March 19 VINTAGES Release: Italy + Israel + Easter

The upcoming March 19, 2016 LCBO VINTAGES Release will be on shelves this Saturday and features classic wines from Italy as its main feature. The mini-theme features wines from Israel, while the Ontario theme features wines for Easter.

For the second consecutive release, Italy is one of the feature themes. This time, there are quite a few amazing wines that wine enthusiasts should seek out, wallet-permitting. Out of the 23 Italian wines featured, 5 are included among my wine picks. The lone white wine is made from the indigenous Greco grape varietal by Terredora di Paolo and is a favourite of mine year-after-year. The Ornellaia is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot, while the Quintarelli is a ripasso-style of wine consisting of 55% Corvina and Corvinone, 30% Rondinella, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and trace amounts of Nebbiolo, Croatina, and Sangiovese. Last, but definitely not least, both the Brunello and the Chianti are 100% Sangiovese.

Wines from Israel were included in this release due to upcoming Purim and Passover celebrations. However, I didn't find much value in this section.

Of the 6 Ontario wines for Easter, two are included among my wine picks. Enjoy Easter appetizers or dinner with Cave Spring's (lightly-oaked) Chardonnay, while finishing off celebrations with Inniskillin's amazing Riesling Icewine.

From the rest of the release, among my red wine recommendations is the Mondeco Red that is a blend of 30% Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), 25% Touriga Nacional, 20% Alfrocheiro, 15% Jaen, and 10% Baga. From Spain, the mature Monasterio de las Viñas Reserva is a blend of 70% Garnacha, 20% Tempranillo, and 10% Carinena, while the Viña los Valles is a 70/30 blend of Tempranillo and Graciano. Lastly, the 2005 Château Coufran is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines that are 50 years old.

For lovers of sweeter wines, look for the off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Charles Baker Riesling or the medium sweet Tawse Riesling. Want more sweet? Look for Cave Spring Late Harvest Riesling.

Enjoy my wine recommendations for this release. Salute!

Red Wine:

• MONDECO RED 2010 - DO Dão, Portugal (#442210) (XD) - $13.95
• MONASTERIO DE LAS VIÑAS RESERVA 2006 - DO Cariñena, Spain (#166579) (XD) - $14.95
• ANTU SYRAH 2014 - Colchagua Valley, Chile (#675371) (D) - $17.95
• SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#260919) (D) - $19.95
• VIÑA LOS VALLES TEMPRANILLO/GRACIANO CRIANZA 2010 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#438721) (XD) - $19.95
• RUSTENBERG BUZZARD KLOOF SYRAH 2011 - WO Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, South Africa (#414151) (XD) - $24.95
• IL MOLINO DI GRACE IL MARGONE GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2010 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#435115) (XD) - $39.95
• DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2008 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#113357) (XD) - $44.95  reviewed here
• CHÂTEAU COUFRAN 2005 - AC Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#446666) (XD) - $56.95
• GIUSEPPE QUINTARELLI ROSSO CA’ DEL MERLO 2007 - IGT Veneto, Italy (#958595) (D) - $99.95
• ORNELLAIA 2012 - DOC Bolgheri Superiore, Tuscany, Italy (#722470) (D) - $195.95

White Wine:

• VINUM AFRICA CHENIN BLANC 2013 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#739995) (XD) - $15.95
• TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA RIESLING 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#089029) (M) - $17.95
• CAVE SPRING ESTATE BOTTLED CHARDONNAY 2013 - Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#256552) (XD) - $18.95
• GARCÉS SILVA AMAYNA BARREL FERMENTED SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010 - Leyda Valley, Chile (#143511) (XD) - $19.95  FSE
• TERREDORA DI PAOLO LOGGIA DELLA SERRA GRECO DI TUFO 2014 - DOCG, Campania, Italy (#983197) (XD) - $19.95  reviewed here
• CULMINA DECORA RIESLING 2014 - BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#444836) (XD) - $24.95
• CLOS HENRI SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#675629) (XD) - $28.95
• CHARLES BAKER PICONE VINEYARD RIESLING 2012 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#241182) (D) - $35.20

Dessert Wine:

• CAVE SPRING INDIAN SUMMER SELECT LATE HARVEST RIESLING 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#415901) (S) (375 mL) - $24.95
• INNISKILLIN RIESLING ICEWINE 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#558288) (S) (375 mL) - $79.95  reviewed here