Columbia Crest Grand Estate Cabernet Sauvignon'01, Columbia Valley, Washington State, USA

A spicy cabernet displaying smooth tannins.

Technical Data:100% Cabernet Sauvignon barrel-aged for 14 months in American oak only.

Description:Inky red color. Red fruits aromas such as cherry and strawberry laced with cocoa introduce a complex palate of caramel, chocolate and ripe fruit. This wine is plush and seductive in the mouth, and the fruit and oak are perfectly harmonious throughout the lingering finish. Lots of spice counter-balancedby its smooth tannins !

Food Pairing & Service:Steak, pasta with red sauce, vegetable stew.

Score:7/10

Suggested Retail Price:$8.99

Columbia Crest Grand Estate Chardonnay'02, Collumbia Valley, Washington State, USA

A creamy style Chardonnay full of flavors and quite affordable.

Technical Data:100% chardonnay aged 11 months sur lie for added complexity and a rich, silky mouthfeel.

Description:Straw yellow color. A fragant bouquet for this creamy style chardonnay. This wine displays aromas and flavors of apple, pear and caramel. Also touch of sweet oak characters by the end of the palate. Supple and well balanced wine with a lingering finish.

Food Pairing & Service:Lemon pepper chicken, New England clam chowder, chef salad. Serve chilled

Score:8/10

Suggested Reatil Price:$8.99

Terrazze della Luna Pinot Grigio'03, DOC Trentino Pinot Grigio, Trentino Alto Adige, Italy

A refreshing Pinot grigio from Northern Italy.

Technical Data:100% Pinot Grigio aged in stainless steel tanks only.

Description:Straw yellow color. Clean Pinot Grigio showing equally fruity and floral nose with peachy and nutty aromas followed by acacia, honey and straw. Nice white fruity flavors exploding in the mouth with ripe pear, peach, nectarine, also a hint of honey and a lovely buttery character just at the end of the palate. The wine shows a silky and rich texture with a fresh acidity and a lingering finish.

Food Pairing & Service:This is a delightful wine to sip on its own, perfect for summer time to sip on the patio or pair with a wide range of food such as mild Asian dishes, fish, salads and shellfish. Serve chilled.

Score:7/10

Suggested Retail Price:$10.99

Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon'02, CA, USA

A nice Blended Cabernet Sauvignon from CA.

Technical Data:83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petite Verdot, 5% Merlot. The wine was aged 18 months in 225-liter US oak barrels. The wine is produce under California label but the wine is primarily North Coast. Toasted Head refers to barrel making process. these wines are site selected, and fermented in small lots.

Description:Deep dark red color. This wine shows a rich and vibrant fruit bouquet. The palate is complex with black fruits laced with spiciness and toasty herbs flavors such as anise, sage and tobacco.

Food Pairing & Service:This wine like red meat and hearty pasta dishes, it is ready to drink now, but it could gain in roundness lay down for a while and its rich tannins create excellent aging potential too.

Score:8/10

Suggested Retail Price:$14.49

Kim Crawford Marlborough Pinot Noir'04, Marlborough, New Zealand

Characterful and smooth Pinot Noir from New Zealand, really well crafted!

Technical Data:100% Pinot Noir. A portion of the wine was racked to older barriques for malolactic fermentation and ageing for 5 months. The wine has been sealed with a screw cap, this ensures cork taint is eliminated and oxidation is minimized.

Description:Garnet red color. Medium bodied style Pinot Noir with a berry nose focused on raspberry and strawberry with a hints of rhubarb and herbs. Elegant well balanced palate showing ripe sweet fruits laced with soft tannins, dusty- earhty characters, a touch of oak and a lingering clean finish.

Food Pairing & Service:Great with pasta, lighter red meat and fish such as salmon or tuna. Ready to drink as young but up to 3 years with careful cellaring.

Score:8/10

Suggested Retail Price:$18.99

Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc'04, Marlborough, New Zealand

A very grapefruity Sauvignon Blanc from the most famous region of New Zealand, Marlborough.

Technical Data:100% Sauvignon Blanc, aged in stainless steel tanks only. The wine has been sealed with a screw cap, this ensures cork taint is eliminated and oxidation is minimized. Within the differents wine-region in New Zealand, Marlborough is the 1rst one for its production of crisp and grassy Sauvignon Blanc.

Description:Straw yellow color. Classic Sauvignon Blanc characters for this full bodied wine which displays lots of ripe fruits such as grapefruit, gooseberry, figs and a touch of herbaceousness on both nose and palate. The palate is rich, well balanced with a nice crisp acidity. Citrus and grapefruity flavors are coming back again at the end with a slight bitter aftertaste .

Food Pairing & Service:Quite refreshing and light this wine could be drink as an aperitif or ideally suited to asparagus, oysters and summer salads. A wine to enjoy chilled now up to 5 years.

Score:7/10

Suggested Retail Price:$16.99

Poliziano Asinone'00, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Tuscany, Italy

Excellent Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from a Selected Vineyard in Tuscany produced only from the very best vintage, that mean not every year. Too bad than we can't find it yet on the shelf. If you cross this one on a wine list in a restaurant, you have to try it!

Technical Data:100% Sangiovese aged 16 – 18 months in new French oak-barrels with additional months of bottle fining prior release. Produce only from the very best vintage, that mean not every year.

Description:Dark ruby red color. Captivating aromas of berries laced with vanilla and cinnamon spice.. Full-bodied and elegant Sangiovese offering concentrated flavors of ripe plum, blackberry, chocolate and woody spice. Complex wine with excellent balance and a lot of depth. Rich texture, silky mouthfilling and supple tannins.

Food Pairing & Service:Will accompany well hearty pasta dishes, red meat and roasts. A wonderful one with chocolate. Open at least an hour before, this wine really need to breath a little bit before the consumption.

Ageing Potential:Ready to drink although could easily lay down 15 years.

Score:9/10

Suggested Retail Price:$32.00 - $41.50