MAXWELL SILVER HAMMER SHIRAZ 2006
McLaren Vale, South Australia

089599 (XD) 750 mL $ 19.95

“Maxwell Wines is a 40-acre, family-owned estate which began operations in 1979. The winery has a well-established reputation for producing elegant, concentrated, stylish red wines.” (Jay Miller, www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2007)

TASTING NOTE: We were wowed by this deeply delicious wine. Classic black fruit aromas and flavours give this an extreme depth of flavour from beginning to end. It is not jammy or overdone; everything is perfectly in place, especially the exceptional use of oak. Enjoy with short ribs provençale or cellar it 3-5 years to see how this wine matures. (VINTAGES panel, March 2008)

CHÂTEAU D'ARGADENS 2004
AC Bordeaux Supérieur,
Bordeaux – France

681643 (XD) 750 mL $ 18.95

TASTING NOTE: It's a joy to find a wellmade, affordable bottle of Bordeaux, from a classic vintage, at a modest price. Granted, this won't bump the Mouton off the table, but at roughly 2 percent of the cost, it delivers fine flavors of red currant and cranberry, spice and truffle. It's supple and bright, and soundly made at just 13 percent alcohol. (Paul Gregutt, The Seattle Times, Dec. 7, 2007)

Niagara Choice

VINELAND ESTATES ELEVATION
CABERNET/MERLOT 2005
VQA Niagara Escarpment
088880 (XD) 750 mL $ 24.95

TASTING NOTE: This Elevation is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot, has lots of dark and red fruits on the nose making it a real pleasure to sink your nose into. In the mouth there's more pleasure to come, with cherry, blackberry and a touch of dark chocolate. Good acidity and some pretty hefty tannins lead to a surprising yet excellent velvety soft finish ... something I wouldn't have expected with those weighty mid-palate tannins. If you like to lie your wine down there's an ageing potential of 7 to 8 years, according to the winemaker Brian Schmidt, but I think you could safely round that up to 10 without a problem. (Michael Pinkus, www.ontariowinereview. com, Jan. 1, 2008)