The profiled region in the May 26th release is New Zealand. There are some stellar wines from Italy and a Châteauneuf du Pape that will knock your socks off.

Summer afternoons can be enhanced so nicely with a glass of iced Rosé in hand and as luck would have it, there are several decently priced Rosé wines listed this month.

New Zealand

32292 SILENI CELLAR SELECTION PINOT GRIS 2006 Hawkes Bay, North Island $15.95
A wine that currently shows little on the nose except for a trace of muskmelon and pear. It is off dry, with a nice dollop of white tree fruit on the palate, but it is too low in acid for my taste buds. Find this wine

963124 JACKSON ESTATE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2006 Marlborough, South Island $20.95
Although it is full bodied, there is nothing over the top with this Sauvignon Blanc. All of the aromas of ripe pear, fig, citrus, honeydew and grassiness are in tune with one another. The palate shows plenty of lively fruit, some mineral notes and just the right amount of acid on the close. Really tasty. Find this wine

Wine of the Month

36012 WAIRAU RIVER OPAWA SERIES SAUVIGNON BLANC 2006 Marlborough, South Island $18.95
A savoury nose full of nettles, spearmint, gooseberry and asparagus. It is fruit forward on the palate, again the acidity is right on, and there is just enough sweetness to the finish to pull it together. Find this wine

32862C. J. PASK GIMBLETT ROAD CABERNET/MERLOT/MALBEC 2004
Hawkes Bay, North Island $19.95
Good concentration, some dusty notes of blackcurrant and cherry with just a mention of smoked bacon. The palate echoes the fruit adding a layer of crisp red currant. Although they are far from offensive, tannins are noticeable on the finish.
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672451 COOPERS CREEK MERLOT 2005 Hawkes Bay, North Island $17.95
Earthy notes along with aromas of iron, sage, mineral and plum. It is medium bodied; the fruit takes control along with a touch of chocolate on the finish.
It may need a little time to soften, as there is an astringent note on the close.
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32821 GOLDRIDGE PREMIUM RESERVE MERLOT/CABERNET 2005 Hawkes Bay, North Island $19.95
Sweet and fruit forward. Very much a New World styled wine showing toasty oak, blueberry and dark chocolate. The palate is tasty and fleshy, but it leaves a discernable coating of sweetness. Find this wine

599969 COOPERS CREEK PINOT NOIR 2005 Marlborough, South Island $19.95
A leathery nose delivering aromas of wet clay, violets, red cherry and raspberry. It leans to the elegant style of Pinot, showing nice red fruit and mineral on the palate.
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31187 CULLEY PINOT NOIR 2006 Marlborough, South Island $18.95
Very much in tune with Pinot Noir character showing aromas of strawberry, plum, vanilla and cinnamon. There is a good dose of red fruit acid on the palate that drives right through to the finish. Find this wine

 

Wine of the Month

626390 KIM CRAWFORD PINOT NOIR 2006 Marlborough, South Island $19.95
The notes in the catalogue are spot on. “Sour cherry, coffee, underbrush, raspberry and mushroom” I might add a note of wet leaves and floral perfume. It feels good in the mouth, there is some tannin, but it does not interfere. Find this wine

34348 TE KAIRANGA RUNHOLDER PINOT NOIR 2004 Martinborough, North Island $29.95
This starts well by showing nice notes of lavender, plum and violet. A nice layer of acidity hits the inside of the cheeks, but the finish fades so quickly.  Find this wine

32839 MISSION RESERVE SYRAH 2005 Hawkes Bay, North Island $23.95
Imagine pouring the contents of a pepper cellar onto a slice of prosciutto and inhaling the resulting combination. You have just duplicated the nose of this Syrah. The palate shows just a little of the spiciness coupled with a pleasing layer of fruit. The finish is toasty and rich. Find this wine

Some of the Rosé wines

685610 HENRY OF PELHAM CABERNET SAUVIGNON ROSÉ, Niagara Peninsula 2006 $14.95
This is a Rose, but the nose of earth, mineral, stone, blackcurrant, smoked meat and red berries might fool you. It is balanced, refreshing and full of clean berry flavours. I like this. Find this wine

40709 COLLEGE ROSÉ 2005 NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY, Niagara Peninsula $14.95
Lots of pretty fruit aromas of red currant, cranberry and rhubarb. A layer of pleasing sweetness coats the inside of the mouth. It finishes with mineral, wet stone and red berries. Find this wine

