Poliziano Rosso di Montepulciano'03, Rosso di Montepulciano DOC, Tuscany, Italy

A full-bodied but not aggressive red wine from Tuscany. Quite nice one, you'll enjoy it!

Technical Data:80% Prugnolo Gentile ( a clone of Sangiovese), 20% Merlot. Only the Merlot part is aged in American oak-barrels for 8 months, the rest of the wine remain on steel tanks prior blending and bottling.

Description:Purple red color. Red fruits aromas bouquet, the palate recalls its nose with lots of cherry and raspberry flavors laced with smoky oak flavors and very smooth tannins. Rich texture, velvety mouthfilling and long lasting finish.

Food Pairing & Service:Will accompany well hearty pasta dishes with tomato based sauce and herbs. Also a good accompaniment with red meat.

Ageing Potential: 3 - 5 years.

Score:9/10

Suggested Retail Price:$13.99 - $16.99

Donnafugata Mille e una Notte'00, Contessa Entellina DOC, Sicily, Italy

A very dry and smoky velvety red from Sicily.

Technical Data:90% Nero d’Avola, 10% other native varieties. Aged 15 – 18 months in new French oak-barrels depending of the vintage. Additional bottle fining of 12 months prior release.

Description:Inky ruby red color. Fragant bouquet exhaling dark fruits and notes of violets. Elegant and complex very dry wine, the palate shows equally fruity and flowery flavors recalling the nose, with additional flavors such as tobacco smoke and balsamic scents backboned by solid tannins.

Food Pairing & Service:Will accompany well red meat with sauces and herbs. Also a good pairing with lamb chops, roasted veal and matured cheeses.

Score:7/10

Suggested Retail Price:$49.99 - $58.99

Donnafugata Tancredi'02, Contessa Entellina DOC, Sicily, Italy

A very dry and very smoky blended red from Sicily. Mainly found on restaurant's wine list.

Technical Data:70% Nero d’Avola, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 14 months in French oak-barrels with an additional bottle fining of 6 months prior release.

Description:Deep dark red color. Nose full of blackberry and tobacco aromas. Very dry full-bodied wine showing blackberry, mulberry and bilberry laced with cacao flavors, liquorice spiciness and a hint of smoky oak. long lasting sweet finish underlined by soft tannins. A very smoky wine.

Food Pairing & Service:Will go well with grilled or roasted red meats, lamb, sausages and pork, aged cheeses, porcini mushrooms, rabbit and meat loaf. Serve at room temperature, if possible open an hour before consumption, the wine need to breath a little bit.

Score:7/10

Suggested Retail Price:$23.99 - $25.00

DonnaFugata Sedara'02, Sicila IGT, Sicily, Italy

Nice characterful red from Sicily made from 100% Nero d'Avola, the red main grape there.

You'll find this wine principally on restaurant's wine list. As far as I know, I have never seen this one on a shelf!

Technical Data:100% Nero D’Avola, the main red grape from Sicily. A small amount of the wine was aged 9 months in French oak-barrels. Additional bottle fining of 3 months prior release.

Description:Ruby red color. Cherry and blackberry on the nose. The palate is dry but soft showing lots o f ripe cherries and blackberry flavors enticed with tobacco smoke, cedary spice and subtle earthiness notes. Very smooth tannins.

Food Pairing & Service:Will accompany well red meats, introductory dishes with meat sauce and tomato, baked pasta dishes and also lightly cooked tuna and salmon. Serve at room temperature.

Score:8/10

Suggested Retail Price:$12.00 - $16.00

Milton Park Chardonnay'03, South Eastern Australia

Technical Data:100% Chardonnay. Only a small amount of the wine was age few months in oak.

Description:Bright golden yellow color. Intense fragrant bouquet with lots of pear, peach aromas and a hint of oak. The palate is soft, medium-bodied focused on tropical fruits, apricot, peach and pear with toasted almond notes. The wine has a subtle creamy finish.

Food Pairing & Service:Will accompany well seafood, Asian dishes, creamy pasta, roasted chicken and even grilled salmon. Serve chilled.

Score:7/10

Suggested Retail Price:$8.99

Thorn-Clark Terra Barossa Cuvee'03, Barossa Valley, Australia

A very dry blended red wine, a little too dry for my taste!

Technical Data:Blended wine made from 60% Shiraz, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Mourvedre aged on oak.

Description:Inky red color. Intense fruity nose focused on dark fruits like plum and cassis laced with oaky notes. The palate is very dry and spicy showing lots of plum, cassis, candied cherries, toastiness and cedary notes. Leathery mouthfilling and firm tannins on the finish.

Food Pairing & Service:Will accompany well heavy pasta dishes, red meat and roasted chicken.

Score:6/10

Suggested Retail Price:$11.99

Cristobal 1492 Verdelho'04, Mendoza, Argentina

Another grape which will gain to be more on everybody's table!

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

Description:Light Straw yellow color with greenish hues. Well balanced crisp and dry wine showing an intense fruity and floral bouquet with aromas of tropical fruits, peach and acacia. The refreshing palate exudes flavors like pear, tropical fruits as well as guava, peach and spice. Nice long lasting finish.

Food Pairing & Service:Could be drunk on its own as an aperitif or paired with a wide range of dishes such as Asian dishes, fish, seafood and salads but also with chicken.

Score:7/10

Suggested Retail Price:$9.99