LCBO VINTAGES September 16, 2017: Local Wines

The upcoming release in LCBO VINTAGES on September 16 is a mono-thematic release focusing on Local Wines from Ontario. New wines from this release will be on shelves at LCBO outlets across Ontario this Saturday.

The feature on Local Wines is titled "Crafted from the Ground Up" and touches upon the various aspects of winemaking that help produce fine wines. It starts with a suitable climate and exceptional soils to grow grapes and ends with Assemblage - the art of blending base wines into a final blend. Nineteen wines (plus one Vermouth) are listed in this thematic and four are included among my top wine picks. All three table wines from Ontario that I've chosen are white wines - there's a Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, both of which are dry, and an off-dry (i.e. medium sweet) Riesling. There's also a lovely Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine that is 100% Chardonnay from a single vineyard.

Among my red wine picks, the Crianza is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Merlot from mountain vineyards located around the tiny village of Sada. The Gerard Bertrand is mostly Syrah with Grenache in support. while the Laurus is made with 100% Syrah. Lastly, the Isola e Olena is made with 100% Sangiovese.

In white wines, the Lugana is made with 100% Trebbiano di Lugana, while the Lafage wine from Midi is a blend of 40% Grenache Gris, 40% Grenache Blanc and 20% Roussanne.

Among my sparkling wine picks, the South African sparkler is a blend of 53% Chardonnay and 47% Pinot Noir, while the Duval Leroy Champagne is 100% Chardonnay. Lastly, the Dom Pérignon Luminous is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and apparently has a unique glow-in-the-dark label!

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• PALACIO DE SADA CRIANZA 2013 - DO Navarra, Spain (#246736) (XD) - $16.95
• GÉRARD BERTRAND SYRAH/GRENACHE 2013 - AP Languedoc, South of France (#413237) (XD) - $16.95
• TRAPICHE FINCA LAS PALMAS GRAN RESERVA MALBEC 2014 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#186668) (XD) - $16.95
• SAN PEDRO 1865 SINGLE VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014 - Maipo Valley, Chile (#37911) (D) - $19.95  reviewed here
• RADFORD DALE SYRAH 2013 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#433813) (XD) - $29.95  FSE
• LAURUS SAINT JOSEPH 2014 - AP, Rhône, France (#499178) (XD) - $33.95  FSE
• FARINA LE PEZZE AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2013 - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#171587) (D) - $34.95
• PEPPERTREE CALCARE SINGLE VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 - Coonawarra, South Australia (#493601) (XD) - $39.95  FSE  reviewed here
• BREZZA CANNUBI BAROLO 2012 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#713511) (XD) - $67.95
• ISOLE E OLENA CEPPARELLO 2013 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#025650) (XD) - $99.95

White Wine:

• ZENATO SAN BENEDETTO LUGANA 2016 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#707158) (D) - $17.95
• DOMAINE LAFAGE CUVÉE CENTENAIRE 2016 - AP Côtes du Roussillon, Midi, France (#343491) (XD) - $17.95
• THÖRLE ESTATE DRY RIESLING 2015 - Qualitätswein, Rheinhessen, Germany (#445817) (XD) - $18.95  FSE
• SUGAR LOAF SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#410001) (XD) - $19.95
• CREEKSIDE MARIANNE HILL RIESLING 2015 - Marianne Hill Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#443572) (M) - $20.90  reviewed here
• CLOSSON CHASE K.J. WATSON VINEYARD PINOT GRIS 2016 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#469445) (XD) - $22.95  reviewed here
• HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2015 - VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#616466) (XD) - $29.95  reviewed here
• LANDMARK VINEYARDS OVERLOOK CHARDONNAY 2014 - Sonoma County, California, USA (#356501) (XD) - $34.95
• CHÂTEAU DE LAVERNETTE VERS CHÂNE POUILLY FUISSÉ 2014 - AC, Burgundy, France (#499657) (XD) - $42.95

Sparkling Wine:

• GRAHAM BECK BRUT PINOT NOIR/CHARDONNAY SPARKLING - Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa (#593483) (XD) - $19.95
• 2027 CELLARS QUEENSTON ROAD VINEYARD BLANC DE BLANCS 2013 - Traditional method, VQA St. David’s Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#520619) (XD) - $29.95
• DUVAL LEROY BLANC DE BLANCS GRAND CRU BRUT CHAMPAGNE 2006 - AC, France (#482828) (XD) - $59.95
• DOM PÉRIGNON LUMINOUS BRUT CHAMPAGNE 2006 - AC, France (#422584) (XD) - $259.95  FSE