467753 STREWN CABERNET ROSÉ 2006, Niagara Peninsula $11.95
Strewn’s rendition boasts a medicinal nose along with strawberry syrup and cherry. The acidity is pleasing, but it fails to balance the sweetness on the finish. Find this wine

34314 COUSIÑO-MACUL CABERNET SAUVIGNON ROSÉ 2006 Maipo Valley, Chile $11.95
I find lots of racy red acidity with pleasant flavours of red cherry and raspberry. It comes across as a little fat on the finish, but the fruit flavours clearly stand out. Find this wine

739474 DOMAINE DES CARTERESSES TAVEL ROSÉ, France 2006 $15.95
A nicely balanced wine that delivers notes of candied petals, strawberry coulis, cranberry and limestone. The palate is full of fruit and the acidity is prefect. Find this wine

933044 CALERA PINOT NOIR 2005, Central Coast California, $32.95
Jensen’s Central Coast Pinot offers leathery aromas of dried thyme, strawberry and plum. It is lighter on the palate than I thought, judging from the nose. It comes across as lean and lacks the oomph of fruit I had hoped for. Find this wine

943399 D’ARENBERG THE COPPERMINE ROAD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2003, McLaren Vale, South Australia $49.95
The combination of mint, dark chocolate, vanilla, clay, tangerine peel and the unbelievable depth of layer after layer of pure dark fruit means its time to call my bank manager and make a plea for cash. Find this wine

24968 M. CHAPOUTIER DOMAINE TOURNON SHIRAZ 2004, Mount Benson, South Australia $28.95
Chapoutier has created a big fat down under style of wine that has polished notes of creamy oak, blackberry, a kick of spice and nice lively acids. I do think this will benefit from some short term cellaring as it is in a bit of an awkward stage right now. Find this wine

606624 RING BOLT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2004, Margaret River, Western Australia $19.95
A well-made Cabernet that has plenty of blackcurrant aromas that carry onto the palate. The nose is backed up with cedar, a touch of plum, mulberry and red berry. I like the acidity. It is not an over the top wine, instead it focuses on harmony, solid fruit flavours and balance. The finish is surprisingly long. Find this wine

135798 PERRIER JOUËT BELLE EPOQUE CHAMPAGNE Brut 1999 $129.95
A prefect mousse, the nose gives nutty aromas of macaroon, maron tiramisu, lime leaf and tangerine. It is very pleasant on the palate and has a nice long finish. Not your every day quaffer though! Find this wine

901207 BOUCHARD BEAUNE DU CHÂTEAU 2004 1er Cru, Burgundy $39.95
Very ripe and forceful notes of pear tart, white peach, banana peel and funk. It is creamy and well balanced. The acidity lingers nicely on the close. Find this wine

705764 DOMAINE HUET LE HAUT LIEU SEC VOUVRAY, Loire Valley 2005 $28.95
An organic wine that expels captivating notes of caramelized pear, muskmelon and fig. It hits with a streak or two of crisp acidity while at the same time it comes across as having plenty of ripe and plump white fruit. The palate is left with a silky texture. It is an interesting wine. Find this wine

983130 PASCAL JOLIVET CHÂTEAU DU NOZAY SANCERRE 2005 Loire Valley $31.95
Watercress and corn shoots are followed by a layer of slate and stone notes. The palate contains, crisp apple, lemon zest and mineral. Lemon flavours linger on the finish. Find this wine

29884 CHÂTEAU D’ANGLUDET 2001 Margaux, Bordeaux $64.95
Good concentration of wet leaf, lead pencil and plum. The palate is very tannic and meaty. The fruit on the finish appears stewed and is masked by the cloak dry cocoa powdery tannin. Find this wine

29876 CHÂTEAU DU GLANA 2003 St-Julien, Bordeaux $39.95
This starts out with a nose of cedar, dried herbs and dark fruit, but the palate is light and the flavours have no depth. It is nicely balanced, but I expect a bit more bang for my buck. Find this wine

