Had it up to here with a whole summerful of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet? Coming across a bottle of Gray Monk's Siegerrebe a few weeks ago got me thinking about Kerner, Albariño, Gros Manseng, and Cannonau. A little digging and there they were.

Raimat Albarino Chardonnay 2005 ($12.99) This is a fine buy, and what a great combination. It's rare to get Albariño even just 40 percent, as in this blend for such a good price, while the Chardonnay fleshes out the fresh fruit of the Albariño, and there's lots of it, with a hint of flowers and spice. It comes from a huge Spanish producer, but they've managed to keep it tasting like a small-batch wine impressive. If you love a big pot of just-boiled new potatoes with butter, fleur de sel, and fresh herbs, serve this with it.

Bodega Norton Sangiovese 2005 ($12.99) Italy's famous chianti grape in a wine from Argentina? A dark, roasted-coffee aroma and lots of prune and chocolate touches, it's nice for really edgy garlic-laden pizza and rich tomato sauce. Better yet, with shavings of good Parmesan, and extra-virgin olive oil, black pepper, and some of that Iranian flatbread, lightly toasted. Hearty and delicious.

Le Bombarde Cannonau di Sardegna 2005 ($15.99) I've long loved Cannonau, the typical Sardinian wine, and this is the best of our limited selection. It's 100 percent cannonau, the Sardinian native grape linked to Grenache, with plenty of spice and bite, and good and dry, but still round and full. Ideal with peppered lamb and leeks, duck lettuce wrap, or Coulommiers cheese.

Alain Brumont Gros Manseng-Sauvignon 2006 ($15.99) When this appeared here last year, it went firmly into the top 10. This vintage is still up there: a stylish, elegant blend, a little lighter than last year's. You can probably find a dozen fruit hooks here; I get a lot of fireweed honey and Bartlett pear. A good-value wine with remarkable finesse for the price.

GRAY MONK Siegerrebe 2006 ($16.49) Let's look at the two Gray Monks that propelled this particular quest, starting with this one. The richest of the German varieties, it's the most strongly perfumed and flavoured. Think Gewí¼rztraminer with attitude big-time floral/alpine-meadow aromas (lots of rose petal) and almonds in honey it's all quite nectarlike. Ideal apéritif, instead of sherry for a change.

Gray Monk Kerner Late Harvest 2006 ($16.49) This has to be the best buy of this variety in B.C., delivering rich sweetness with just the right amount of acidity, just off-dry, and far more versatile than many of the sweetish wines we produce. The Monks suggest "candied salmon, scallops, [creamy] cheese, custard desserts, and fresh fruit" as accompaniments, and I'm with them. Next time you get an urge for icewine, go here instead and save yourself 60-something percent; you'll get something you can actually drink in a glass instead of a thimble.

Anakena Riesling 2004 ($17.50) This is a specialty item you'll be asking for at your private store. Riesling is one of Chile's best-kept secrets. This is robust, not even slightly sweet, a beautiful wine, unlike a lot of the sugar-water low-end Rieslings we see here. Lots of citrus try it with oysters, vegetable curries, chilled snow crab in salad, or lamb baked in hay. Yes, hay ask Alain Rayé at La Régalade about the recipe.

Garry Oaks Prism 2006 ($19.99) The Salt Spring Island winery's intriguing Gewí¼rztraminer and Chardonnay blend is done up in a dry style, and it continues the emerging winery's tradition of superb and often surprising blends. There's a bit of ginger in the mix that kicks in after the palate gets acclimatized to the absence of sweetness and floral aromas. I didn't have any of last year's left to compare it with, but if the ever-elusive taste memory can be trusted, I think this one hits even higher. Well worth seeking out.

Ten Mile The Broken Road California Proprietary Red Wine 2005 ($19.99) Another solid winner from an interesting California master blender whose wines have consistently impressed since their arrival here. It's killer stuff, "based on the classic field-blends of California in the late 1800s" in this case Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Barbera, and Carignane. All kinds of dark chocolate, beef demi-glace, and other rich things imbue this blend with a deep, mellow roundness that makes it a must-have for big, slow-braised, red-wine-based meat dishes, as well as lots of that cave-aged Gruyí¨re with a sourdough baguette.

Bogle Vineyards Petite Sirah 2005 ($19.99) Also out of California comes an unusually rich wine, deep and round, really grapey, hefty and hearty, with lots of spice edge and a bit of a bite. It's just the ticket for beef ribs, liberally pressed with David Veljacic's barbecue rub and served with baked potatoes laden with cream, butter, bacon, onion, and coarse black pepper. Yeah, salt too what the hello, go all the way.

Vespaiolo Vino Frizzante n/v ($19.90) A terrific new bubbly from Italy's Cantina Beato Bartolomeo da Breganze, specialty listed and in some local restaurants. This is a white-grape variety from the Veneto region, used primarily in sweet-wine production, but here it comes out bold and fresh, full-bodied, and bright-bubbled; a terrific gulper and one of the best among the Italian Prosecco-style wines available to us. For anything festive you've got lined up.