Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES Release August 4, 2018: Eco-Friendly + Puglia + Campania

The upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release on August 4, 2018 takes a look at Eco-Friendly Wines in its main theme, while the mini-theme compares the southern Italian wine regions of Puglia and Campania. All of these wines be on VINTAGES shelves across Ontario beginning this Saturday.

We'll begin with the main theme that lists sixteen wines that are Eco-Friendly, including wines that are organic, biodynamic, and sustainable. Only one wine from this feature made my list of wine picks - a biodynamic wine from Spain that is a blend of 50/50 Cabernet Sauvignon and Graciano.

The mini-theme features the two southern Italian neighbouring wine regions of Puglia and Campania. Puglia is the "heel" of Italy, while Campania is the "shin". Puglia is mostly flat and known for producing big, rustic reds, and was historically known as a bulk wine producing region. Campania, on the other hand, is mostly hilly and produces sophisticated whites and aromatic reds, historically for Rome's emperors. It's a small theme, listing just six wines, but three of these wines are included among my top wine picks. From Puglia, there is a red wine made with the ancient Negroamaro grape. From Campania, there are a pair of white wines - a Falanghina and a Fiano.

Among red wines from the rest of the Release, the Minervois is a blend of Syrah and Carignan, while the 2010 Bordeaux is maturing well and consists of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc. From Veneto, the Ripasso is a blend of 70% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, and 10% Corvinone, while the Amarone is a blend of 70% Corvina/Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, and 10% Croatina/Oseleta. The Quanta da Rede from Portugal is a Touriga Nacional based blend, while the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a Grenache based blend. And lastly, the Brunello is, of course, made with 100% Sangiovese.

Among my top white wine picks, you're looking at mostly dry whites - Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Albariño. For sweet wine lovers, the 13th Street Riesling is off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet), while the Nomad Riesling is medium sweet, kicking up the sweetness levels a few notches.

Lastly, there are three lovely dry rosé wines, all at $20 a bottle. From Rhône, the first rosé is from Costières de Nîmes and is made with old vines consisting of 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre, while the second rosé is a Tavel that is blended with Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault. The rose from Niagara is made with Pinot Noir. I would recommend trying all three of these wines to see which one(s) you like the most.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• TABALÍ PEDREGOSO GRAN RESERVA CARMENÈRE 2014 - DO Cachapoal Valley, Chile (#569681) (XD) - $15.95
• LI VELI PASSAMANTE NEGROAMARO 2016 - DOC Salice Salentino, Puglia, Italy (#570077) (XD) - $16.95
• GÉRARD BERTRAND MINERVOIS SYRAH/CARIGNAN 2015 - AP, Midi, France (#952804) (XD) - $16.95
• TEZZA MA ROAT RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE 2015 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#084053) (XD) - $17.95
• PABLO CLARO BIODYNAMIC CABERNET SAUVIGNON/GRACIANO 2015 - Vinos de la Tierra de Castilla, Spain (#574467) (XD) - $18.95
• CHÂTEAU LA CARDONNE 2010 - AC Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#550244) (XD) - $26.95
• QUINTA DA REDE GRANDE RESERVA 2013 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#491993) (XD) - $28.95  FE
• DOMAINE RAYMOND USSEGLIO & FILS CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2015 - AC, Rhône, France (#539882) (XD) - $47.95
• LATIUM MORINI CAMPO LEÒN AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA 2012 - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#334300) (D) - $48.95
• FATTORIA DEI BARBI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2012 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#928028) (XD) - $54.95  92 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• INDOMITO FALANGHINA DEL BENEVENTANO 2016 - IGT, Campania, Italy (#562454) (XD) - $14.95
• NOMAD TRAVELLERS RIESLING 2017 - VQA Niagara Lakeshore, Ontario, Canada (#445775) (M) - $16.95
• DONNACHIARA MONTEFALCIONE FIANO DI AVELLINO 2015 - DOCG, Campania, Italy (#372482) (XD) - $18.95
• 13TH STREET JUNE’S VINEYARD RIESLING 2016 - VQA Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#147512) (D) - $19.95
• PAZO DAS BRUXAS ALBARIÑO 2016 - DO Rîas Baixas, Spain (#417667) (XD) - $19.95
• LEANING POST THE FIFTY CHARDONNAY 2015 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#578864) (XD) - $21.95
• AUNTSFIELD SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 - Southern Valleys, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#663286) (XD) - $21.95
• STAGS’ LEAP WINERY CHARDONNAY 2016 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#655381) (XD) - $39.95
• DE MORGENZON CHENIN BLANC RESERVE 2016 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#339762) (XD) - $39.95  FE
• DOMAINE FEVRE VAULORENT CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2015 - AC, Burgundy, France (#558593) (XD) - $49.95  FE

Rosé Wine:

• CHÂTEAU DE NAGES VIEILLES VIGNES ROSÉ 2017 - AP Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#496919) (XD) - $19.95  90 pts  wine review
• FAMILLE PERRIN TAVEL 2017 - AC, Rhône, France (#680801) (XD) - $19.95
• MALIVOIRE VIVANT ROSÉ 2017 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#498535) (XD) - $19.95  91 pts  wine review