October 16, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Australia

The October 16 LCBO VINTAGES Release is a big one leading up to the holidays with wines from Australia as the main theme, while the mini-theme features wines for pairing with comfort food. All of these wines, plus those from the main release should be on shelves across Ontario by Saturday.

We begin with the main theme which sizes up wines from Australia. With thirteen wines included as part of this theme and seven among my top wine picks, this is a very good showing of Australian wines. Although there are straight Shiraz wines among my picks, there is a lovely blend of Shiraz and Barbera, while the wine from Barossa Valley consists of 72% Grenache, 23% Mataro (Mourvèdre), and 5% Shiraz. Single varietal red wines include a Petit Verdot from McLaren Vale, and a Cabernet Sauvignon from Clare Valley. Among my three white wine picks from Australia, there is a Semillon, a Chardonnay, and a dry Riesling from Eden Valley.

The mini-theme looks at wine pairings with fall comfort foods, and of the dozen wines featured, two are included among my wine recommendations and both are white wines. First up is a traditional blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon from Graves in Bordeaux, while the second wine is a sweet Riesling from Mosel in Germany. According to the magazine, both of these wines would pair well with Cassoulet.

From my red wine picks, there is a stellar list of wines with Italy leading the way. At the top of the list is the iconic Sassicaia that is once again a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, while the Oreno Super Tuscan consists of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Petit Verdot. Staying in Tuscany, the Gran Selezione Chianti Classico is a blend of 80% Sangiovese 80% and the rest native varietals Abrusco, Pugnitello, Malvasia Nera, Ciliegiolo, and Mazzese, while the Riserva Chianti Classico consists of 95% Sangiovese, 3% Canaiolo, and 2% Colorino. The last two wines from Italy are a Brunello di Montalcino which is made with Sangiovese, and a Barolo that is made with Nebbiolo. From Rhône, the Costières-de-Nîmes is composed of 60% Syrah, 40% Grenache, while the Gigondas flips these two varietals and is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. Lastly, there are a pair of delightful Malbec wines from Argentina.

Among my white wine picks from the rest of the Release, the only blend is a Rhône-inspired wine from British Columbia that consists of 51% Roussanne, 36% Viognier, and 13% Marsanne. Notable single varietal wines include an Avesso from Portugal, a Falanghina from Basilicata, and a Grüner Veltliner from Austria. Last, but not least, the Chablis is made with 100% Chardonnay.

For celebratory occasions, the Bollinger Champagne is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, and 15% Pinot Meunier, while the Billecart-Salmon Vintage Champagne consists of 40% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay, and 27% Pinot Meunier. At the lower end of the price scale, the Crémant de Bourgogne consists of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CHÂTEAU FONT BARRIÈLE LES VIGNES D'HÉLOÏSE 2019 - AP Costières-de-Nîmes, Rhône, France (#21545) (XD) - $17.95
• KILIKANOON KILLERMAN'S RUN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#675223) (XD) - $19.95
  
• JULIEN SCHAAL WALKER BAY SYRAH 2020 - WO Walker Bay, South Africa (#21110) (XD) - $19.95
• KAIKEN ULTRA MALBEC 2018 - Vegan, Mendoza, Argentina (#50849) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• LONGVIEW VISTA SHIRAZ/BARBERA 2019 - Adelaide Hills, South Australia (#21065) (XD) - $19.95

• EL ESTECO 1946 OLD VINES MALBEC 2019 - Valles Calchaquíes, Argentina (#19391) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
  
• FAMILLE PERRIN LA GILLE GIGONDAS 2019 - AC, Rhône, France (#906073) (XD) - $29.95
• PIRRAMIMMA PETIT VERDOT 2017 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#986752) (XD) - $29.95  90 pts  wine review
• TORBRECK CUVÉE JUVENILES 2019 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#723940) (XD) - $29.95  91 pts  wine review
• DIEVOLE NOVECENTO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#213926) (XD) - $33.95

 

• SAN FELICE IL GRIGIO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#403477) (XD) - $48.95
• COL D'ORCIA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#306852) (XD) - $54.95
• ORENO 2018 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#735597) (XD) - $89.95
• RÉVA RAVERA BAROLO 2015 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#21848) (XD) - $99.95  VOE  93+ pts  wine review
• SASSICAIA 2018 - DOC Bolgheri-Sassicaia, Tuscany, Italy (#480533) (XD) - $249.95
  

White Wine:

• RABL LÖSS GRÜNER VELTLINER 2019 - Langenlois, DAC Kamptal, Austria (#295709) (XD) - $15.95  88+ pts  wine review
• FLAT ROCK UNPLUGGED UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2020 - Sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#68015) (XD) - $17.95
• COVELA EDIÇÃO NACIONAL AVESSO 2019 - DOC Vinho Verde, Portugal (#524868) (XD) - $18.95
• PATERNOSTER VULCANICO FALANGHINA 2019 - IGT Basilicata, Italy (#19691) (XD) - $18.95
• SONS OF EDEN FREYA RIESLING 2019 - Eden Valley, South Australia (#12652) (XD) - $19.95
• PAULETT WINES WATERVALE SEMILLON 2019 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#19907) (XD) - $22.95
• MICHEL LYNCH RÉSERVE GRAVES 2019 - AC, Bordeaux, France (#20901) (XD) - $22.95  89 pts  wine review
• WAKEFIELD JARAMAN CHARDONNAY 2018 - Clare Valley/Margaret River, Australia (#18921) (XD) - $24.95  89 pts  wine review
  
• BISCHÖFLICHE WEINGÜTER TRIER SCHARZHOFBERGER RIESLING KABINETT 2019 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#670752) (S) - $29.95
• LE VIEUX PIN AVA 2018 - BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#19917) (XD) - $43.95  FE
• CHANSON PÈRE & FILS MONTMAINS CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2018 - AC, Burgundy, France (#485318) (XD) - $45.95
  

Sparkling Wine:

• LABOURÉ-GONTARD BRUT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE - Traditional method, AP, Burgundy, France (#401018) (D) - $21.95
• JUVÉ Y CAMPS PINOT NOIR BRUT ROSÉ CAVA - Traditional method, DO, Spain (#385088) (D) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
  
• BOLLINGER SPECIAL CUVÉE BRUT CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#384529) (D) - $91.95
• BILLECART-SALMON EXTRA BRUT CHAMPAGNE 2009 - AC, Champagne, France (#21546) (XD) - $126.95  FE
  

Dessert Wine:

• DISZNÓKÓ LATE HARVEST TOKAJI FURMINT 2017 - Tokaji, Hungary (#20680) (S) (500 mL) - $26.95