wine shows initial oak, spice and pepper aromas which on the second whiff gives way to ripe dark morello cherries. Nicely balanced wine with a good structure thru and thru, supple velvety tannins and rich enticing flavors including leather, morello cherries, plum, pepper, spice and oak. Lengthy, smooth finish.

Food Pairing & Service: Bold enough to stand a steak or ribs, Yum! The wine will easily mature and soften beautifully over the next 3 to 4 coming years.

Score: 8/10. Great find for the price, don't hesitate, try this on!

Price as seen on MD shelf: From $9.99 to $15.99

Essay Shiraz '08, South Africa

Soft and very fruity light to medium-bodied red wine from the Western Cape Region of South Africa.

Technical Data: Shiraz 89%, Cinsault 9%, Viognier 2%. The Shiraz portion was lightly wooded for softer mouth-feel. The wine was made in a fruit-forward, soft style. Cinsault was added for additional red berry fruit flavors and the Viognier softens the tannins, adds plushness and floral aromas.

Description: Light ruby red color. A fruit forward nose with quite a lot of both cherry and plummy aromas, some underlying spice notes as well. In the mouth, soft tannins, round mouth, again, lots of ripe cherries flavors here tied to blackberries, plum and some spicy toasty flavors. Do not linger.

Food Pairing & Service: A medium-bodied red that will complement a wide range of food as long as the dish it accompanies is not too heavy. It will stands very well against "modern style" cuisine, fusion cuisine, light Italian cuisine as well as some spicy Asian dishes. Great to have at a picnic or at the beach for those of you whom don't like dry Rosés Wines. Can also be definitely sipped by itself.

Score: 5/10. Definitely too mellow for my palate but if you like strong fruit forward wines, this is the right for you.

Price as seen on MD shelf: From $8.99 to $11.99

Essay Chenin Blanc "Steen" '09, South Africa

Crisp very fruity light to medium-bodied white wine from the Western Cape Region of South Africa.

Technical Data: 95% Chenin Blanc "Steen" grapes with 5% Viognier to add more body and floral notes to this wine. Aged in Stainless steel tanks only to preserve freshness.

Description: Light gold color. Fresh and quite vibrant nose focused primarily on white peach fruits, guava and tropical fruits. Soft, round palate, with a nice acidity. Melon and tropical fruits as well as stone fruits flavors first comes in mind on the palate, but are then later in the mouth enticed with floral flavors like chamomile and a touch or hawthorn, which gives a nice and unexpected complexity for a wine at this price point. Light to medium-bodied wine. Do not last long unfortunately.

Food Pairing & Service: Recommended with light seafood or shell fish dishes, white creamy pasta or light chicken or turkey dishes, also well suited with some mild cheeses as well as salad. A good one to consider for the summer season as it is light to medium bodied. Great to have at a picnic or at the beach. Can also be definitely sipped by itself. Serve chilled.

Score: 6/10. I gave it only a 6 over 10 because it is not quite my type of Chenin Blanc, I usually like wine with a broader body...It is still a very nice one to try out if you are more into lighter bodied whites, I would say that, this one is a bit more complex than, let's say your average Pinot Grigio, but not quite as complex as a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc could be nor as complex as a Chenin Blanc is usually, this is why it scores low on my scale.

Price as seen on MD shelf: $9.99

Goats do Roam Red'08, South Africa

The Iconic Goat Do Roam Red Label from the well awarded Fairview Winery. This wine is from the Coastal Region of Paarl in South Africa.

Technical Data: This wine is a blend that you could definitely call "Rhône Valley Style" even if it comes from South Africa. It is composed of 61% Syrah, 14% Cinsault, 13% Mourvèdre, 8% Grenache and 4% Carignan. The wine was lightly aged in old barrels for ten month prior bottling, no new wood were used.

Description: Bright ruby red color. A quite enticing first impression with aromas of raspberries, blackberries and ripe cherries. A whiff of pepper, cedar and a touch of oak complement quite well its complex nose. Very supple mouth, dry medium-bodied wine with velvety tannins and a good structure thru and thru. The dominant flavor is blackberry but it is laced with ripe plum, pepper, smoke and cedar. This wine is well balanced and everlasting in the palate.

