June 12, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Chile + Fizz

The main theme from the June 12, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release focuses on wines from Chile, while the mini-feature looks at sparkling wines. All of these wines from the themes, as well as those from the main release should be on shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the main theme that looks at the wine valleys of Chile. Among the thirteen wines featured, six are included among my top wine picks. Starting in one of Chile's northernmost winegrowing regions, the Limarí Valley, there is a traditional method sparkling wine made with 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. From the coastal part of the Aconcagua Valley, just north of Santiago, is a lovely cool-climate Syrah. Moving to the south-side of Santiago, from Cachapoal Valley, which is a sub-region of the Rapel Valley, the Sideral is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Syrah, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, and 3% Carmenère. Just south of Cachapoal Valley is the Colchagua Valley, and from here there is a fine Sauvignon Gris - a clonal mutation of Sauvignon Blanc, as well as a Cabernet Sauvignon that is blended with 5% Petit Verdot. The fifth and final wine is a little further south, from the Maule Valley, Chile's largest winemaking region, and this red wine is made with 100% Carignan.

In all, there are eight wines featured as part of the mini-theme on sparkling wines and just one bubbly is included among my wine recommendations. Surprisingly, the lone fizz is from New Mexico (!) and is made in the traditional method using 100% Pinot Noir.

From my red wine picks, the Côtes du Rhône-Villages is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, while the Bordeaux red consists of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The rest are all single varietal wines that offer a fairly wide array of options for just about any palate.

Among my white wine picks, all are single varietal wines with quite a few Chardonnay recommendations, including an unoaked Chardonnay from Niagara. Other wines include a Torrontés from Argentina, a Vermentino from Italy, and a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. If you want a wine with a little bit of sweetness, the Niagara Riesling is your choice!

Both of my rosé recommendations are dry rosé wines. The lovely rosé from Provence is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Rolle (aka Vermentino), while the rosé from Roussillon consists of 45% Grenache Gris, 45% Grenache Noir, and 10% Macabeu.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Salud!

Red Wine:

• CHÂTEAU LE GRAND RETOUR PLAN DE DIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2018 - AC, France (#224592) (XD) - $15.95
• LAURA HARTWIG SINGLE VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - DO Colchagua Valley, Chile (#13428) (XD) - $16.95  88 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU SAINT-SERNIN MALBEC DE CALCAIRE 2015 - AC Cahors, Southwest, France (#15773) (XD) - $18.95
• PENLEY PHOENIX CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Coonawarra, South Australia (#639575) (XD) - $18.95
• EMILIANA VIGNO VIGNADORES DE CARIGNAN 2017 - Vegan, sustainable, DO Maule Valley, Chile (#19247) (XD) - $19.95
• PAXTON MV SHIRAZ 2019 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#327403) (XD) - $19.95

• ERRÁZURIZ SYRAH 2018 - DO Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#387910) (XD) - $21.95  91 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU GUILLOU 2016 - AC Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France (#140483) (XD) - $23.95  91 pts  wine review
• ANTHONY JOSEPH VIDAL RESERVE PINOT NOIR 2017 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#538900) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
• SAN PEDRO SIDERAL 2018 - DO Cachapoal Valley Andes, Chile (#632927) (XD) - $29.95
• QUINTA DO COVÃO RESERVA TOURIGA NACIONAL 2016 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#18410) (XD) - $33.95
• BRAMASOLE LA BRACCESCA SYRAH 2017 - DOC Cortona, Tuscany, Italy (#12741) (XD) - $66.95  FE

White Wine:

• FLAT ROCK UNPLUGGED UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2019 - Sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#68015) (XD) - $17.95
• KAIKEN TERROIR SERIES TORRONTÉS 2020 - Vegan, Cafayate, Salta, Argentina (#330407) (XD) - $18.95
• CASA SILVA 1912 VINES SAUVIGNON GRIS 2020 - Sustainable, DO Colchagua Valley, Chile (#19580) (XD) - $19.95
• CANTINE DI DOLIANOVA PRENDAS VERMENTINO DI SARDEGNA 2019 - DOC, Sardinia, Italy (#17770) (XD) - $21.95
• VILLA MARIA CELLAR SELECTION SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#974527) (XD) - $21.95
• NAUTILUS CHARDONNAY 2019 - Vegan, sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#331652) (XD) - $27.95
• HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE RIESLING 2019 - Sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#643361) (D) - $27.95
• SOUTHBROOK LAUNDRY VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2018 - Vegan, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#16078) (XD) - $35.00  FE
• KISTLER LES NOISETIERS CHARDONNAY 2019 - Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California, USA (#251223) (XD) - $96.95

Rosé Wine:

• CHÂTEAU DES FERRAGES MON PLAISIR SAINTE-VICTOIRE ROSÉ 2020 - AC Côtes de Provence, France (#19834) (XD) - $22.95  91 pts  wine review
• DOMAINE LAFAGE GALLICA ROSÉ 2020 - AP Côtes du Roussillon, France (#19848) (XD) - $24.95

Sparkling Wine:

• GEMMA SPARKLING ROSÉ - Traditional method, Limarí Valley, Chile (#18558) (XD) - $18.95
• GRUET BRUT SPARKLING ROSÉ - Traditional method, New Mexico, USA (#15686) (XD) - $25.95

Dessert Wine:

• CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES VIDAL ICEWINE 2018 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#565861) (S) (200 mL) - $28.95