Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES Release Nov. 24, 2018: France + Washington

The November 24, 2018 LCBO VINTAGES Release is the second last VINTAGES Release of the year and features French wines in its main theme, while the mini-theme features wines from Washington. All of these wines will be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario this Saturday.

We'll begin with the main theme that is titled "French Treasures" and lists 14 wines, but only 3 are included among my top wine picks. First up are a pair of whites - a Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre, and a Chardonnay from Pouilly-Fuissé in Burgundy. The third wine is a Champagne made with 40% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir, and 10% Pinot Meunier. Surprisingly, no reds are included among my wine recommendations from this feature. However, not to worry, as there are some other delightful French red wines to choose from.

The mini-theme features 7 wines from Washington, of which only the Hedges Family Estate Red made my list of wine picks. This red wine hails from the highly-acclaimed Red Mountain AVA and is a blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, 2% Syrah, and 2% Petit Verdot.

There are lots of lovely red wines to choose from in this Release. We'll begin in France, where the M. Chapoutier wine is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan, while the Chusclan from the excellent 2015 Rhône vintage is a blend of 60% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre. From Italy, the Losi Querciavalle Chianti Classico is a lovely blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo, while the Gran Selezione is a blend of 80% Sangiovese, 13% Merlot, and 7% Malvasia Nera. Staying in Italy, the wine from Ornellaia is a blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Sauvignon. From Ontario, the Hidden Bench red reveals a blend of 36% Cabernet Franc, 34% Merlot, and 24% Malbec, while the Stratus Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.

Among my white wine picks, the Bordeaux white is a blend of 57% Sauvignon Blanc and 43% Sémillon, while the white from Veneto is made with 100% Trebbiano di Lugana. The only white with any sweetness is the Organic Riesling from Niagara.

Lastly, from Ontario, the Sparkling Wine is made with Chardonnay in the traditional method, while the Fortified wine is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet, and a hint of Shiraz.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Salud!

Red Wine:

• M. CHAPOUTIER LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON-VILLAGES 2017 - AC, Midi, France (#168716) (XD) - $15.95
• VIÑA TARAPACÁ GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2016 - DO Maipo Valley, Chile (#18721) (XD) - $17.95  88 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU SIGNAC CHUSCLAN 2015 - AP Côtes du Rhône-Villages, France (#537878) (XD) - $18.95
• TERRAZAS DE LOS ANDES RESERVA MALBEC 2015 - Mendoza, Argentina (#29280) (XD) - $19.95
• LOSI QUERCIAVALLE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2012 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#515478) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review

• WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE SHIRAZ 2016 - Coonawarra, South Australia (#433060) (XD) - $23.95
• LE VOLTE DELL’ORNELLAIA 2016 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#964221) (XD) - $29.95  89 pts  wine review
• LAKEVIEW CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#12617) (D) - $29.95  89 pts  wine review
• SONVIDA RESERVE MALBEC 2015 - Paraje Altmira, Mendoza, Argentina (#458240) (XD) - $29.95
• HEDGES FAMILY ESTATE RED 2013 - Red Mountain, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#1594) (XD) - $38.95

• HIDDEN BENCH TERROIR CACHÉ 2015 - Unfiltered, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#505610) (XD) - $44.95
• STRATUS RED 2015 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#131037) (XD) - $48.20
• DOMAINE DROUHIN OREGON PINOT NOIR 2015 - Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#961284) (XD) - $49.95  92 pts  wine review
• CASTELLO DI AMA SAN LORENZO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2014 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#418897) (XD) - $54.95
• PECCHENINO SAN GIUSEPPE BAROLO 2013 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#181396) (XD) - $59.95

White Wine:

• SANTA CAROLINA GRAN RESERVA CHARDONNAY 2016 - DO Limarí Valley, Chile (#928580) (XD) - $16.95  88 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU BONNET 2016 - AC Entre-Deux-Mers, Bordeaux, France (#568535) (XD) - $16.95
• ZENATO SAN BENEDETTO LUGANA 2017 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#707158) (D) - $18.95
• CAVE SPRING ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2016 - Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#256552) (XD) - $19.95  88 pts  wine review
• TIEFENBRUNNER PINOT GRIGIO 2017 - IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Alto Adige, Italy (#474742) (XD) - $19.95
• SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC RIESLING 2016 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#581603) (D) - $22.95
• DOG POINT SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#677450) (XD) - $26.95
• SOUMAH CHARDONNAY 2017 - Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia (#609305) (XD) - $27.95
• CHÂTEAU DE FONTAINE-AUDON SANCERRE 2016 - AP, Loire, France (#745893) (XD) - $32.95
• J.J. VINCENT MARIE-ANTOINETTE POUILLY-FUISSÉ 2016 - AC, Burgundy, France (#525113) (XD) - $37.95

Sparkling Wine:

• FLAT ROCK RIDDLED SPARKLING 2011 - Traditional method, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#383315) (D) - $34.95
• BOIZEL GRAND VINTAGE BRUT CHAMPAGNE 2007 - AC, France (#484071) (XD) - $94.95

Fortified:

• UNION FORTÉ 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#361758) (S) (500 mL) - $17.95