Hot Picks for Late Summer

BEST BUY

88 Peter Lehmann 2009 Layers White

Adelaide, Australia

BC $17, AB $16, MB $18

Chalky mineral, pear, peach, floral and apricots come through on this Aussie blend of sémillon, muscadet, gewürztraminer, pinot gris and chardonnay. Medium-bodied and slightly off-dry, some spice emerges beside the stone fruit and mineral notes on the palate that helps take this wine from good to great. (BMS)

LOCAL HEROES

89 Jackson-Triggs Niagara 2007 Proprietors’ Grand Reserve Merlot

Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

BC $9, AB $11, MB $9, ON $10, NB $11, PEI $9

Look for perfectly ripened black raspberry fruit nicely integrated with fine herbs, chocolate and spice in this stylish merlot. Medium weight, smooth and refined, with light tannin. Wish it had just a bit more flavour concentration to make it truly memorable. Good winemaking here. Best 2011 to 2015. (DL)

88 Inniskillin Okanagan 2007 Discovery Series Petit Verdot

Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

BC $30 winery

Very peppery, inky, savoury, vanilla, poultry spice, earthy, black cherry aromas. Round, dry, fresh, supple palate, with light tannins. Cassis, black cherry, savoury, vanilla, spicy, floral, coffee, chalky flavours. Good intensity and length. Should improve over the next year or so. (AG)

CELLAR DWELLER

90 Coudoulet de Beaucastel 2007 Rouge Côtes du Rhône

Rhône Valley, France

BC $35, AB $32, MB $31, ON $30, QC $29, NB $37

This has an open, meaty, chocolate, peppery nose, with black cherry jam, garrigue, floral, raspberry and black liquorice aromas. Fresh, dry, supple palate, with light tannins and excellent finesse. Black raspberry, black plum, liquorice, chocolate, peppery, meaty, dried herb, orange peel flavours. Drinkable now, but will improve with a few years in the bottle. (ST)

BARBECUE BUDDY

88 Emiliana 2007 Novas Winemaker’s Selection Chardonnay Viognier

Marsanne Valle de Casablanca, Region de Aconcagua, Chile

BC $25, ON $19

Spicy, mango, peach, butter, ginger, lees, floral and vanilla aromas. Rich, fat, round, slightly sweet entry, with buttery, honeyed, melon, mango, ginger, vanilla and nutty lees flavours. The finish is a bit warm, but with fine fruit intensity. (ST)

KILLER VALUE

90 Doña Paula 2008 Estate Malbec

Luján de Cuyo, Northern Region, Mendoza, Argentina

BC $22, AB $17, MB $18, ON $18, QC $17, NL $20

Love the spicy, savoury, vanilla, sage and coffee nose laced with black cherry jam, liquorice and tobacco notes. The palate is round and fresh, with a rich, lightly tannic palate. Lots of chocolate, vanilla, sage, tobacco, dried herbs, black cherry, plum and orange flavours speckled with poultry spice and fresh fruit. Well done. (AG)

WEEKEND WARRIOR

88 Château Paul Mas 2008 Clos des Mûres

Languedoc, France

BC $23, ON $23, QC $19

This wine depends on your mood as it hovers on the edge of internationalism — meaning it lacks local flavour. But if you don’t care about that stuff, this is very good, with its deep fruit, coffee notes and finely sanded tannins. Textbook. (BZ)