959999 CHÂTEAU-FORTIA CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE CUVÉE DU BARON 2004 Rhone Valley $37.95
At first this too seems tight, but a few swirls allow powdery aromas of chocolate, coffee and mocha to escape. These are quickly backed up by a layer of rich black fruit, strawberry, straw and red liquorish. The palate has an incredibly silky texture; the fruit leaps forward along with the mineral components of the wine. Good now, but give it time and it will be deadly.
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28043 CHÂTEAU NOTTON 2004 Margaux, Bordeaux $34.95
The nose here is closed except for some leafy tobacco, pine cone and damson notes. There is blackcurrant on the palate. It is medium bodied with a rather lackluster finish. Find this wine

914226 BALTHASAR RESS RIESLING AUSLESE Rheingau 2003 Hattenheimer Nussbrunnen, Germany $26.95
Mr. Aspler has nailed this by scribing “A nose of honey, floral, apricot, mineral taste: honey, peach and perfumed flavours with long length. I might add some notes of lime zest and pistachio to the equation. Simply put, it is lush and delicious leaving a rich and intense feeling on the palate. Find this wine
 

26187 MARCHESI DI BAROLO DOLCETTO D’ALBA Piedmont 2005 $21.95
A vibrant wine full of aromas of brown sugar, treacle, crème brulee, red cherry and blackberry. It is spicy on the palate, with plenty of lively fruit and mineral flavours. Find this wine

713354 TRAVAGLINI GATTINARA Piedmont 2001 $32.95
Deep dark and filled with aromas of cough candy, dried mint, rhubarb, red currant and sweet and sour sauce. It is very tannic and the fruit on the palate is shut down. However, having had older vintages of Gattinara, I would say give this some time and it should not disappoint. Find this wine

23440 CASA GIRELLI VIRTUOSO, SYRAH, Sicily 2003 $21.95
Old leather, dark chocolate, fresh black pepper and coal dust make up the nose. The palate bears the fruit, in a very new world fashion. It has flavours of mint, back fruit ripple and cherry. A little light on the acidity for me, otherwise, it is a tasty wine. Find this wine


672337 BADIA ARDENGA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO TUSCANY 2001 47.95
Polished wine featuring aromas of black toffee, dark wood, duck prosciutto, compost, mint and a mass of blackberry fruit. Superbly balanced and although enjoyable now, it would do best to sleep for a while. Find this wine

963199 ANGELINI LA VILLA VINO NOBILE MONTEPULCIANO Tuscany 2001 $44.95
A tough decision to make, but I think this is my favourite wine of the day. It has a nose of spicy greens, dark chocolate, balsa and an intense layer of cassis. It’s sweet and creamy on the palate at first, but soon a layer of tightly wound fruit and silk laden tannins take hold. It is beautifully balanced, fully focused and very rewarding. Find this wine

651141 ANTINORI PIAN DELLE VIGNE BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO, Tuscany 2001 $61.95
Solid aromas of blackcurrant, Dutch licorice, red currant, cappuccino and strawberry. There is a background of moss and mineral. It too is sweet and creamy on the palate. I think this needs time to let that newness soften. Find this wine

987586 ANTINORI SOLAIA 2003 Tuscany $149.95
I am pleasantly surprised at how well this is drinking. It shows notes of biscuit, mineral, stone, blackberry, liquorish and red raspberry on the nose. The palate shows great power and balance. It is so full, but everything about it comes together wonderfully. I know it will benefit from some bottle age, but why wait?  Find this wine



683474 BADIA A COLTIBUONO CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2001 DOCG Tuscany $45.95
A complex nose of tar, blackberry, blueberry, coffee, stewed plum balsa and treacle. There is a bitter note on the palate, but the richness of the fruit gives plenty to like. Find this wine

356295 LOREDAN GASPARINI CAPO DI STATO Veneto 2003 $29.95
This non traditional blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 5% Malbec has layers of rich vanilla, black liquorish, tar, and mint. There is plenty of clean black fruit flavour on the palate. The finish is long and chewy. Find this wine

718999 BODEGAS CASTANO HECULA, Yecla, Spain 2004 $15.95
This vintage of Hecula, a single vineyard selection of 100% Monastrell, is back on track. It gives off aromas of coffee grounds, black cherry, tarragon, milk chocolate and toast. Try a bottle and if you like it, grab more, but don’t wait too long as this stuff, due to its constant high evaluation by Mr. P always flies off the shelf. Find this wine
 

Cheers
CZ

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