Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES Release Apr. 13, 2019: Organic + Bordeaux

The upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release on April 13, 2019 features Organic Wines in its main theme, while mini-theme focuses on wines from Bordeaux's left and right banks. All of these wines, plus many others will be available on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We'll begin with the main theme that features 16 Organic Wines from around the world, of which 7 are included among my wine recommendations. Both Sparkling Wines are organic, with the bubbly from Chile consisting of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir, while the sparkler from Ontario is made with Riesling. Organic white wines include a Torrontés from Chile, a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Also, the Lagarde Blanc from Bordeaux is a 60/40 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, while the dry Riesling is from Germany. The lone organic red wine is a Chianti Classico that is made with 100% Sangiovese.

The mini-theme looks at red wines from Bordeaux's left and right banks. Red wines from Bordeaux are quite often blends, with Left Bank wines typically based on Cabernet Sauvignon, while Right Bank wines are typically based on either Merlot or Cabernet Franc. In this Release, there are 8 wines featured and 3 are included among my top wine picks. My personal preference leans towards Cabernet Sauvignon, so all three of my picks from this feature are from the Left Bank. The Médoc is a blend of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot, while the pretty 2009 Haut-Médoc is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Last, but definitely not the least, the Pessac-Léognan is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot.

Red wines from the rest of the Release include a 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot blend from Australia, as well as an 87% Tempranillo and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Spain. From South Africa, the Glenelly Red Blend consists of 40% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot, while the M. Chapoutier from Roussillon is a lovely blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 5% Carignan, and 5% Mourvèdre. Lastly, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, and 5% Cinsault.

Among my white wine picks from the rest of the Release, all are single varietal wines. Included among them is the Anselmi that is made with 100% Garganega, and the Rochemorin Blanc from Bordeaux that is 100% Sauvignon Blanc. There is also a Chenin Blanc from South Africa and a pair of (oaked) Chardonnays from California.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Salud!

Red Wine:

• FERNGROVE FRANKLAND RIVER CABERNET/MERLOT 2016 - Frankland River, Western Australia (#632638) (XD) - $16.95  89 pts  wine review
• LA LEGUA EL TRANSFORMADOR TEMPRANILLO/CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014 - DO Cigales, Spain (#645812) (XD) - $18.95  88 pts  wine review
• HERDADE DA PIMENTA TOURIGA NACIONAL/TOURIGA FRANCA/ALICANTE BOUSCHET 2013 - Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal (#445114) (XD) - $19.95  88 pts  wine review
• PRIMUS CARMENÈRE 2017 - Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile (#439356) (XD) - $19.95
• GLENELLY ESTATE RESERVE RED BLEND 2011 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#652289) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU PIERRE DE MONTIGNAC 2014 - Cru Bourgeois, AC Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#437954) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
• IL MOLINO DI GRACE RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2014 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#382945) (XD) - $24.95  91 pts  wine review
• M. CHAPOUTIER BILA-HAUT OCCULTUM LAPIDEM 2016 - AC Côtes du Roussillon-Villages Latour-de-France, France (#643239) (XD) - $26.95  91+ pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU LAROSE-TRINTAUDON 2009 - Cru Bourgeois, AC Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#297945) (XD) - $29.95  91 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU LA GARDE 2015 - AC Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France (#682617) (XD) - $49.95  92 pts  wine review
• LE VIEUX DONJON CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2016 - AC, Rhône, France (#700922) (XD) - $67.95  FE

White Wine:

• SANTA JULIA ORGANIC TORRONTÉS 2018 - Mendoza, Argentina (#232694) (XD) - $13.95  87 pts  wine review
• L’AVENIR FAR & NEAR CHENIN BLANC 2018 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#556365) (XD) - $15.95
• WITTMANN 100 HILLS TROCKEN RIESLING 2017 - Qualitätswein, Rheinhessen, Germany (#645176) (XD) - $17.95  88 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU LES HAUTS DE LAGARDE BLANC 2018 - AC Bordeaux, France (#387787) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• SERESIN SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#735043) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
• ANSELMI CAPITEL CROCE 2015 - IGT Veneto, Italy (#966655) (D) - $26.95  FE
• CHÂTEAU DE ROCHEMORIN BLANC 2015 - AC Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France (#091371) (XD) - $31.95
• RAMEY CHARDONNAY 2014 - Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California, USA (#613786) (XD) - $51.00  FE
• FAR NIENTE CHARDONNAY 2017 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#539130) (XD) - $99.95

Rosé Wine:

• THREE OF HEARTS ROSÉ 2018 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#552562) (D) - $19.95  88 pts  wine review

Sparkling Wine:

• KEW VINEYARDS ORGANIC RIESLING SPARKLING 2017 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#645309) (XD) - $19.95  88 pts  wine review
• EMILIANA ORGANIC BRUT SPARKLING - Traditional method, DO Casablanca Valley, Chile (#536607) (XD) - $19.95  88 pts  wine review