Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES Release June 23, 2018: Chile + Canada Day

The upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release on June 23, 2018 features wines from Chile's "tip-top valleys" as the main theme, while the mini-theme celebrates Canadian wines for Canada Day. All of these wines will be on VINTAGES shelves at LCBO outlets across Ontario this Saturday.

We'll begin with the theme on Chile that features 14 wines from 8 different wine regions. From the Aconcagua Valley, which takes its name from the nearby river and the highest mountain in the Andes (and the Americas), there are couple of delicious white wines from coastal region of Aconcagua - a Chardonnay and a single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc - which benefit from the cooling breezes of the Pacific Ocean. Maipo Valley is where winemaking began in Chile (plantings date back to the 1500's) and is known for producing red wines, such as the Quintay Winemaker's Experience Blend which is a Malbec-based blend. And last but not least, Cachapoal is a sub-region of the Rapel Valley and often add refinement, elegance and mineral notes to blends. From a single block at the Peumo Vineyard in Cachapoal Valley is a lovely Carmenère.

None of the 6 Canadian wines featured for Canada Day made my list of wine picks. However, there are half a dozen other solid buys that will certainly make your Canada Day celebrations special. If you prefer dry (i.e. not sweet) wines, there is a nice Chardonnay, as well as the Hidden Bench Rosé that consists of 93% Pinot Noir and 7% Viognier. If hints of sweetness is more your thing, check out the Riesling from either Henry of Pelham or Charles Baker, or the Wildass Rosé that is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling. If you have a sweet tooth, check out the Gewürztraminer Icewine.

Red wines from the rest of the release include a Languedoc red that is a blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 20% Mourvèdre, while the lovely 2009 Infinity Super Tuscan is a blend of 35% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, and 20% Alicante. Lastly, the Cune is a blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo (Carignan).

Among my white wine picks, the Vinho Verde is a blend of mainly Alvarinho and Trajadura, while the Sancerre is a made with Sauvignon Blanc. The unoaked Chardonnay from Washington is quite Chablis-like. For sweet wine lovers, you'll want to look for the Riesling Kabinett.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• VIÑALBA RESERVA MALBEC 2015 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#555763) (XD) - $18.95
• JIM BARRY THE COVER DRIVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014 - Coonawarra, South Australia (#677476) (XD) - $19.95
• FABRE MONTMAYOU RESERVA CABERNET FRANC 2015 - Mendoza, Argentina (#492736) (XD) - $19.95
• CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN LA GRANGE DES COMBES SAINT-CHINIAN-ROQUEBRUN 2016 - AC, Languedoc, France (#155804) (XD) - $19.95
• PETER YEALANDS PINOT NOIR 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#551648) (XD) - $19.95
• QUINTAY WINEMAKER’S EXPERIENCE BLEND 2015 - DO Maipo Valley, Chile (#568618) (XD) - $22.95
• INFINITY 2009 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#540906) (XD) - $25.95  91 pts  wine review
• CONCHA Y TORO TERRUNYO PEUMO VINEYARD BLOCK 27 CARMENÈRE 2016 - DO Peumo, Cachapoal Valley, Chile (#562892) (D) - $34.95
• CUNE GRAN RESERVA 2011 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#393553) (XD) - $39.95
• DOMAINE DROUHIN LAURÈNE PINOT NOIR 2014 - Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#974899) (XD) - $79.95  FE

White Wine:

• MURALHAS DE MONÇÃO VINHO VERDE 2016 - Monção e Melgaço, DOC, Portugal (#80374) (XD) - $15.95
• MOSELLAND GOLDSCHILD SINGLE VINEYARD RIESLING KABINETT 2016 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#466052) (MS) - $16.95  88 pts  wine review
• ARBOLEDA SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - DO Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#510339) (XD) - $18.95  88 pts  wine review
• CAVE SPRING ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2016 - Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#256552) (XD) - $18.95
• HEDGES H.I.P. DIONYSUS VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2014 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#488528) (XD) - $19.95
• ERRÁZURIZ ACONCAGUA COSTA CHARDONNAY 2016 - DO Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#556118) (XD) - $21.95
• HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE RIESLING 2016 - VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#643361) (D) - $24.95  89 pts  wine review
• JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2016 - AC, Loire, France (#189126) (XD) - $29.95
• CHARLES BAKER PICONE VINEYARD RIESLING 2015 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#241182) (D) - $37.20
• STAGS’ LEAP WINERY VIOGNIER 2016 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#597369) (XD) - $39.95  91 pts  wine review

Rosé Wine:

• WILDASS ROSÉ 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#71712) (D) - $18.95
• HIDDEN BENCH LOCUST LANE ROSÉ 2017 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#68833) (XD) - $22.95  90 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU SALETTES BANDOL ROSÉ 2017 - AC Bandol, Southwest, France (#557892) (XD) - $27.95

Dessert Wine:

• LAKEVIEW CELLARS GEWÜRZTRAMINER ICEWINE 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#547703) (S) (200 mL) - $34.95