January 11, 2020 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Smart Buys

Happy New Year! The January 11, 2020 LCBO VINTAGES Release is the first release of the new year (and decade) and it is the annual "Smart Buys" Release - a theme that is perennially featured in the first release of the year. All of the wines from the thematic, as well as the rest of the release will appear on shelves by this Saturday.

We'll begin with the "Smart Buys" theme that focuses on great-value wines. After the many expensive releases leading up to the holidays. This release is very much wallet-friendly, but at the same time does offer some quality wines to add to your collection. Nearly all of the 27 wines featured in the "Smart Buys" section are under $20, with six included among my top wine picks. Smart Buys in white wines include a Chenin Blanc from South Africa and a Falanghina from Italy. Red wines that are Smart Buys include a pair of relatively mature wines - a Tempranillo from Rioja and a Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley. Lastly, red wine blends from the Smart Buys section include a 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 20% Mourvèdre blend from Costières de Nîmes, and a 60/40 Shiraz/Grenache blend from McLaren Vale.

Among my red wine picks from the rest of the Release, there are a pair of lovely Rhône reds. The Cairanne is a blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 20% Carignan, while the Lirac is a blend of 55% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 15% Syrah, 10% Carignan, and 5% Mourvèdre. Lastly, the Corbières is a blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache.

There are no blends among the rest of my white wine recommendations. But there are some lovely dry wines include a pair of Chardonnays, a Pinot Gris, a Sauvignon Blanc, and a Muscadet which is made with the Melon de Bourgogne varietal. For sweet wine lovers, there are quite a few lovely offerings - an off-dry Riesling from Alsace, a medium dry Riesling from New Zealand, and finally, a mature Riesling Kabinett from Germany.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CHÂTEAU SAINT-LOUIS LA PERDRIX L'ENVOL 2018 - AP Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#10514) (XD) - $12.95  88 pts  wine review
• PIATTELLI RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2016 - Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina (#10968) (XD) - $16.95  89 pts  wine review
• BRELLA PINOT NOIR 2014 - Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#514786) (XD) - $16.95  90 pts  wine review
• FINCA LOS MAZA RESERVA MALBEC 2016 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#10772) (XD) - $17.00  89 pts  wine review
• CAMILLE CAYRAN CAVE DE CAIRANNE LE CHÊNE NOIR 2017 - AP Côtes du Rhône-Villages, France (#10006) (XD) - $17.00  89 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU DE TRÉVIAC CORBIÈRES 2017 - AP, Midi, France (#670505) (D) - $17.95

• MARQUES DE LA CONCORDIA VIÑA ALARDE RESERVA 2013 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#10548) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• PAXTON AAA SHIRAZ/GRENACHE 2017 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#149898) (XD) - $19.95  90 pts  wine review
• FLAT ROCK PINOT NOIR 2018 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#1545) (XD) - $21.95  90+ pts  wine review
• UNDURRAGA TERROIR HUNTER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2016 - Cauquenes, Maule Valley, Chile (#630350) (XD) - $24.95  FE
• AMAYNA SYRAH 2016 - Leyda Valley, Chile (#143529) (XD) - $28.95  FE
• CHÂTEAU DE MONTFAUCON BARON LOUIS LIRAC 2015 - AP, Rhône, France (#13438) (XD) - $29.95  91 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• TUSSOCK JUMPER CHENIN BLANC 2019 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#480764) (XD) - $12.95  88 pts  wine review
• LACHETEAU MUSCADET 2018 - AP, Loire, France (#10697) (XD) - $13.95  87 pts  wine review
• RIOLITE IL POGGIO GUERRIERO FALANGHINA BENEVENTANO 2017 - IGP, Campania, Italy (#10950) (D) - $15.95  87 pts  wine review
• PIERRE SPARR SOL CALCAIRE RIESLING 2015 - AC Alsace, France (#10683) (D) - $18.95  89 pts  wine review
• DR. SIEMENS SERRIGER WÜRZBURG FEINHERB RIESLING KABINETT 2010 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#524827) (M) - $18.95  FE
• BABICH BLACK LABEL PINOT GRIS 2017 - Estate grown and bottled, certified sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#447417) (XD) - $19.95  88+ pts  wine review
• TWO RIVERS CONVERGENCE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - Certified sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#277707) (XD) - $19.95
• THE DOCTORS' RIESLING 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#12321) (M) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• BACHELDER MINERALITÉ DE L'OREGON CHARDONNAY 2015 - Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#273334) (XD) - $24.95
• BACHELDER WISMER-FOXCROFT N. 2 CHARDONNAY 2015 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#547299) (XD) - $44.95