Corkscrew Chronicles: Magnificent wines to look for when selecting your next drink

Here are some wines that really impressed me recently that I highly recommend. They are worth a search of the market. Champagne Joel Falmet "Brut Parcelles" (Champagne, France) $47 — I have long enjoyed Falmet's products, a small domaine that releases about 2,000 cases per vintage of hand-crafted Champagnes from the Aube, a region southeast of Epernay. This is a blend of 80 percent pinot noir with the remainder composed of chardonnay. Shows a hint of rose hue with red fruit in the nose and on the palate with fresh, crisp flavors and lingering finish. A lovely aperitif or enjoy as you might a still dry rose, with elegant appetizers, moderately intense entrées and charcuterie. Iron Horse Unoaked Chardonnay (Russian River Valley) $35 — While this producer is best known for its fine sparkling wines, the chardonnay was quite lovely and very enjoyable and is growing in critical and consumer acclaim. Produced within the Green Valley appellation of the Russian River, it shows bright flavors of spicy citrus with hints of minerality and a crisp, long finish. Perfect for sipping or to pair with entrées with moderate body, a very pretty wine. Monchiero Rose (Piedmont, Italy) $13 — From an undiscovered producer of fine Barolos, this rose is brightly scented and flavored with pretty cherry notes and a softly dry finish. A very pleasant sipper to chase away the heat of the summer and to enjoy with a wide variety of summer fare, grilled meats and charcuterie. Mary Taylor Valencay (France) $19 — I keep coming back to this wine because it is a lovely, supple glass that is quite enjoyable, and even gulpable. Juicy and forward with cherry nuances with adequate tannin and acid structure, it is a blend of 35 percent each of pinot noir, malbec and gamay from vines that average 45 years of age. Valencay is a region in the central Loire River Valley southeast of Touraine. Enjoy with grilled swordfish, salmon and tuna, fine red meats and mellow cheeses. Chateau Gaudin 2018 (Pauillac, Bordeaux) $45 — A consistent best-buy for Pauillac, the region in Bordeaux that produces some of its finest cabernet-based red wines. Still youthful showing black fruits and hints of cedar and vanilla from barrel aging, with rich flavors that close with moderate tannins. This wine could benefit from about 10 years of cellar aging or simply decant it and let it breathe for a short time. Enjoy with fine red meats and aged cheeses. Trentadue "La Storia" Petite Sirah (Sonoma) $27 — While this winery has produced some compelling cabernet sauvignons under the La Storia label, the really exciting wine is their Petite Sirah. Ripe and supple with black and blue fruit in the nose and on the palate, it shows vanilla from barrel aging. The 2019 was the vintage I tasted recently, though past vintages have been just as good. Hurry if you want some; the winery says the 2019 is sold out and what is available is on the shelf and in the distributor's warehouse. Enjoy with fine red meats, grilled fare and with firm cheeses. Juliette Avril Cairanne "Mailys" Cotes du Rhone Villages (Southern Rhone, France) $19 — The wines of the southern Rhone are dominated by the peppery, spicy grenache that exhibits a rich texture and supple flavors. This is from one of the better communes near Chateauneuf-du-Pape from one of the producers who was instrumental in setting the requirements for the wine laws of the region and for France. Rich, round and smooth with dark fruit with a hint of black pepper and long finish, a lovely red for aged cheeses and grilled chicken and meats. Gary Twining is a certified wine educator who worked 34 years in the wholesale fine wine industry. Email him at winingwithtwining@hotmail.com.