Natalie MacLean - delicious wine picks and pairings
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Montes Limited Selection Pinot Noir 2011, Casablanca Valley, Chile: A terrific pinot noir, especially at this price point. Vibrant notes of sweet fleshy ripe cherries and raspberries. Smooth and medium- to full-bodied. Delicious! Perfect for movie night and casual get-togethers. Lovely long finish with spices and dark cherry. A value wine from truly one of Chile's best producers. Drink: 2013-2016. 37937 14% XD 750 mL  $15.95 Score: 90/100. August 2, 2014 Best Value Red Wine. Smart Buy Wine Full Review
Viu Manent Gran Reserva Carmenère 2013, Colchagua Valley, Chile: Fantastic value here. Full-bodied with rich aromas of chocolate and dark red fruit. Long finish. Drink: 2016-2019. 45161 14.50% XD 750 mL  $15.95 Score: 90/100. November 26, 2016 Best Value Red Wine. Voluptuous Veal Wine Full Review
Gérard Bertrand Grand Terroir Tautavel Grenache Syrah Carignan 2012, Côtes Du Roussillon-Villages Tautavel, Midi, France: Dark fruit, pepper and cedar forest pls on the nose. Full-bodied and fairly smooth but it will help to decant 2 hours. Terrific price for this savoury, full-bodied red. Drink: 2015-2022. 272575 14.50% XD 750 mL  $18.95 Score: 91/100. January 8, 2017 Best Value Red Wine. Full Review
Chapoutier 2010, Rasteau, Rhone Valley AOC, France: Full-bodied with big black fruit, smoke and tar on the nose and palate. Lots of layers and superb balance. Dry and satisfying. Terrific dinner party wine with hearty meat dishes. Drink: 2013-2016. 321539 14.50% XD 750 mL  $18.95 Score: 90/100. September 27, 2014 Best Beef Wine Full Review
Calmel & Joseph Villa Blanche Chardonnay 2012, Pays d'Oc, Languedoc-Roussillon, France: A terrific white wine from southern France that offers crisp minerality and refreshment, unusual for Chardonnay these days. Lots of lime-bright acidity for food, yet there's also an underlying richness and fullness to the wine that is mouth-filling and delicious! Very versatile with food, from fresh seafood to roast chicken or pork chops. Drink: 2013-2016. 375071 14% XD 750 mL  $18.15 Score: 89/100. August 3, 2014 Best Value White Wine. Full Review
M. Chapoutier Marius Grenache Syrah 2015, Pays D'oc IGP, France: A terrific wine, especially at this price! Full-bodied with aromas of cedar brush, black fruit and smoke. Beautifully balanced and complex. Just what you'd expect from a Chapoutier wine. Pair with grilled pork chops. Drink: 2015-2019. 470096 13.50% XD 750 mL  $11.95 Score: 90/100. August 4, 2016 Best Value Red Wine. Full Review
Château Bellevue La Forêt Rosé 2015, Fronton, Southwest A.C., France: An incredibly tasting and mouth-watering dry rose, especially for this price point. Aromas of field strawberries and tiny raspberries. Refreshing as an aperitif or pair with planked salmon. Drink: 2015-2017. 219840 12.50% XD 750 mL  $14.95 Score: 90/100. September 3, 2016 Best Value Rosé Wine. Fantastic Fried Chicken Wine Full Review
Villa Wolf Pinot Noir 2014, Pfalz, Germany: Attractive sour chary and cranberry on the nose and palate with lots of acidity on the palate for salmon and tuna. Medium-bodied and smooth. A great price for cool climate Pinot Noir. Drink: 2014-2017. 291971 12.50% XD 750 mL  $17.25 Score: 87/100. October 26, 2015 Scrumptious Seafood Wine Full Review
Castello di Gabbiano Chianti 2015, Tuscany DOCG, Italy: Savoury and juicy with attractive sour cherry notes. Supple and smooth and full-bodied. There's a lot to love in this wine. Racy acidity means this wine will dance with tomato sauce dishes, including pasta. Drink: 2016-2020. 78006 13% XD 750 mL  $17.00 Score: 89/100. April 26, 2017 Best Value Red Wine. Full Review
