New Summer Releases

The concept is to focus on interesting new wines and after about three years of releases, it would appear monopoly buyers are finally hitting the mark.

None are intimidating bottles that require serious contemplation, or even cellaring, but all six are worth checking out and the prices are as favourable as the wines. In fact, it's a terrific illustration of just how much better wine is today than it was even 10 years ago.

Even better news for Sun readers is the quantity of the wine on the market. At press time over 2,000 bottles of each of today's picks are spread about provincial liquor stores, a rare occurrence.

We begin in France, where producers, marketers and winemakers are finally waking up. If they can get the appellation lawmakers on board, French producers may actually be able to reclaim some of that 45 per cent import market share they have lost in British Columbia since the late 1980s.

The Paul Mas Viognier 2006 from the Languedoc comes off seven- and 15-year-old vines that yield relatively low amounts of fruit. Only 15 per cent of the wine is barrel-fermented in new oak; the rest is aged in stainless-steel tanks. Look for a rich, floral nose that mixes dried fruits and with creamy, honeyed, lees aromas. Much like the previous edition, it has a wealth of peachy, apricot and ginger-flavoured fruit with a mineral, honey, butter finish. It's a versatile food wine, not to mention a fabulous bargain.

From Chile, the San Pedro Castillo de Molina Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2006 appears as a super-dry cross between Marlborough and Casablanca styles. The nose is extremely pungent with herbal, gooseberry, jalapeno notes followed by a crisp, dry, lemony palate and an intense grapefruit aftertaste. It's clean and showy and would be a fine accompaniment with mussels or oysters for dedicated sauvignon blanc fans.

Cecchi Chianti Natio 2006 is an organic or agricoltura biologica blend of 90 per cent sangiovese with 10 per cent canaiolo and colorino, all bottled in the month of April following the harvest. The nose is floral and fragrant, in the sangiovese style. On the palate the wine is soft and with a hint of dried fruits and mushrooms and a dry, earthy finish. A lean Euro-style sangiovese that needs grilled meat to tame the edges. Good value in organic wine.

Empordà sits within the Costa Brava region at the northeastern extremity of Spain -- close to the French border and the Mediterranean. It was a favourite hangout of modernist painter Salvador Dali and seems to have similarly inspired the modern Catalan winery Espelt (and label) and its Sauló Garnacha Cariñena 2005. Sauló (a term used to describe the region's decomposed granite) is a blend of garnacha and cariñena and it's a winner in the mouth. The nose is slightly reduced, no doubt hindered by its synthetic, plug-like stopper. With time, the garnacha opens up, offering fragrant raspberry-fruit nose and flavours before finishing clean and dry. Light, almost breezy, at only 13.5 per cent alcohol, this red is tailor-made for small plates and tapas. Be sure to dump it into a decanter for 10 minutes before serving.

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.