Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES Release May 25, 2019: Brilliant Women + Bubbles

The main theme of the upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release May 25, 2019 is titled "Sister Act" and features some brilliant women from the wine world, while the mini-theme features some super sparkling wines. All of the wines from this Release will arrive on LCBO VINTAGES shelves by this Saturday.

We begin with the main theme that looks at 13 women in wine. Of the 20 wines featured as part of this theme, 6 are include among my top wine picks. Ann Sperling is the Director of Winemaking at Southbrook, and her single vineyard Riesling is a lovely off-dry, organic and biodynamic wine from Niagara. Dr. Laura Catena was born into Argentina's most prominent wine family, and her Altamira Vineyard Malbec is a lovely wine to enjoy over several years. Virginia Willcock is the chief winemaker at Vasse Felix and prefers a hands-off approach to allow the vineyard to express itself, as it does with her Margaret River Chardonnay. Nadia Barnard believes in working in harmony with nature, so she is a good fit for the organic and biodynamic Waterkloof Wines - she brings us her Circle of Life white wine that is a blend of 72% Sauvignon Blanc and 28% Chenin Blanc. Lastly, I met with Maria Larrea, Techincal Director and Chief Winemaker at Spain's legendary Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (CVNE) earlier this month and a full report from that tasting will be posted soon. In the meantime, I can tell you that both Cune Crianza and CVNE Imperial Reserva are made with 85% Tempranillo and 15% Garnacha Tinta/Mazuelo.

From the mini-theme that focuses on sparkling wines, two of the seven bubbly's are included among my wine recommendations, and both are from Canada and made using the Traditional Method. The bubbly from British Columbia consists of 50% Pinot Noir, 45.5% Chardonnay, and 4.5% Pinot Gris, while the Trius Brut Rosé is mostly Pinot Noir.

My red wine picks contain several great buys. From France, the Morgon is 100% Gamay from one of the best Cru vineyard sites in Beaujolais and is located one the slopes of a volcano, while the Crozes-Hermitage is a classic, northern Rhône Syrah. Also from France, the Bordeaux red consists of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, while the Languedoc red is a blend of 55% Grenache and 45% Syrah. Lastly, the California Cab actually consists of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc.

Among my white wine picks from the rest of the Release, most are single varietal wines, including the Blanco from Spain that is made with 100% Viura, while the outstanding Fumé Blanc is made with Sauvignon Blanc. The Creekside Iconoclast is a blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Semillon that sees some time in neutral French oak. If you prefer sweeter wines, check out the Riesling Kabinett from Germany.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CVNE CUNE CRIANZA 2015 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#039925) (XD) - $16.95  88 pts  wine review
• TONEL 46 MALBEC 2015 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#629808) (XD) - $17.95  88 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU GAUMARAN 2014 - AC Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#634014) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• CHÁTEAU PUECH-HAUT LES COMPLICES 2016 - AP Languedoc, France (#644666) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• PAXTON MV SHIRAZ 2016 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#327403) (XD) - $19.95  90+ pts  wine review
• CATENA PARAJE ALTAMIRA MALBEC 2016 - Paraje Altamira, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#492413) (XD) - $22.95  90 pts  wine review
• STÉPHANE AVIRON VIEILLES VIGNES MORGON CÔTE DU PY 2014 - AC, Beaujolais, France (#424804) (XD) - $23.95  90+ pts  wine review
• CAVE DE TAIN GRAND CLASSIQUE CROZES-HERMITAGE 2015 - AC, Rhône, France (#572230) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
• CVNE IMPERIAL RESERVA 2014 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#424390) (XD) - $39.95  92 pts  wine review
• CLIFF LEDE STAGS LEAP DISTRICT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2016 - Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California, USA (#014217) (XD) - $119.95  FE

White Wine:

• MURIEL FINCAS DE LA VILLA BLANCO 2018 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#645127) (XD) - $14.95  89 pts  wine review
• FEUDO ANTICO BIOLOGICO PECORINO 2017 - IGP Terre di Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy (#644930) (D) - $15.95  88 pts  wine review
• WATERKLOOF CIRCLE OF LIFE 2015 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#284588) (XD) - $19.95  88 pts  wine review
• THE LANE VINEYARD BLOCK 1A CHARDONNAY 2017 - Adelaide Hills, South Australia (#429233) (XD) $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• SOUTHBROOK HEATHER'S HOME VINEYARD RIESLING 2017 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#650135) (D) - $22.95  91 pts  wine review
• CREEKSIDE ICONOCLAST SÉMILLON/SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#520627) (XD) - $23.00  89 pts  wine review
• VASSE FELIX FILIUS CHARDONNAY 2018 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#416511) (XD) - $24.95  91 pts  wine review
• REICHSGRAF VON KESSELSTATT KASELER NIES’CHEN RIESLING KABINETT 2016 - VDP Grosse Lage, Mosel, Germany (#940809) (MS) - $27.95  FE
• HIDDEN BENCH FUMÉ BLANC 2017 - Rosomel Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#068825) (XD) - $29.95  FE  92 pts  wine review
• KISTLER LES NOISETIERS CHARDONNAY 2017 - Sonoma Coast, California, USA (#251223) (XD) - $99.95

Sparkling Wine:

• BLUE MOUNTAIN GOLD LABEL BRUT SPARKLING - Traditional method, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#206326) (XD) - $29.95  90 pts  wine review
• TRIUS BRUT ROSÉ - Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#184309) (XD) - $32.95  90 pts  wine review

Dessert Wine:

• PALATINE HILLS VIDAL ICEWINE 2012 - VQA Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#614842) (S) (200 mL) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review