Castello di Gabbiano Promessa Pinot Grigio 2013, Italy: Full-bodied with Pinot Grigio with a pleasant mouth-filling heft, yet still refreshing and clean. Aromas of pear, white melon and smoke. Perfect for smoked salmon. Drink: 2013-2015. 77990 12.50% XD 750 mL  $17.00 Score: 87/100. August 15, 2014 Best Value White Wine. Scrumptious Seafood Wine Full Review
Santi Nello Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene Glera, Veneto DO.C., Italy: Floral and pretty, with an off-dry succulent fruit sweetness of honeydew and melon. Terrific refreshment. Drink: 2016-2019. 10540730 11% MD 750 mL  $15.45 Score: 89/100. January 8, 2017 Best Value White Wine. Full Review
Kim Crawford Pinot Noir 2013, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand: Beautifully balanced! This New Zealand Pinot Noir seems to get better every year, and this is no exception. Lovely cherry-berry flavours, yet not sweet. Great mouth-watering juiciness for a wide range of foods, yet not acidic. Superb craftsmanship. Highly recommended. Drink: 2013-2018. 626390 13.50% D 750 mL  $19.95 Score: 92/100. August 15, 2014 Top Rated Red Wine. Full Review
Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Marlborough, New Zealand: Crisp and clean with lively notes of lime-citrus and white grapefruit. Not overly grassy. Pair with vegetarian dishes. Drink: 2014-2016. 620062 11.50% XD 750 mL  $13.95 Score: 88/100. August 15, 2014 Best Value White Wine. Splendid Salad Wine Full Review
Kim Crawford Pansy! Rosé 2014, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: A vibrant, almost robust (for rose) wine with terrific refreshment. Aromas of field strawberries and cranberry. Lots of great acidity for food, such as cold chicken sandwiches and cheeses. Drink: 2014-2016. 650325 13% XD 750 mL  $17.95 Score: 90/100. June 27, 2015 Best Value Rosé Wine. Scrumptious Seafood Wine Full Review
Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Marlborough, New Zealand: Absolutely fantastic, especially for the price! Crisp and clean with lime and herbal brightness. Mouth-watering for spinach quiche or fresh shellfish. Superb value. Drink: 2014-2016. 415745 12.50% XD 750 mL  $16.95 Score: 90/100. June 5, 2016 Best Value White Wine. Scrumptious Seafood Wine Full Review
Kim Crawford Pansy! Rosé 2015, Hawkes Bay, North Island, New Zealand: Don't let the brilliant strawberry hue of this rosé fool you: this wine is bone dry and bursting with refreshment. Aromas of tiny flavour-packed field berries and a lick of orange zest on the finish. Perfect as a chilled aperitif or pair it with seafood, shellfish, salads and more rosé, of course. Highly recommended. Drink: 2016-2017. 650325 13% XD 750 mL  $17.95 Score: 90/100. August 4, 2016 Best Value Rosé Wine. Sensational Shellfish Wine Full Review
Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand: So fresh and lively! This is a wonderful New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that bursts from the glass with gooseberry, lime, lemongrass and chives. Pair with vegetarian dishes, seafood, shellfish and mild to medium curries and spices. Drink: 2015-2017. 308288 13% D 750 mL  $19.05 Score: 93/100. December 8, 2017 Top Rated White Wine. Full Review
Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2016, Marlborough, New Zealand: A vibrant Sauvignon Blanc with a crisp, lime-fresh nose and racy acidity on the palate that's perfect for seafood. Notes of grapefruit and fresh herbs on the finish makes this a terrific chilled aperitif as well. Highly recommended. Drink: 2017-2018. 426601 12.50% XD 750 mL  $20.00 Score: 90/100. October 30, 2017 Best Value White Wine. Sensational Shellfish Wine Full Review
