LCBO VINTAGES Release September 5: Uncork Something Great!

The newest batch of wines from the September 5, 2015 LCBO VINTAGES Release will be on shelves this coming Saturday. Once again, it is a mono-thematic release with this one titled "Uncork something great!" and attempts to tell the VINTAGES story.

Of the 20 wines featured as part of the VINTAGES story, 6 wines made my list of wine picks. First up is a 2005 vintage Dom Perignon Champagne that is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Also included is a Syrah from Chile, a Malbec from Argentina, and an old vines GSM blend (40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre) that was all aged in concrete tank from Midi. The dry white wine from d'Arenberg is a blend of 55% Viognier and 45% Marsanne. For fans of sweeter wines, there is Flat Rock's Riesling.

Other sweet wines in this release include an off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Chenin Blanc from South Africa and a medium sweet Grand Cru Pinot Gris from Alsace. Also available are a pair of very sweet Rieslings from Germany - one is a Riesling Kabinett (available as Flagship Store Exclusive), while the other is a Riesling Spätlese.

In red wine, the Olarra is mostly Tempranillo with Grenache and Mazuelo (a.k.a. Carignan) in support, while the Hacienda Valvarés is 100% Tempranillo. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of mostly Grenache, with Syrah and Mourvèdre added, while the Tenuta Degli Dei is a blend of (60%) Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Lastly, the Ridge Monte Bello comes in 2 bottle sizes, each of which is composed of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot.

Enjoy my LCBO wine picks for this week! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• MONTGRAS ANTU SYRAH 2012 - Colchagua Valley, Chile (#425900) (XD) - $17.00
• TESSELLAE CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON OLD VINES GRENACHE / SYRAH / MOURVÈDRE 2013 - AP, Midi, France (#343517) (XD) - $17.00
• OLARRA CLÁSICO RESERVA 2009 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#423541) (XD) - $18.95
• KAIKEN ULTRA MALBEC 2012 - Mendoza, Argentina (#50849) (XD) - $19.95  reviewed here
• HACIENDA VALVARÉS 2011 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#423509) (D) - $19.95
• MAS DEL PÉRIÉ LA ROQUE MALBEC 2012 - AC Cahors, Southwest, France (#414524) (XD) - $21.95
• MORAINE SYRAH 2013 - BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#424580) (XD) - $23.95  reviewed here
• HIDDEN BENCH PINOT NOIR 2012 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#274753) (XD) - $29.95  reviewed here
• VERBENA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2009 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#165126) (XD) - $39.95
• TENUTA DEGLI DEI CAVALLI 2010 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#350405) (XD) - $49.95
• PATRICK LESEC GALETS BLONDS CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2012 - AC, Rhône, France (#78089) (XD) - $56.95  reviewed here
• RIDGE MONTE BELLO 2012 - Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA (#209999 / #711085) (XD) (375 mL / 750 mL) $101.95 / $190.95

White Wine:

• DOMAINE LA HAUTE FÉVRIE SUR LIE MUSCADET SÈVRE & MAINE 2014 - AC, Loire, France (#390625) (XD) - $13.95  reviewed here
• FLAT ROCK RIESLING 2014 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#43281) (M) - $16.95
• HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2013 - VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#268342) (XD) - $19.95
• BAILLY LAPIERRE SAINT BRIS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014 - AC, Burgundy, France (#424655) (XD) - $19.95
• D’ARENBERG THE HERMIT CRAB VIOGNIER/MARSANNE 2013 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#662775) (XD) - $19.95
• STUDERT-PRÜM GRAACHER HIMMELREICH RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2009 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#409680) (S) - $21.95
• PIERRE SPARR MAMBOURG PINOT GRIS 2011 - AC Alsace Grand Cru, France (#686451) (M) - $24.95
• CLEMENS BUSCH MARIENBURG RIESLING KABINETT 2013 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#424234) (S) - $28.95  FSE
• KWV THE MENTORS CHENIN BLANC 2014 - WO Paarl, South Africa (#419580) (D) - $29.95  FSE
• DOMAINE LOUIS MICHEL & FILS FORÊTS CHABLIS 1 ER CRU 2012 - AC, Burgundy, France (#231936) (XD) - $39.95  FSE

Sparkling Wine:

• DOM PÉRIGNON BRUT VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE 2005 - AC, France (#280461) (XD) - $219.95

The rest of the wines from the September 5th VINTAGES Release are here.