This week, I'm going to review several wines that have made it into the tasting lounge recently. There are no themes or regions to the review; they simply reflect a typical work week for me in tasting wines as wine agency representatives make appointments or show up with wines for me to sample.

The wines reviewed are ones I found most interesting and worthy of adding to this column. These wines are available at BC Liquor Stores or, increasingly, at private retailers throughout the province.

The approximate price of the wines are noted, however different retailers will have slightly different pricing models.

First up is a Sauvignon Blanc from Chile. The Reserva Castillo de Molina 2009, Elqui Valley ($19) shows a clear, pale yellow hue and on the nose enticing fragrances of lemon grass, tropical fruits and lemon peel. A bold entry on the palate, I enjoyed the full-bodied nature of this wine. The acidity levels are not too high for a typical Sauvignon Blanc, so this wine should appeal to beginner wine drinkers.

The Castillo de Molina, Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 from Central Valley in Chile ($19) has subdued red berry aromas and a bouquet of tobacco, cedar and earthiness, well-constructed tannin integration and a pleasant taste overall. It is dry and medium-bodied in structure.

Pacific Rim Winery hails from our neighbours down south, in Washington. The Riesling 2007 ($19) from Wallula Vineyard is a well-crafted wine. Medium-golden in colour with apricot, baked apple and clover honey touches, this Riesling has flavours of butterscotch, orchard fruit and diesel. This wine has a concentrated palate and a long, fresh, elegant finish. This would work well with spicy Asian dishes.

At $16, this South African Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot blend delivers in taste and quality. The Lyngrove 2003 from the Stellenbosch region has an exotic scent of leather trunk, spice, smoke and a toasty quality. When tasting, I detect a hint of red cherry and dark fruit on a chalky tannin structure that finishes extremely smooth. A good wine to try when you're bored of the fruit bombs.

A bit of a surprise this week involved tasting a sparkling wine named Pink. At about $15, it is off-dry with a raspberry-strawberry taste and a creamy but refreshing finish -- a perfect camping or patio wine for the summer.

A top-shelf wine from the Okanagan, the Allegretto Merlot 2007 from La Stella winery ($45) is cropped from grapes at less than one ton per acre, which is about as low as you can go to create a high-end wine. Plum, dark chocolate and black fruit emerge, followed by the essence of cigar box, nutmeg and herbal tobacco. It is quite tannic on the palate, but some interesting herbal notes follow through into a long finish. I would think this wine could be cellared another 10 years.

So a typical week ends in the tasting lounge. I would estimate that only about 10 to 20 per cent of the wines tried in the tasting lounge make it to the column, so these are among the best. Salut!

- John Gerum is a wine instructor, writer and consultant with West Coast Wine Education. For information on wine workshops, classes and clubs in the Tri-Cities, visit www.wcwed.com.