The Grinder Pinotage 2013, Swartland W.O., South Africa: Love that coffee, espresso, mocha nose! You'll never forget it, or confuse it with anything. This full-bodied, delicious red wine is made from South Africa's signature (and quite distinctive) Pinotage grape, a cross between Cinsault and Pinot Noir. This wine is dry, but it finishes with delicious flavours of dark chocolate. Pair it with grilled meats, especially chary pork chops. Yum! Drink: 2014-2017. 572107 14% XD 750 mL  $14.95 Score: 89/100. August 15, 2014 Best Value Red Wine. Plush Pork Wine Full Review
Miguel Torres Coronas Tempranillo 2013, Catalunya, Spain: Round, supple, generous and juicy Spanish red wine made from the Tempranillo grape. Aromas of dark red berries and spice. Pair with smoked meats. Drink: 2014-2018. 29728 13% D 750 mL  $13.95 Score: 89/100. June 16, 2017 Best Value Red Wine. Plush Pork Wine Full Review
Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava, Penedes D.O. , Spain: Superb value! Toasty, earthy, dry and refreshing sparkling wine that's a fraction of the cost of Champagne. Lovely yeasty notes on the nose with some toasted apple and almond on the finish. Stock up for your parties and weddings now. 216960 12% D 750 mL  $18.00 Score: 90/100. May 12, 2022 Best Value White Wine. Full Review
Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin Zinfandel 2011, Lodi, California, United States: Aromas of jammy purple plums and blueberries on the nose. The palate opens up luxuriously, smooth and full-bodied with more lip-smacking tasty flavours of dark fruit. An amazing wine for BBQ ribs or chicken wings. Fire up the grill! Drink: 2013-2016. 678698 14.50% D 750 mL  $17.95 Score: 90/100. August 16, 2014 Best Value Red Wine. Perfect Pasta and Tomato Sauce Wine Full Review
Chateau Ste. Michelle Syrah 2011, Columbia Valley, Washington, United States: Full-bodied with lots of mocha, espresso and dark chocolate on the nose from oak aging. Dark fruit on the palate then mocha smoke on the finish. Drink: 2014-2018. 949651 14% XD 750 mL  $17.00 Score: 90/100. August 15, 2014 Top Rated Red Wine. Full Review
Mark West Pinot Noir 2012, Santa Lucia Highlands, California, United States: A smooth, supple Californian Pinot Noir with lots of toasty oak, mocha, espresso and coffee on the nose from aging in French oak barrels. Silky tannins. The winery is situated above the Salinas Valley. Pair with coffee-rubbed pork chops or a pepper steak. Yum! Drink: 2013-2017. 450189 13.80% D 750 mL  $24.95 Score: 91/100. June 5, 2016 Best Value Red Wine. Full Review
Wente Vineyards Morning Fog Chardonnay 2015, Livermore, California, United States: A gorgeous, rich Californian Chardonnay from the cool climate of the Livermore Valley. Toasty oak wraps around green apple goodness. Perfect for roast chicken or turkey. Drink: 2015-2019. 175430 13.50% D 750 mL  $21.00 Score: 90/100. January 8, 2017 Best Value White Wine. Charming Grilled Chicken Wine Full Review
Folie à Deux Ménage à Trois California White 2012, California, United States: Floral loveliness in a glass! Aromas of lychee, rose petal and white daisies after spring rain. Medium-bodied and refreshing. Finishes with a lovely note of fresh peach. This is a white wine blend of Moscato, Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay. Pair with mild curries and spices. Drink: 2013-2016. 308015 13.50% D 750 mL  $17.95 Score: 90/100. September 27, 2014 Best Value White Wine. Full Review

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