Food Pairing & Service: This one will go well with hearty pasta dishes. A nice one for steak as well, and burger in general.

Score: 8/10

Price as seen on MD shelf: $13.99

Fairview La Capra Pinotage '08, South Africa

A full bodied Dry Red wine, from the Agter-Paarl and Darling areas (Coastal Region) in South Africa from one of the now regularly awarded winery, Fairview.

Technical Data: The grapes are coming from 2 different areas which are both trellised, un-irrigated vineyards. Wine made off 100% Pinotage grapes. Grapes were destalked, lightly crushed and fermented in stainless steel tanks. After fermentation the wine was pressed off and matured for 8 months prior to bottling. Older American oak barrels were used.

Description: Bright dark ruby color. A distinctive ripe plummy nose at first, with touch of cedar and pepper here and there, then a more subtle sweet red fruits aromas kicks in. On the palate, a full-bodied dry wine showing off ripe cherries and plum flavors tied together with smoky and cedary notes. A touch of pepper on the lingering palate. Expects some tannins but overall a very well balanced wine.

Food Pairing & Service: I would definitely have this wine with a nice BBQ, Ribs and Steaks for once. But I got to say, even if it is a very versatile wine, because it is full bodied, it would suit better red meat. Nonetheless, I could certainly see myself sipping it, while enjoying a nice homemade dish like Pasta "bolognese" or even a "Meat Lover style" Pizza.

Score: 9/10

Price as seen on MD shelf: $12.99 it's a steal for the price, my advice, stock it up for the summer's BBQ, I promise you, you won't regret it!

Fairview La Capra Viognier '09, South Africa

A delightful and fragrant wine, from the Paarl Region (Coastal) in South Africa from one of the now regularly awarded winery, Fairview.

Technical Data: 100% Viognier grapes. Most of the juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks. A small portion of barrel fermented wine was also included, adding mouthfeel and complexity. The wine was allowed five months lees contact prior to bottling which will give it more texture and creaminess.

Description: Bright and shiny golden color. This wine shows true Viognier characters by being fragrant and quite strong on its nose, orange blossom is the dominant aromas here laced with a touch of mint and apricot. On the palate, the wine is creamy, textured, full-bodied, mingling together subtle oaky flavors to fruits in general and more particularly peach, apricot and tropical fruits. This round but powerful wine is long lasting and leave quite a nice impression even after being sipped.

Food Pairing & Service: Recommended with heavy and creamy seafood dishes( my favorite, with scallops and creamy shrimps), creamy "cheesy" pasta as well as spicy dishes in general. Great wine for the coming summer season! Will accompany greatly as well a pear or apple crumble. Drink it fresh but not too cold to allow Viognier flavors to show themselves well! Serve chilled.

Score: 8/10

Price as seen on MD shelf: $12.99 it's a steal for the price, my advice, stock it up for the summer.

Neil Ellis Sincerely Sauvignon Blanc '08, South Africa

Flavorful and crisp, fruit-driven white wine from the Cape Region in South Africa from one of the lately most respected winemaker, Neil Ellis.

Technical Data: 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Aged in Stainless steel tanks

Description: Bright light gold color. Very appealing Nose; the very first aromas coming into mind is citrus peel then grapefruit is kicking in followed by woody as well as peppery notes mingled together, finishing by grassy and tropical fruity notes. This wine shows a complex nose which is not cheated by its palate. The wine is crisp, textured, medium-bodied, displaying on its palate exotic flavors such as citrus, grapefruit, tropical fruits (mango) and also a bit of Hawthorne laced together and tied by a long lasting finish with grassy undertone.

Food Pairing & Service: Recommended with light seafood dishes, creamy pasta or light chicken dish, also well suited with some spicy Asian dishes as well as salad. Great wine for the coming summer season! Serve chilled.

Score: 8/10

Price as seen on MD shelf: $15.99