May 15, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: France + Portugal

With the arrival of Spring weather, the main theme of the May 15, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release focuses on fresh, French sippers, while the mini-theme looks at wines from Portugal. All of these wines, plus those from the main release should arrive on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the main theme that looks at fresh French wines for sipping - which can surely be enjoyed on their own or with a meal. Of the fourteen wines featured, four are included among my top wine picks. First up a traditional method sparkling wine from Limoux that is made using 90% Mauzac and 10% Chardonnay. The white wine from Rhône is a blend of 60% Viognier, 20% Grenache Blanc, and 20% Roussanne, while the Minuty Rosé consists of Grenache (Noir), Cinsault, and Syrah. Lastly, the wine from Beaujolais is made with 100% Gamay.

The mini-theme on wines from Portugal is a small feature with just six wines, and the lone wine included among my Portuguese wine recommendations is an unoaked red that is a field blend of 27 grape varieties from old vines.

From my red wine picks from the rest of the release, the South African red is a blend of 71% Syrah, 11% Grenache, 9% Cinsault, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Viognier, while the Châteauneuf-du-Pape consists of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. There are also a pair of lovely Syrah/Shiraz and Grenache blends - the wine from Roussillon consists of 70% Syrah and 30% old vines Grenache, while the Australian red is a blend of 60% Shiraz and 40% Grenache. Lastly, the wine from Sicily is a blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. Single varietal wines include a pair of Cabernet Franc wines - one each from Niagara and Argentina, as well as a pair of Pinot Noir wines - one from Chile and one from New Zealand - that you can compare and contrast with each other.

Among my white wine recommendations, all are single varietal wines including a pair of fine Sauvignon Blanc wines, one from Sancerre and the other from New Zealand. From South America, there is also a nice Semillon from Argentina, as well as a lovely Chardonnay from Chile. For Riesling wine lovers, there is a dry Riesling from Australia, an off-dry Riesling (i.e. slightly sweet) from Niagara, and a very sweet Riesling from Mosel.

All of my top rosé wine picks from this release are stylistically dry rosé wines. From Provence, the Pigoudet is a blend of Cinsault and Grenache, while the Ott Rosé consists of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Lastly, the rosé from Languedoc consists of 45% Cinsault, 40% Grenache, 10% Caladoc, and 5% Syrah.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• LUA CHEIA OLD VINES RED 2019 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#266882) (XD) - $15.95
• DOMAINE DE LA MADONE LE PERRÉON BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES 2019 - AC, France (#981175) (XD) - $17.95
• FABRE MONTMAYOU RESERVA CABERNET FRANC 2018 - Mendoza, Argentina (#492736) (XD) - $18.95
• FEATHERSTONE CABERNET FRANC 2018 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#64618) (XD) - $19.95
• BASTIDE MIRAFLORS SYRAH/VIEILLES VIGNES GRENACHE 2018 - AP Côtes du Roussillon, France (#320499) (XD) - $19.95
• PAXTON AAA SHIRAZ/GRENACHE 2019 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#149898) (XD) - $21.95  90+ pts  wine review
  
• BABICH PINOT NOIR 2018 - Sustainable, estate bottled, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#216) (XD) - $22.95  89 pts  wine review
• ERRÁZURIZ ACONCAGUA COSTA PINOT NOIR 2019 - DO Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#541151) (XD) - $24.95  91+ pts  wine review
• TORNATORE ETNA ROSSO 2017 - DOC, Sicily, Italy (#487090) (XD) - $25.95  91 pts  wine review
• THE CHOCOLATE BLOCK 2019 - WO Swartland, South Africa (#129353) (XD) - $39.95
• LA FERME DU MONT VENDANGE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2018 - AP, Rhône, France (#309245) (XD) - $57.95
  

White Wine:

• LES VIGNERONS DU CASTELAS LE MONARQUE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2019 - AP, France (#18570) (XD) - $15.95  88+ pts  wine review
• WAKEFIELD RIESLING 2019 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#301523) (XD) - $16.95  90 pts  wine review
• ARBOLEDA CHARDONNAY 2019 - DO Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#606772) (XD) - $18.95
• PADDY BORTHWICK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand (#361220) (XD) - $19.95
• EL ENEMIGO SEMILLON 2018 - Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina (#17457) (XD) - $23.95  FE
• CAVE SPRING CSV RIESLING 2018 - Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#566026) (D) - $29.95
• JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2019 - AC, Loire, France (#189126) (XD) - $33.95  92 pts  wine review
• DR. H. THANISCH ERBEN MÜLLER-BURGGRAEF BERNKASTELER GRABEN RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2018 - Estate bottled, Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#18287) (S) - $33.95
  

Rosé Wine:

• LE BIJOU DE SOPHIE VALROSE 2020 - IGP Coteaux de Béziers, Languedoc, France (#20012) (XD) - $16.95
• CHÂTEAU PIGOUDET CLASSIC ROSÉ 2020 - AP Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, France (#668434) (XD) - $24.95
• M DE MINUTY ROSÉ 2020 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#575316) (XD) - $26.95
• OTT BY.OTT ROSÉ 2020 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#490896) (XD) - $31.95
  

Sparkling Wine:

• J. LAURENS LE MOULIN BRUT BLANQUETTE DE LIMOUX - Traditional method, AP, Midi, France (#180323) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• BLUE MOUNTAIN BLANC DE BLANCS 2011 - Estate bottled, traditional method, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#17693) (XD) - $54.95  FE