New Releases HIghlight the Small Producer

As I was pondering today's picks, I was somewhat reticent to write that there's never been a better time to be a wine drinker.

As dreary as the words may look on paper, there really hasn't been a better time to explore wine that, for the most part, is being made with skill and art all around the globe.

Despite massive corporate concentration at the top end of the wine business (followed by dreary formulaic wines), nearly all the interesting wine that ends up in our stores emanate from small to very small producers, many growing grapes in unheard-of regions.

The appeal of such wine is strong and varied. They are fun to drink, and they allow you to transport yourself to a small but believable place on earth, even if it's just for dinner.

When the bottle is opened, you are given the chance to learn about a new grape or blend or perhaps just a new style. You can excite and challenge your visual, nasal and tactile senses, and you can do it most nights for less than $15.

Today, we look at several new releases, some of which will appear later this week in end-of-aisle displays in government liquor stores across the province. If you have difficulty finding any of today's picks, just check with your local wine-store consultant.

We begin with a marvellous new wine from Jumilla, one of six wine regions located in the Levant region of east coast Spain that continues the elevation of the Iberian Peninsula's wine-value bar.

Despite its cliched moniker, Mad Dogs and Englishman Jumilla 2003 is a soft, savoury, deliciously fruity red (that hasn't been left out in the noon-day sun) with just enough Euro savoir faire to have everyone running for dinner. I love the balance and the polite alcohol levels in this shiraz/cabernet/mourvedre blend you should be buying by the case. This is killer value.

Keeping mind that the new red is white, you can't go wrong with Vina Casas del Bosque Sauvignon Blanc 2004 from Casablanca, Chile. Look for big smoky, canned jalapeno and grassy, grapefruit aromas with flinty, green apple notes underneath. It's crisp and dry with smoky bell pepper and grapefruit juice flavours. Perfect for mussels or clams.

Back to Spain for a solid, well-balanced, everyday red that would pair well with a variety of foods. The Masia Hill Tempranillo de Penedes 2003 has a smoky, cherry, tobacco nose with raspberry leafy, barnyard aromas in the background. The palate is soft and suave with cherry jam, gamey, smoky, licorice and strawberry flavours.

The large Kiwi contingent at the Playhouse festival was pushing the screwcap issue hard and winning consumers over at every taste. You too will be impressed with the latest screw-cap closed Villa Maria Gewurztraminer Private Bin 2004 from East Coast, New Zealand.

Look for exuberant ripe lychee fruit aromas spiked with floral, peach, honey and clover notes. Similar intense flavours with a long finish make this a terrific summer sipper or the perfect match for Indian and/or Thai food.

The pick of the week has to be the Viu Manent Malbec 2003 from the Colchagua valley in Chile. This is quite simply a fabulous bottle of malbec brimming with spicy, savoury, black plum and black cherry fruit and just the right amount of tobacco and smoky, gamy notes. It is rich and super-smooth with a savoury grilled mushroom finish. Its outstanding varietal character and incredible price should pose a major challenge to nearby Argentina's claim as the leader in premium malbec production.

The best-looking label of the week goes to the LZ Rioja 2003 from Spain. LZ is a Telmo Rodriguez production, one of three 100-per-cent tempranillo wines he makes in Rioja and one of 20 Spanish labels the 40-something travelling winemaker makes across Spain.

Black cherry jam, damp tobacco leaf, barnyard and smoky aromas waft from the glass. Rich and smooth, LZ comes with light tannins and a fine intensity of flavour including big black plum, black cherry, licorice, spicy tobacco and a touch of chocolate. It's Spanish dry, so serve it with grilled lamb or goat, or age it for another year or two. This is a good-value, new-wave tempranillo with fine fruit.

With wines like the above, perhaps a case can be made for a new cliche: If you really want to enjoy the new world of wine, perhaps you should consider drinking wine before its time.

WEEKEND WINE TASTING: NEW RELEASES

Wine: Mad Dogs and Englishman Jumilla 2003, Spain
Price: $14.99
UPC: 898854000068
Score: 88/100
Comments: Deliciously fruity red that is killer value.

Wine: Vina Casas del Bosque Sauvignon Blanc 2004, Valle de Casablanca, Chile
Price: $17.95
UPC: 7809531600023
Score: 89/100
Comments: Grapefruit juice gooseberry and green melon finish.

Wine: Masia Hill Tempranillo de Penedes 2003, Penedes, Spain
Price: $12.99
UPC: 8420418001017
Score: 87/100
Comments: Cherry jam, smoky, licorice and strawberry flavours.

Wine: Villa Maria Gewurztraminer Private Bin 2004, East Coast, New Zealand
Price: $19.95
UPC: 9414416305979
Score: 88/100
Comments: Honey, floral, peach flavours. Great with Indian food.

Wine: Viu Manent Malbec 2003, Valle del Colchagua, Chile
Price: $12.99
UPC: 7804314945094
Score: 88/100
Comments: Fabulous value.

Wine: LZ Rioja 2003, Rioja, Spain
Price: $18.99
UPC: 8420759900086
Score: 89/100
Comments: Rich and smooth with black plum, licorice and chocolate.