The bottles cascading onto Vintages shelves today contain lots of hidden gems. Our focus with our five top choices is on value, no matter what the price. A small coterie of wines stepped into the luxury circle. Among them is the De Bortoli Old Boys 21 Years Old Tawny ($43.95, #58040, rating 91) from Australia, with ultra smooth roasted nuts and pekoe flavours. Ports are one of Australia’s best kept secrets. Also luxury league is Château Bastor-Lamontagne 2003 Sauternes ($49.95, #61820, 92) a dessert white with amazingly rich acacia, beeswax, clementine and sweet honeycomb flavours. The Ice House 2006 Northern Ice Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine ($36.95, #67330, 91) has lovely wild strawberry jam flavours that would be fab with strawberries dipped in dark chocolate. It’s from a newish Niagara winery that sculpts nothing but icewines. In dry reds, top picks are Montevina Terra D’Oro 2005 Zinfandel ($39.95, #57307, 91) with cassis, toasted coconut and smoky black cherry richness from Amador County and, from the Rhône, Château de Beaucastel Coudoulet de Beaucastel 2005 ($29.95, #48884, 91) with wild plum, blackberry, violets and woodsmoke complexity. Our final winner is Miguel Torres Mas La Plana 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon ($44.95, #617456, 92), a Spanish cult wine, with smoked meat, coconut, mocha and blackberry depth from the Penedès region and a Torres flagship red of the first order.The following are my best values for today. Happy wine hunting! gstimmell@thestar.caAngels Gate 2006 Riesling $13.95 (Niagara) A fragrant
and fully ripe example of Ontario riesling, with floral lime candy and
peach aromas that instantly appeal. The flavours show tasty citrus –
lime, lemon and tangerine. This white finishes dry, but with a slightly
sweet mouth feel.LCBO # 58859 Food suggestion: Breaded fish dishes.Rating: 89/100
D’Arenberg The Hermit Crab 2006 Viognier/ Marsanne $16.95 (Australia)
A huge hit globally, this white brims with tropical guava and pineapple
with a hint of banana. The flavours play with pear, grapefruit, lemon
and tropical notes. On the finish, a hint of apricot. A complex white
for the bucks.LCBO # 662775 Food suggestion: What else? Crab cakes.Rating: 90Viu Manent 2006 Reserva Malbec $13.95 (Chile) Another
best value from the Colchagua Valley producer. The aromas show off
black fruits, with black cherry and plum dominating. The flavours
entice with violets, lavender, black cherry, cola and cedar. A hint of
smoke lingers on the finish.LCBO # 16089 Food suggestion: Pan seared pepper steaks.Rating: 88Shingleback 2004 Shiraz $22.95 (Australia) Our top
choice for opulent red of the week. This McLaren Vale red brims with
minty aromas and flavours lending it elegance. Loads of black cherry,
plum and blackberry elements, finishing with notes of vanilla, exotic
spices and cedar.LCBO # 57844 Food suggestion: BBQ butterflied leg of lamb.Rating: 91Michael-David Family 7 Deadly Zins 2005 $24.95 (California)
A full-bore red, with tonnes of ripe black fruits from old vines.
Aromas of black pepper, black cherries, cedar, smoke and tar lead into
vanilla and cedar-laced blackberry flavours. The finish is smoky, dense
and soulful.LCBO # 59311 Food suggestion: Smoked spare ribs.Rating: 90
Tags: dark chocolate, dea, dishes, food, lime