July 21 Wine Picks: Cool-Climate Victoria + Loire

The next VINTAGES wine release will be in LCBO stores across Ontario on Saturday, July 21. The main feature in this release is on the cool-climate wines from Victoria, Australia, while the secondary feature is on wines from Loire. Overall, this is a very "cool" release, with white wines stealing the show.

From Central Victoria, we have a very intriguing Marsanne. From Malivoire in Ontario, we have the aromatic Gewürztraminer, while the Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is a steal at $20. My top white from this release is a 5-year-old Muscadet made with the Melon de Bourgogne grape from Loire (#653485, below) - the name is a mouthful, but I'm sure you will enjoy it if you like dry white wines.

Among red wines, the Grenache-blended Guintrandy from southen Rhône comes from the fabulous 2010 vintage, while the 2008 Grenache/Syrah/Carignan-blend from Gerard Bertrand comes from Midi. Pinot lovers will likely enjoy the De Bortoli offering from Victoria. My top value-red is the Castello d'Alba from Portugal and consists of Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) and the Port varietals Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional.

If you're in need of a summer rosé, the off-dry Syrah/Grenache offering from Château Saint-Roch is a tasty good value. Cheers!


Red Wine:

• CASTELLO D’ALBA RESERVA 2009 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#276204) (XD) - $14.95
• GÉRARD BERTRAND GRAND TERROIR TAUTAVEL GRENACHE/SYRAH/CARIGNAN 2008 - AC Côtes du Roussillon-Villages Tautavel, Midi, France (#272575) (XD) - $17.95
• DE BORTOLI WINDY PEAK PINOT NOIR 2010 - Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia (#048587) (D) - $17.95
• DOMAINE LA GUINTRANDY CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES VISAN LE DEVÈS 2010 - AC, Rhône, France (#277368) (XD) - $14.95
• DURIGUTTI MALBEC 2009 - Mendoza, Argentina (#246124) (XD) - $16.95
• TAHBILK SHIRAZ 2008 - Nagambie Lakes, Central Victoria, Australia (#214742) (D) - $20.95

White Wine:

• COMTE LELOUP DU CHÂTEAU DE CHASSELOIR CUVÉE DES CEPS CENTENAIRES 2007 - AC Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine, Sur Lie, Loire, France (#653485) (XD) - $18.95
• WHITEHAVEN SAUVIGNON BLANC 2011 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#278556) (D) - $19.95
• TAHBILK MUSEUM RELEASE MARSANNE 2007 - Nagambie Lakes, Central Victoria, Australia (#276980) (D) - $22.95
• MALIVOIRE GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2010 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#542522) (D) - $24.95
• LA CHABLISIENNE VAULORENT CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2009 - AC, Burgundy, France (#111666) (XD) - $31.95

Rosé Wine:

• CHÂTEAU SAINT-ROCH SYRAH/GRENACHE ROSÉ 2011 - AC Côtes du Roussillon, Midi, France (#276352) (D) - $14.95

The rest of the wines from this release can be found here.