May 29, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Spain + Australia

The main feature of the May 29, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release looks at the wines from Spain, while the mini-theme goes Down Under to look at the wines from Australia. All of these wines, plus those from the main release, should be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the main theme that looks at the wines from Spain. There are many lovely wines among the 14 featured in the theme, with four included among my top wine picks. From Rioja, first up is an excellent 1998 Reserva that is a blend of 95% Tempranillo and 5% Mazuelo / Graciano, while the 2015 Reserva from Rioja Alta consists of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Garnacha / Graciano / Mazuelo. Single varietal wines include a lovely Tempranillo from Castilla y León, and a Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre) from Alicante.

The mini-theme on Australian wines features 11 wines, and while there are a number of good wines listed, only three are included among my top wine recommendations from Australia. The lone white wine is a blend of non-traditional Australian varietals that consists of 45% Marsanne, 33% Viognier, and 22% Roussanne, nearly half of which was aged in oak. The other two Australian wines are red wines - a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Pinot Noir.

There are quite a few blends among my red wine picks. From South America, the Chilean red wine is a blend of 31% Syrah, 29% Cabernet Franc, 25% Carménère, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, while the Argentinean red wine consists of 55% Malbec, 19% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, 2% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. The Rhône red is a blend of Syrah and Grenache, while the Sicilian red is made with Nero d'Avola and Syrah. Lastly, the red wine from South Africa is a Shiraz-led blend that also includes Cinsault, among other varietals.

Among my white wine recommendations from the rest of the release, all are single varietal wines. Dry white wines include the Muscadet that is made with the Melon de Bourgogne grape, as well as a trio of lovely whites from Italy - Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige, Falanghina from Campania, and the Gavi from Piedmont that is made with the Cortese grape. If you prefer off-dry wines (i.e. some sweetness), look to either Riesling from Ontario or the Pinot Blanc from British Columbia. If you like even sweeter wines, the Riesling from Mosel will surely satisfy.

Lastly, the dry rosé from Provence is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• TARAPACÁ ORGANIC GRAN RESERVA 2018 - Sustainable, Maipo Valley, Chile (#19245) (XD) - $17.95
• LA TREMENDA MONASTRELL 2017 - DO Alicante, Spain (#490011) (XD) - $17.95
• WAKEFIELD PINOT NOIR 2018 - Adelaide Hills, South Australia (#197392) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• WAKEFIELD ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#744235) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• FIRRIATO SANTAGOSTINO BAGLIO SORÌA NERO D'AVOLA/SYRAH 2014 - IGT Terre Siciliane, Sicily, Italy (#291369) (XD) - $19.95
• LEEUWENKUIL RESERVE RED 2019 - WO Swartland, South Africa (#14890) (XD) - $19.95

• ALEJANDRO FERNÁNDEZ DEHESA LA GRANJA 2015 - Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León, Spain (#192476) (XD) - $21.95
• CUNE RESERVA 2015 - Rioja Alta, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#417659) (XD) - $21.95
• J.L. CHAVE SÉLECTION MON COEUR CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2018 - AC, France (#995548) (XD) - $23.95
• CLOS DE LOS SIETE 2018 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#622571) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• URBINA RESERVA 1998 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#10723) (XD) - $42.95  92 pts  wine review
• BURROWING OWL SYRAH 2018 - BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#73072) (XD) - $43.95
• MICHELE CHIARLO TORTONIANO BAROLO 2015 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#586388) (XD) - $44.95

White Wine:

• CHÂTEAU DE LA GRANGE VIEILLES VIGNES CÔTES DE GRAND LIEU SUR LIE MUSCADET 2018 - AP, Loire, France (#637868) (XD) - $13.95
• ST. HUBERTUS PINOT BLANC 2016 - BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#648899) (D) - $16.95  88 pts  wine review
• TURKEY FLAT BAROSSA VALLEY WHITE 2017 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#17646) (XD) - $17.95  90 pts  wine review
• CASA DEA RIESLING 2018 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#19915) (D) - $18.95
• MASTROBERARDINO FALANGHINA DEL SANNIO 2018 - DOC, Campania, Italy (#562173) (XD) - $20.95
• FONTANAFREDDA GAVI DI GAVI 2019 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#366948) (XD) - $21.95  90 pts  wine review
• HILL PINOT GRIGIO 2018 - DOC Alto Adige, Italy (#17365) (XD) - $21.95
• CAPE POINT RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - WO Cape Town, South Africa (#18698) (XD) - $24.95  FE
• HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE RIESLING 2017 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#183491) (D) - $24.95  91 pts  wine review
• BISCHÖFLICHE WEINGÜTER TRIER PIESPORTER GOLDTROPFCHEN RIESLING KABINETT 2018 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#629998) (MS) - $27.95

Rosé Wine:

• MIMI EN PROVENCE GRANDE RÉSERVE ROSÉ 2020 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#452573) (XD) - $21.95