2. New Harbour Sauvignon Blanc Category - White Wine Varietal – Sauvignon Blanc Region – NZ : Marlborough Vintage - 2009 Producer - New Harbour Price - $15 This Sauvignon Blanc has an enticing bouquet of citrus, passion-fruit, and guava. Its crisp finish is characteristic of Marlborough, New Zealand's premier winegrowing region, and makes this wine a perfect pairing for summer salads, roasted chicken, pan-fried prawns and seafood dishes. We chose to include this as a more economical alternative to Oyster Bay
3. Red Rooster Pinot Blanc Category - White Wine Varietal – Pinot Blanc Region – BC Vintage - 2008 Producer - Red Rooster Price - $16 Lemon yellow colour with a lovely aroma of ripe apple, floral, yellow plum and honeydew melon. This medium-bodied wine with a soft, first impression of Bartlett pears and melon; then refreshing flavours of lemon, green apple and grapefruit begin to enliven the palate and linger through on the finish.
4. Firesteed Pinot Noir Category - Red Wine Varietal – Pinot Noir Region – USA : Oregon Vintage - 2007 Producer - Firesteed Winery Price - $23 Vibrant cherry and sweet spice aromas jump out of the glass and the taste of the first round of summer raspberries and strawberries push the burst of fruit straight through to the surprisingly long finish.
5. 'Offerus' Saint-Joseph AC Category - Red Wine Varietal - Syrah Region - France : Rhone : St-Joseph Vintage - 2007 Producer -DomaineJean-Louis Chave Price - $39 Inky ruby. Powerful aromas of blackcurrant, dark cherry and olive, with a smoky undertone of dark chocolate and violet. Weighty dark berry and violet pastille flavors coat the palate, with velvety tannins providing shape on the back. Rich but not especially heavy, with very good finishing cling to the flavors of candied flowers and cracked pepper. This could only be syrah. Score: 90.
6. Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel Category - Red Wine Varietal – Zinfandel Region – USA : California : Lodi Vintage - 2007 Producer - Klinker Brick Winery Price - $28 A nose of deep black fruits and dusty chocolate-wood begin the taste experience. The palate is generous and rich with fruits. It's not rhubarb or raspberry, but deep, rich, soft and fat. The high alcohols are held nicely in check for a lengthy, juicy and tasty finish. Of course you need to grill something!
7. Laughing Stock ‘Portfolio’ Category - Red Wine Varietal – Blend Region – BC Vintage - 2007 Producer - Laughing Stock Vinyards Price - $40 While the 2005 offers bold tannins and the 2006 displays a more fruit-forward approach, the 2007 seems to bring it all together and may be their best vintage yet. This dark ruby wine offers youthful aromas of cassis, toasty oak and earthy notes on the nose with flavours of dark berries, chocolate, leather, oak spice, tobacco and traces of mint on the palate. Good tannin and acidity structure will keep this wine improving in the bottle for 3-4 years and be drinkable for 8-9 years.
