Trivento Concha Y Toro Reserve Syrah Malbec 2008, Mendoza, Argentina: Vintages Wine Panel: This award-winning wine from Concha y Toro’s Argentine property is a robust and spicy blend that offers smoked meat, concentrated black-berries, flowers, pepper and oak aromas and flavours. It’s dry, full bodied, and well structured, punching well above its weight class. My note: Deep, dark and rich, this brooding blend of Malbec (50%) and Syrah (50%) has dive-into-it aromas of blackberries, coffee, dark chocolate and smoke. The wine was aged for 8 months in French oak. Full-bodied but not heavy, wonderful concentration of flavour. 492702 13.50% XD 750 mL  $13.95 Score: 89/100. January 9, 2010 Best Value Red Wine. Full Review

Grant Burge Barossa Vines Shiraz 2008, Barossa, South Australia, Australia: Vintages Wine Panel: Grant Burge has earned a place among Australia’s top winemakers with his tireless pursuit of quality and innovation, and through a love of wine and winemaking that goes back five generations in his family. This distinctive Shiraz is always a reliable value. Packed with ripe raspberry and cherry aromas and flavours, this smooth and supple wine also shows hints of licorice and a dose of black pepper on the rich finish. Barbecued short ribs or lamb chops would both match up nicely to this ripe and round wine. My note: A terrific, vibrant red with full-bodied aromas of purple and black plums, blackberries and peppered black raspberries. Wonderful flavours! 738567 13.50% D 750 mL  $18.95 Score: 90/100. August 7, 2010 Best Value Red Wine. Full Review

Paringa Estate Shiraz 2008, Riverland, South Australia, Australia: An amazing wine for the money! Rich and concentrated with black cherry liqueur and fleshy ripe blackberries. Full-bodied and smooth. Drink: 2010-2015. 776146 15% D 750 mL  $14.95 Score: 90/100. September 18, 2010 Best Value Red Wine. Full Review

Santa Vitória Versátil Branco Btld. By Herdade Da Malhada Chardonnay Arinto 2008, Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal: Vintages Wine Panel: Winner of a Silver Medal at the 2009 Wine Masters Challenge. This unique wine is a blend of Chardonnay and Arinto (an indigenous Portuguese grape known for its zippy acidity and citrus notes). Aromas of green pear, lemon and honeydew melon jump from the glass, then spring to life again as flavours on the palate. The balance of Chardonnay’s creamy roundness with Arinto’s acidic tang is intriguing. My note: A full-bodied, buttery, oaky white with rich notes of apples, peaches and tree fruit. Lovely! 146142 13% D 750 mL  $11.95 Score: 89/100. February 6, 2010 Best Value White Wine. Full Review

Cline Cellars Ancient Vines Zinfandel 2009, California, United States: Vintages Wine Panel: The 2009 Ancient Vines Zinfandel is awash in raspberry, blackberry, white pepper and spice notes, along with complexity-building coffee and chocolate characteristics. Aged in new and seasoned American oak, imbuing this wine with a subtle vanilla quality that nicely complements the focused fruit notes. My note: Zinmasters! These folks know how to make zinfandel blind-folded. Classic aromas of blackberry and blueberry. Full-bodied and smooth. Drink: 2011-2016. 719211 15% XD 750 mL  $24.95 Score: 92/100. April 2, 2011 Favourite Red Wine. Full Review

Ironstone Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel 2009, Lodi, California, United States: Vintages Wine Panel: Ironstone creates a fruit-forward, crowd-pleasing Zinfandel rich in blackberry and blueberry notes. Medium bodied, dry, soft and round, with a lingering finish. Superb value. My note: Classic Californian Zinfandel! Love it: brambleberry, blueberry and blackberry pie. Smooth and full-bodied and ultra-juicy. Slather it on! Drink: 2011-2015. 951889 13% D 750 mL  $16.95 Score: 90/100. April 16, 2011 Full Review

Apothic Wine Apothic Red California 2009, California, United States: A round, plummy, medium-bodied blend of zinfandel, merlot and syrah grapes that delivers plenty of pleasure. Some mocha notes and a generous, mouth-filling smooth texture. Yum! Drink: 2011-2013. 234369 13% D 750 mL  $17.95 Score: 88/100. March 7, 2013 Heavenly Hamburger Wine Full Review

Sebastiani Zinfandel 2008, Sonoma County, California, United States: Vintages Wine Panel: Quite lithe and lively for Zinfandel with very engaging notes of red cherry, raspberry pie, plum and cinnamon toast on the nose. The palate is dry and medium-full bodied with a bright acidity and well integrated, balanced ripe tannins. Impressively structured with lots of fruit without being jammy. Very nicely made. My note: Mocha, dark chocolate aromas with smooth, full-bodied and juicy goodness. Drink: 2011-2015. 672667 14% XD 750 mL  $17.95 Score: 88/100. June 25, 2011 Full Review

De Loach California Series Zinfandel 2007, California, United States: Very berry! Purple plums with blueberries and bramberries. Full-bodied and smooth with juicy flavours. 89268 14.40%  750 mL  $14.95 Score: 87/100. August 17, 2010 Full Review

Renwood Sierra Series Zinfandel 2007, Sierra Foothills, California, United States: Vintages Wine Panel: A Gold Medal winner at the 2009 New World Wine Competition. Remarkably light ruby colour leads to a refined, almost elegant nose of plum, new leather and sour cherry. Dry and quite fresh, with fine fruit and moderate tannins bringing it all into a very pleasing balance. This is not a fruit bomb, nor is it a shrinking violet. It’s a vibrant and refreshing Zinfandel that will reward 2-4 years in a cellar. My note: Big brambleberry-zingy berry (I made that up) purple plums juicy fruit, lip-smacking tasty Zin. Full-bodied but soooo smooth. This wine wants to be your best friend and will sidle up beside you as you sit in front of the barbecue sipping on a glass and watching the burning embers. 942581 14.50% D 750 mL  $15.95 Score: 88/100. September 4, 2010 Full Review

Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel 2008, Lodi, California, United States: Delightfully vibrant with juicy rich flavours of purple plums and blueberries. Supple, full-bodied and gulpable. Drink: 2010-2014. 678698 14.50% D 750 mL  $16.95 Score: 89/100. October 2, 2010 Full Review