December 7, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Festive Get-Togethers

The December 7, 2019 VINTAGES Release is the final release of the year and it's a mono-themed release featuring Fine Wines for Festive Get-Togethers, which also includes a fine selection of sparkling wines. All of the wines from this release will be on shelves by this Saturday, with a subset possibly arriving a bit later.

We begin with feature on table wines for Festive Get-Togethers. There are 18 wines listed as part of this theme, of which five are included among my wine picks. The lone white wine from this part of the release is an excellent Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre. Among the reds, single varietal wines include a Petit Verdot, the Gran Reserva from Rioja that is made with Tempranillo, and the Chianti Classico that is made with Sangiovese. Lastly, the Bordeaux is a blend of 88% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Carmenère.

The second part of this theme is titled Festive Fizz and focuses on fine sparkling wines. Of the eleven sparkling wines featured, four are included among my top wine recommendations. First up at the entry level is a dry Prosecco made using the Glera grape. Moving up in price and quality, the classy bubbly from Ontario is made with Chardonnay. And last but not least, the 1er Cru Champagne is made with 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, while the Brut Champagne is a blend of 49% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, and 11% Pinot Meunier.

From my red wine recommendations, the 2014 Reserva from Rioja consists of Tempranillo and Graciano. From Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of mainly Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, while the Côtes du Rhône is a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah. Last, but definitely not the least, the superb Cepparello Super Tuscan is made with 100% Sangiovese.

Among white wine picks from the rest of the Release, the only blends are an Australian white made with 62% Sauvignon Blanc and 38% Semillon, while the Vinho Verde is a blend of 85% Alvarinho and 15% Trajadura. The rest are all single varietals, and for those that prefer sweeter wines, the Mosel Riesling should be on your shopping list.

Happy holidays and enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CLEMENTE VII CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#421388) (XD) - $18.95  88 pts  wine review
• BODEM LAS MARGAS GARNACHA 2017 - DO Cariñena, Spain (#10700) (XD) - $19.95  88+ pts  wine review
• TERRAZAS DE LOS ANDES RESERVA MALBEC 2017 - Mendoza, Argentina (#29280) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• HACIENDA LÓPEZ DE HARO RESERVA 2014 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#357335) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• CLOS ST. ANTONIN 2016 - AC Côtes du Rhône, France (#10513) (XD) - $19.95
• PIRRAMIMMA PETIT VERDOT 2016 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#986752) (XD) - $28.95  90 pts  wine review
• LEALTANZA GRAN RESERVA 2010 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#453548) (XD) - $31.95  91 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU BOUTISSE 2016 - AC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France (#368175) (XD) - $40.95  91+ pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU MONT-REDON CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2016 - AC, Rhône, France (#959627) (XD) - $49.95  91 pts  wine review
• TWO HANDS BELLA'S GARDEN SHIRAZ 2017 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#636407) (XD) - $59.95
• ISOLE E OLENA CEPPARELLO 2016 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#25650 / #25601) (XD) (750 mL / 1500 mL) - $113.95 / $256.95  94 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• MURALHAS DE MONÇÃO VINHO VERDE 2018 - Monção e Melgaço, DOC Vinho Verde, Portugal (#80374) (XD) - $15.95  88+ pts  wine review
• DOMÄNE WACHAU TERRASSEN FEDERSPIEL GRÜNER VELTLINER 2018 - DAC Wachau, Austria (#31534) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• KEN FORRESTER OLD VINE RESERVE CHENIN BLANC 2018 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#231282) (XD) - $17.95  90 pts  wine review
• JULES TAYLOR SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - Certified sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#224428) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• DOMÄNE WACHAU TERRASSEN FEDERSPIEL RIESLING 2018 - DAC Wachau, Austria (#491902) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• THE LANE GATHERING SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON / SEMILLON 2016 - Adelaide Hills, South Australia (#10539) (XD) - $24.95  91 pts  wine review
• FLAT ROCK THE RUSTY SHED CHARDONNAY 2018 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#1552) (XD) - $26.95
• BISCHÖFLICHE WEINGÜTER TRIER SCHARZHOFBERGER RIESLING KABINETT 2017 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#670752) (S) - $27.95  90+ pts  wine review
• JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE MARNES ET CAILLOTTES SANCERRE 2018 - AC, Loire, France (#196667) (XD) - $31.95  92 pts  wine review

Sparkling Wine:

• DESIDERIUS PONGRÁCZ BRUT CAP CLASSIQUE SPARKLING CHARDONNAY / PINOT NOIR - Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa (#404111) (XD) - $16.95  90 pts  wine review
• BELCANTO DI BELLUSSI EXTRA DRY PROSECCO DI VALDOBBIADENE SUPERIORE - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#53215) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• HENRY OF PELHAM CUVÉE CATHARINE CARTE BLANCHE ESTATE BLANC DE BLANC 2014 - Traditional method, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#315200) (XD) - $49.95  92 pts  wine review
• VILMART ET CIE GRANDE RÉSERVE 1ER CRU CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#12619) (XD) - $69.95  92 pts  wine review
• RUINART R DE RUINART BRUT CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#189878) (D) - $88.95  92 pts  wine review

Fortified:

• CÉSAR FLORIDO CHIPIONA DORADO MOSCATEL - DO, Spain (#10824) (S) (375 mL) - $17.95
• CALEM 20-YEAR-OLD TAWNY PORT - DOP, Portugal (#10902) (S) - $56.95