November 13, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Fine Holiday Wines

The November 13, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release is a mono-thematic release that focuses on Fine Holiday Wines for gift-giving - or to add to your own personal collection. It's another big release with many wines at the higher end of the price spectrum. All of these wines should be on shelves across Ontario by thus Saturday.

We begin with the theme on Fine Holiday Wines for gift-giving. Of the nineteen wines featured, four are included my my top wine picks. At the top of the list is an excellent California Cab that is actually a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec, while the 2009 Rioja is a blend of 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacho, and the rest Mazuelo and Graciano. From Tuscany, the Chianti Classico is a blend of 83% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo, and 2% Shiraz, while the 20-Year-Old Tawny Port is a blend of Traditional Douro grape varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, and Tinta Cão.

From my top red wine recommendation, there are a pair of delicious France wines aged in concrete tanks, with the Rhône red consisting of mainly Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre completing the blend, while the Languedoc Red is a blend of only Grenache and Syrah that was raised entirely in concrete tanks. The red wine from Argentina is a blend of roughly 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, and 15% Cabernet Franc, while the red from British Columbia is a blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and 22% Cabernet Franc. From Spain, the Jumilla red is a 50/50 blend of Monastrell and Syrah, while both the 2017 and 2019 Rioja wines are made with 100% Tempranillo. Single varietal wines include a lovely Zinfandel from Sonoma and a Pinot Noir from New Zealand.

Among my white wine picks, all are single varietal wines. The most interesting of the bunch might be the NZ Sauvignon Blanc from Waihopai Valley as it was fermented in French oak for 6-10 months. For a more traditional NZ Sauvignon Blanc, the wine from Nelson should suit your palate. If you like your Chardonnay with minimal oak influence, there are three wines worth your attention - one each from South Africa, Chablis, and Napa Valley. Other single varietal white wines include a Pinot Grigio and Pecorino, both from Italy, and a Grüner Veltliner from Austria. If you like sweeter wines, look for the Riesling from Niagara.

If you're seeking some finely aged Champagne, look for a pair of offerings from Moët & Chandon. The 2013 Brut Champagne is composed of 41% Chardonnay, 38% Pinot Noir, and 21% Meunier, while the 2013 Brut Rosé Champagne is made using 44% Pinot Noir (14% red wine), 35% Chardonnay, and 21% Meunier. Lastly, the 2008 Colheita Port is a traditional blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, and Tinto Cão.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• MATHILDE CHAPOUTIER SÉLECTION LANGUEDOC RED 2020 - AP Languedoc, France (#644468) (XD) - $15.95
• XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2019 - AP, France (#297317) (XD) - $16.95  88+ pts  wine review
• MARQUÉS DE CÁCERES EXCELLENS CUVÉE ESPECIAL CRIANZA 2017 - Collecion Privada, Vegan, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#10684) (XD) - $17.95  90 pts  wine review
• MONTEBUENA CUVÉE KPF 2019 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#211029) (XD) - $17.95  88 pts  wine review
• CR GOLD 5 MONASTRELL/SYRAH 2019 - DOP Jumilla, Spain (#482505) (XD) - $18.95  88+ pts  wine review
• SATELLITE PINOT NOIR 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#12627) (XD) - $22.95  90 pts  wine review

• UNÁNIME GRAN VINO TINTO 2017 - Sustainable, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#466938) (XD) - $29.95
• ISOLE E OLENA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#704346) (XD) - $39.95
• CULMINA HYPOTHESIS 2014 - Golden Mile Bench, BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#414243) (XD) - $42.95  FE
• R. LOPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA BOSCONIA RESERVA 2009 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#529586) (XD) - $49.95
• SEGHESIO CORTINA ZINFANDEL 2017 - Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#200840) (XD) - $54.95  FE
• STAGS' LEAP WINERY THE LEAP CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017 - Estate grown, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California, USA (#142844) (XD) - $119.95

White Wine:

• UMANI RONCHI VELLODORO PECORINO 2020 - IGT Terre di Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy (#289553) (XD) - $16.95
• CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY 2020 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#328559) (XD) - $17.95
• KAHURANGI SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Nelson, South Island, New Zealand (#14567) (XD) - $19.95
• CAMPBELL KIND WINE TAWSE RIESLING 2019 - Vegan, Limestone Ridge Vineyard, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#21698) (M) - $19.95
• LOIMER GRÜNER VELTLINER 2019 - DAC Kamptal, Austria (#142240) (XD) - $22.95
• TRAMIN UNTEREBNER PINOT GRIGIO 2018 - DOC Alto Adige, Italy (#541763) (XD) - $29.95  FE
• SPY VALLEY ENVOY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - Johnson Vineyard, Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#429308) (XD) - $29.95  FE  91 pts  wine review
• CHRISTOPHE PATRICE BEAUREGARD CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2019 - AC, Burgundy, France (#14872) (XD) - $35.95
• STAGS' LEAP WINERY CHARDONNAY 2019 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#655381) (XD) - $39.95

Sparkling Wine:

• MOËT & CHANDON GRAND VINTAGE EXTRA BRUT CHAMPAGNE 2013 - AC, France (#69773) (D) - $96.95
• MOËT & CHANDON GRAND VINTAGE EXTRA BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE 2013 - AC, France (#69831) (D) - $102.95

Fortified:

• POÇAS COLHEITA PORT 2008 - Aged in cask, DOC, Portugal (#21813) (S) - $36.95
• KOPKE 20-YEAR-OLD TAWNY PORT - DOP, Portugal (#368340) (S) - $58.95