November 28 VINTAGES Release: Finest Wines for the Holidays

The November 28 VINTAGES Release will be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves this coming Saturday and features as it's main and only theme very fine wines and spirits for the holidays. The selection includes many fine wines at very high price points - wines suitable as expensive gifts or for extremely special occasions.

Of the 28 wines and spirits featured as part of this mono-thematic release, 9 are included among my wine picks. Brace yourself, as the least expensive of the nine wines costs $89.95 - it's the Châteauneuf-du-Pape consisting of Cinsault, Counoise, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, and the Barossa Valley Shiraz.

Six of the wines I've recommended begin at $159.95 and go all the way up to almost $300. The iconic wines in this group include Cabernet Sauvignon's from Silver Oak (84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc) and Chateau Montelena. The Joseph Phelps Insignia is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 10% Merlot, 3% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. From the two Bolgheri wineries in Italy, the Ornellaia consists of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot, while the Sassicaia consists of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. Lastly, the Solaia contains 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Perhaps it's no surprise that all of these fine wines have a fairly strong Cabernet Sauvignon component and can be aged for many years.

The only white wine among my wine recommendations from the mono-thematic is the Kistler Chardonnay.

From the rest of the release, the M. Chapoutier wine is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan, while the Lungarotti is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Colorino. The In Situ blend from Chile has 50% Syrah, 45% Mourvedre and 5% Viognier.

In white wines, the Greek wine is made with the Roditis grape, the Donnachiara is made with Greco di Tufo, the Montagny is Chardonnay, and lastly, the Sancerre is 100% Sauvignon Blanc.

Enjoy my wine picks for this week. Cheers!

Red Wine:

• M. CHAPOUTIER LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON VILLAGES 2014 - AC, Midi, France (#168716) (D) - $15.95
• LUNGAROTTI RUBESCO SANGIOVESE/COLORINO 2012 - DOC Rosso di Torgiano, Umbria, Italy (#368548) (XD) - $17.95
• CONCHA Y TORO MARQUÉS DE CASA CONCHA SYRAH 2012 - Buin, Maipo Valley, Chile (#19042) (XD) - $19.95  reviewed here
• SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE MALBEC 2013 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#79798) (D) - $19.95
• IN SITU SIGNATURE WINES HILLSIDE BLEND 2012 - Aconcagua Valley, Chile (#431098) (XD) - $19.95
• SIEGEL SINGLE VINEYARD LOS LINGUES CARMENÈRE 2012 - Colchagua Valley, Chile (#431072) (XD) - $19.95  reviewed here

• CHAPELLE DE POTENSAC 2010 - AC Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#434761) (XD) - $29.95
• L’EXPRESSON DE MARGAUX 2010 - AC Margaux, Bordeaux, France (#431734) (XD) - $33.95
• CHÂTEAU DE BEAUCASTEL CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2013 - AC, Rhône, France (#711317) (D) - $89.95
• BAROSSA VALLEY ESTATE E&E BLACK PEPPER SHIRAZ 2008 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#731620) (XD) - $89.95

• SILVER OAK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#936039) (D) - $159.95
• CHATEAU MONTELENA ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2011 - Calistoga, Napa Valley, California, USA (#709881) (XD) - $187.95
• ORNELLAIA 2012 - DOC Bolgheri Superiore, Tuscany, Italy (#382051 / #722470 / #382515) (D) (375 mL / 750 mL / 1500 mL) $103.95 / $195.95 / $465.95
• SASSICAIA 2012 - DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia, Tuscany, Italy (#480533) (D) - $199.95
• ANTINORI SOLAIA 2011 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#987586) (XD) - $249.95  reviewed here
• JOSEPH PHELPS INSIGNIA 2012 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#710400) (D) - $299.95

White Wine:

• GIANNIKOS AT SEA RODITIS 2014 - Product of Organic Farming, Peloponnese, Greece (#431684) (D) - $17.95
• DELHEIM FAMILY CHENIN BLANC 2014 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#429720) (XD) - $17.95
• DONNACHIARA GRECO DI TUFO 2013 - DOCG, Campania, Italy (#262964) (XD) - $17.95
• HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2013 - VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#268342) (XD) - $19.95
• VIGNERONS DE BUXY BUISSONNIER MONTAGNY 2013 - AC, Burgundy, France (#382879) (XD) - $19.95
• LETH BRUNNTHAL 1ÖWT GRÜNER VELTLINER 2013 - Qualitätswein, Fels am Wagram, Austria (#12278) (XD) - $24.95
• JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE G.C. SANCERRE 2014 - AC, Loire, France (#189126) (XD) - $28.95  reviewed here
• SPY VALLEY ENVOY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013 - Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#429308) (XD) - $29.95
• KÜNSTLER HOCHHEIMER STIELWEG OLD VINES RIESLING TROCKEN 2013 - Qualitätswein, Rheingau, Germany (#425041) (XD) - $42.95  FSE
• KISTLER LES NOISETIERS CHARDONNAY 2013 - Sonoma Coast, California, USA (#251223) (XD) - $99.95

Rosé Wine:

• MIRAVAL ROSÉ 2014 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#342584) (XD) - $22.95

Sparkling Wine:

• BAILLY LAPIERRE RÉSERVE BRUT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE - Méthode Traditionnelle, AC, Burgundy, France (#991562) (D) - $19.95

Dessert Wine:

• CAVE SPRING INDIAN SUMMER SELECT LATE HARVEST RIESLING 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#415901) (S) (375 mL) - $24.95

Cognac/Armagnac:

• CHÂTEAU DE LAUBADE BAS XO ARMAGNAC - AC, France (#55830) (700 mL) - $99.95