Lines shift in the wine-shipping battle

TASTING NOTES
Here's a grab bag of French and Italian options with varying availability, just to give you a sense of how random the wine-finding game can be.

Canella NV prosecco di Conegliano ($13, Empson USA): A widely available and affordable set of bubbles from a lesser-known part of Italy's Veneto region. It's in a brut style, but just a touch on the sweet side, with honey, orange peel and lemon. Balanced and well-textured, with a dense, fruity finish.

Clos Roche Blanche 2004 sauvignon Touraine ($13, Louis/Dressner): Importer Joe Dressner has a special place in his heart for this organic Loire Valley winery and its proprietors, Catherine Roussel and Didier Barrouillet. Their latest sauvignon blanc opens with huge scents of grass and citrus, like a great New Zealand offering. But the texture is classic Loire, softer and more elegant than the Kiwi variations. Luckily, Dressner is distributing it to major markets across the country.

Yves Cuilleron 2004 syrah vin de pays des Collines Rhodaniennes ($16, Rosenthal Wine Merchant): Yves Cuilleron is one of the most respected names in France's northern Rhone, but you're likely to find this incredible value bottling only on the left and right coasts. (Cuilleron's iconoclastic importer, Neal Rosenthal — whom you might have seen in “Mondovino” — does not distribute widely.) Cuilleron specializes in making “vin de pays” from vineyards that lie outside the official boundaries for such famous appellations as Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie. Here is beautiful French syrah: floral and highly aromatic with brine, tart cherry and white pepper. It's bright and supple, with beautiful smells built around a delicate structure, not a chunky one.

Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo 2003 “Agamium” Colline Novaresi DOC ($14, Polaner): When I discussed nebbiolo a few weeks ago, I described it as being a potentially good value. Here's a perfect all-nebbiolo example (though one essentially limited to the New York market) from Cantalupo, perhaps the most famous winery from the Piedmontese town of Ghemme. Starts tart and tight, but after about 45 minutes, it opens with bright strawberry, vanilla, fresh mint and spring flowers. It's a perky wine, with slightly forward acidity and a tannic, textured finish. A perfect pizza wine, even if it's a bit thin in the middle.

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