Nov. 8 LCBO Wine Picks: Fine Holiday Wines + Ports

The next LCBO VINTAGES release will be in stores across Ontario this weekend - on Saturday, November 8th. As we get into the holiday season, the releases seem to getting bigger and feature more higher priced wines - this release is no exception. This release is titled "Uncork the Season" and features many fine holiday wines as part of the major theme. The secondary theme features some very fine Port wines.

From the holiday-themed wines, 32 wines. Included among my wine picks is a 750 mL, as well as a conveniently-sized 375 mL, Champagne from Bollinger. There are also 2 elegantly oaked Chardonnays from Hidden Bench and Louis Latour. A 2001 Rioja from Ontanon is 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano, and at 13 years old is ready to drink now, but can be further cellared until the end of this decade. A pair of California red blends also made my list of wine picks - the exceptional L'Aventure is a blend of 50% Syrah, 33% Cab Sauv, and 17% Petit Verdot, while the Jonata Todos Red is 78% Syrah, 8% Sangiovese and 8 grapes making up the rest.

Of the 6 Port wines featured, I can recommend 4 of them, which vary in price from $15.95 up to $70. At the low end is a sweet White Port from Taylor Fladgate that is made using local, classic Port grape varieties. White Ports are aged for 2-3 years in large oak vats prior to bottling. A little less sweet is the Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Port, a wine that has been aged between 4-6 years after harvest. Next is the 1995 Dalva Colheita Port - this wine has been aging in large oak barrels since harvest in 1995, until it was bottled earlier this year and arriving on our shores this weekend. A real treat! Lastly, the Sandeman Vintage Port hails from an exceptional 2011 vintage, bottled in 2013 and will last for decades. The Sandeman name certainly brings back some fond memories of when I visited this winery back in the summer of 2005.

From the rest of the release, there is an interesting Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Petit Verdot/Malbec blend from Mexico, and a predominantly Sangiovese blend from Le Pupille. The Orestiadi is a blend of mostly Nero d'Avola, with some Cabernet Sauvignon added to finalize the blend. The Crianza is mostly Tempranillo, while the Hidden Bench Meritage is dominated by Merlot, with 19% Cabernet Franc, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 12% Malbec added in support.

Including this release, there are only 4 more VINTAGES releases remaining in 2014, so you may want to start your holiday shopping now! Enjoy my wine recommendations for this week!


Red Wine:

• CASAS DEL BOSQUE RESERVA CARMENÈRE 2012 - Rapel Valley, Chile (#205872) (XD) - $14.95
• MENGUANTE SELECCIÓN GARNACHA 2008 - DOP Cariñena, Spain (#313833) (XD) - $16.95
• L.A. CETTO DON LUIS SELECCIÓN RESERVADA TERRA 2010 - Baja California, Mexico (#388520) (XD) - $19.95
• ORESTIADI LUDOVICO 2008 - IGT Rosso Sicilia, Italy (#388645) (XD) - $19.95  91+ pts  wine review
• HERMANOS PECIÑA SEÑORÍO DE P. PECIÑA CRIANZA 2009 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#313726) (XD) - $21.95
• LE PUPILLE POGGIO VALENTE MORELLINO DI SCANSANO RISERVA 2009 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#230680) (XD) - $29.95
• HIDDEN BENCH TERROIR CACHÉ MERITAGE 2010 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#505610) (XD) - $38.20  reviewed here
• ONTANON GRAN RESERVA 2001 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#939736) (XD) - $39.95
• L’AVENTURE OPTIMUS 2011 - Paso Robles, California, USA (#683409) (XD) - $63.95  reviewed here
• LE VIEUX DONJON CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2012 - AC, Rhône, France (#700922) (XD) - $63.95
• JONATA TODOS RED 2010 - Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara County, California, USA (#218941) (XD) - $67.95

White Wine:

• MENADE VERDEJO 2013 - DO Rueda, Spain (#392159) (XD) - $16.95
• FEATHERSTONE BLACK SHEEP RIESLING 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#080234) (M) - $16.95
• PETER ZEMMER PINOT GRIGIO 2013 - DOC Alto Adige, Italy (#095802) (XD) - $17.95
• MOMO SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#009167) (XD) - $17.95
• WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2013 - Coonawarra, South Australia (#468728) (XD) - $17.95
• RENÉ MURÉ SIGNATURE GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2012 - AC Alsace, France (#387563) (XD) - $21.95
• JEAN-MARC BROCARD SAINTE CLAIRE VIEILLES VIGNES CHABLIS 2013 - AC, Burgundy, France (#329995) (XD) - $24.95  reviewed here
• HIDDEN BENCH CHARDONNAY 2012 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#068817) (XD) - $28.95  reviewed here
• LOUIS LATOUR EN CARADEUX PERNAND-VERGELESSES 1 ER CRU 2011 - AC, Burgundy, France (#390500) (XD) - $44.95
• LE CLOS JORDANNE LE GRAND CLOS CHARDONNAY 2011 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Twenty Mile Bench, Ontario, Canada (#034561) (XD) - $65.00

Sparkling Wine:

• TAWSE SPARK LIMESTONE RIDGE RIESLING SPARKLING WINE 2012 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#370361) (D) - $19.95  reviewed here
• BOLLINGER SPECIAL CUVÉE BRUT CHAMPAGNE - AC, Champagne, France (#234104) (D) (375 mL) - $43.95
• BOLLINGER SPECIAL CUVÉE BRUT CHAMPAGNE - AC, Champagne, France (#384529) (XD) - $75.95

Fortifieds:

• TAYLOR FLADGATE FINE WHITE PORT - DOC Douro, Portugal (#069856) (S) - $15.95
• DOW’S LATE BOTTLED VINTAGE PORT 2009 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#613927) (MS) - $17.95  reviewed here
• DALVA COLHEITA PORT 1995 - Btld. 2014, DOC Douro, Portugal (#69930) (S) - $32.95
• SANDEMAN VINTAGE PORT 2011 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#362491) (MS) - $70.00

Dessert Wine:

• DE BORTOLI NOBLE ONE BOTRYTIS SEMILLON 2011 - Riverina, New South Wales, Australia (#917252) (S) (375 mL) - $31.95 limited qty vintages flagship

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