2007 International Value Wine Awards Judging is Complete

The second International Value Wine Awards competition has concluded in Calgary and we now await the results.

The contest, open only to wines that sell for less than $25 somewhere in Canada, has captured the imagination of most the country's major wine critics, including this writer.

The wines were tasted, some as many as four times, by a total of 14 wine critics from B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. The results will be out just after Labour Day and will appear in the October/November issue of Wine Access.

While I have yet to learn the final outcome, I did taste over 50 flights, or groupings, of wine blind, so I thought I might share some personal observations from my week-long taste-a-thon.

Merlot remains a tough category to love under $25. I'm not sure what the game plan is for merlot producers, but soft, supple, textures are not enough. Most lacked acidity and structure, likely because those "harder edges" are often not considered desirable at the low end. But flabby green fruit (from too much canopy in the vineyard) is a bigger problem in my estimation. Tread carefully in this category.

Cabernet sauvignon has a constant allure with consumers even if it's green and hard, a problem I experienced in too many inexpensive versions. Vanilla, oak and spice rule in this category but it's the green olive and bell pepper flavours than are the biggest drawbacks with many inexpensive cabernets.

The chardonnay category continues to evolve, dropping oak, gaining minerality and acidity. That goes ditto for the sauvignon blanc, where global improvements have been so impressive, many countries are challenging the New Zealand model, long considered the leader of the new sauvignon blanc revolution.

Perhaps the best white-wine class this year was pinot gris/pinot grigio. Gone are the flavourless skinny versions; in their place were many stylish efforts showing more weight and lift than ever before. Hopefully some of those entries were from British Columbia.

Flashes of brilliance were noted in the Greece category as well as the grenache, petite sirah and sangiovese flights.

Europe looks to be finally turning the corner -- offering better value at lower prices despite a soaring Euro -- from the likes of Spain, Portugal, the south of France and Italy. They may not be able to match the allure of Oz shiraz but the tide is turning.

For the long weekend I've chosen some of my personal best buys with more to come when the results are disseminated in September.

MadFish Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2006 is a remarkable value from Western Australia. I love its fresh grapefruit, passion fruit, mineral, apple-skin aromas. On the palate it's clean and fresh with more of that gooseberry/ passion fruit, grapefruit rind and smoky mineral flavour. It has both balanced and intensity in the finish.

From the other side of Down Under we highly recommend St. Hallett Poacher's Blend Semillon Sauvignon 2006. Grassy, canned grapefruit, mineral, floral nose. Fresh, round, zesty palate with grapefruit, honey, mineral, butter flavours with a rindy, slightly sour finish. Good value.

As in previous years, the Trivento Cabernet Malbec Reserve 2005 from Mendoza delivers a lovely white pepper nose and a mixed blackberry jam and meaty aromas. On the palate the entry is fat with savoury, coffee, black cherry jam flavours flecked with licorice. Love the flavour intensity for the price. Another great barbecue red.

A pleasant surprise is the Australia wine box, Thirsty Lizard Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2006. This is boxed wine with flavour and style. I know that sounds odd, but why not? Tetra Pak, or in this case Prisma Pak, is not going to go anywhere unless the wine that is put inside the box gets better. The Thirsty Lizard Semillon Sauvignon Blanc is just that. Fresh floral, fruity with hints of lemon and lime rind. All you need do is chill and serve. If you do not finish the box, simply take off the plastic screwcap and squeeze the box until the remaining juice comes to the top of the box. With all the air "squeezed out," it should keep for days. Oh yes, the 1-litre box price is equivalent to $10.50 for a regular 750 mL bottle.

Still with Oz, the Long Flat Red Cabernet Shiraz 2004 will keep your wine budget in order. Look for an open earthy, spicy, rootsy nose with bits of blueberry fruit and compost aromas. The entry is soft and sweet, with plenty of ripe, pepper, blueberry and tobacco flavours. It is a warm, friendly red with no pretensions that you can pour liberally around the barbecue.

Finally from South African, check out the latest Boekenhoutskloof The Wolftrap 2005 and its smoky, spicy, black-cherry, plum, meaty aromas. The entry is a touch lean but it quickly fades into a juicy, cherry flavoured syrah with mineral, pepper and ginger accents. The blend is 63-per-cent syrah with cinsault, mourvedre and viognier. Well made.

MADFISH SAUVIGNON BLANC SEMILLON 2006, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Price: $17 to $19, private wine shops only
UPC: 9320403000331
Score: 88/100
Remarks: Clean, fresh, white with gooseberry and smoky mineral flavours.

ST. HALLETT POACHER'S BLEND SEMILLON SAUVIGNON 2006, BAROSSA VALLEY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Price: $12.99
UPC: 9316920000329
Score: 87/100
Remarks: Fresh, zesty palate with grapefruit, honey, mineral, butter flavours.

TRIVENTO CABERNET MALBEC RESERVE 2005, MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
Price: $12.98
UPC: 7798039590137
Score: 88/100
Remarks: Love the flavour intensity for the price. Another great barbecue red.

THIRSTY LIZARD SEMILLON SAUVIGNON BLANC 2006, SOUTH EASTERN AUSTRALIA
Price: $13.99 (1000mL)
UPC: 0329694020035
Score: 86/100
Remarks: Box wine with flavour and style.

LONG FLAT RED CABERNET SHIRAZ 2004, SOUTH EASTERN AUSTRALIA
Price: $11.99
UPC: 093452433005
Score: 86/100
Remarks: A warm, friendly barbecue red with no pretension.

BOEKENHOUTSKLOOF THE WOLFTRAP 2005, WESTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA
Price: $14.99
UPC: 746925000564
Score: 87/100
Remarks: Smoky, cassis, cherry, mineral, peppery, ginger flavours.