June 18, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Southern Hemisphere

The lone in-store release of the month is the June 18 LCBO VINTAGES Release and it focuses on wines from countries in the Southern Hemisphere - namely Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, and South Africa. Included in the catalogue also is a sneak preview of the next Online Exclusives Release (June 30th). Wines from the in-store release should be on shelves across Ontario today.

We begin with the theme on wines from the Southern Hemisphere. There are twenty-one wines featured as part of the theme and eight are included among my top wine picks, with all five countries represented. We start in Chile with the iconic Purple Angel that is a blend of 92% Carmenère and 8% Petit Verdot, while the rosé is crafted with 100% Pinot Noir. Staying in South America, there is a fine Malbec from Argentina that always pleases. Moving to South Africa, there is a perennially excellent Chenin Blanc, as well as a red blend from Swartland that consists of 73% Syrah, 11% Grenache, 8% Cinsault, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Viognier. Moving to Oceania, there is a lovely Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, and from Australia there is a Shiraz and a white wine that is a blend of 79% Sauvignon Blanc and 21% Semillon.

From the rest of the release, my top red wine picks include a 2010 Rioja that is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, and 10% Graciano and Mazuelo. There are also a pair of wines from neighbouring Portugal - the Dão red is a blend of 40% Alfrocheiro Preto, 40% Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), and 20% Touriga Nacional, while the Douro red consists of 48% Touriga Nacional, 27% Touriga Francesa, and the rest traditional Douro grape varieties Tinta Roriz, Tinta da Barca, Tinta Barroca, Souzão, Tinta Cão, and Tinta Amarela. From Langhorne Creek in Australia is a blend 80% Shiraz and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, while the Chianti Classico from Tuscany consists of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Merlot.

Among my white wine picks outside of the theme, all are single varietal wines. A trio of Chardonnay wines lead the pack, followed by Albariño from Spain and a Grüner Veltliner from Austria. There is also a fine white wine from Italy made with the relatively unknown Ribolla Gialla. And for those that prefer some sweetness in their wines, there is an off-dry Gewürztraminer from Niagara.

Since it's rosé season, there are quite a few rosé wines among my wine recommendations. The locally crafted organic rosé from Niagara is a blend of 92% Pinot Noir, 5% Viognier, and 3% Chardonnay, while the rosé from Portugal consists of 50% Touriga Nacional and 50% Alfrocheiro. Mono varietal rosé wines include a lovely rosé made with Malbec, while the other is crafted with Pinot Grigio.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release!

Red Wine:

• CABRIZ COLHEITA SELECIONADA 2019 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#247973) (D) - $14.95  88 pts  wine review
• NIRO DI CITRA MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2017 - DOP, Abruzzo, Italy (#278150) (D) - $17.95  88+ pts  wine review
• RAMOS PINTO DUAS QUINTAS 2018 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#359893) (XD) - $19.95
• KAIKEN ULTRA MALBEC 2019 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#50849) (XD) - $19.95
• NATIV RUE DELL'INCHIOSTRO AGLIANICO 2019 - IGT Campania, Italy (#631606) (D) - $19.95
• KILLIBINBIN THE SHADOW SHIRAZ/CABERNET 2016 - Vegan, Langhorne Creek, South Australia (#23785) (XD) - $20.95  90 pts  wine review

• MASTROBERARDINO IRPINIA AGLIANICO 2019 - DOC Irpinia, Campania, Italy (#93112) (XD) - $23.95
• WAKEFIELD JARAMAN SHIRAZ 2020 - Clare Valley/McLaren Vale, South Australia (#377036) (XD) - $24.95  88+ pts  wine review
• CASTELLO DI GABBIANO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#216309) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
• THE CHOCOLATE BLOCK 2020 - Vegan, WO Swartland, South Africa (#129353) (XD) - $39.95
• R. LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA TONDONIA RESERVA 2010 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#356337) (XD) - $66.95
• MONTES PURPLE ANGEL 2019 - DO Valle de Colchagua, Chile (#62364) (XD) - $79.95

White Wine:

• FILARE ITALIA RIBOLLA GIALLA 2020 - IGT Venezia Giulia, Friuli, Italy (#23098) (XD) - $14.95  90+ pts  wine review
• RABL LÖSS GRÜNER VELTLINER 2020 - Langenlois, DAC Kamptal, Austria (#295709) (XD) - $16.95
• KEN FORRESTER OLD VINE RESERVE CHENIN BLANC 2021 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#231282) (XD) - $17.95
• SKUTTLEBUTT SAUVIGNON BLANC / SEMILLON 2020 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#47621) (XD) - $18.95
  
• CASTELO DO MAR ALBARIÑO 2020 - DO Rías Baixas, Spain (#488734) (XD) - $18.95  91 pts  wine review
• CAVE SPRING ESTATE GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2019 - Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#302059) (D) - $19.95
• LEANING POST THE FIFTY CHARDONNAY 2020 - Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#578864) (XD) - $22.95
• SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC CHARDONNAY 2018 - Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#172338) (XD) - $24.95  89 pts  wine review
• DOG POINT SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#677450) (XD) - $28.95
• KISTLER LES NOISETIERS CHARDONNAY 2020 - Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California, USA (#251223) (XD) - $104.95
  

Rosé Wine:

• CABRIZ ROSÉ 2020 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#30445) (D) - $13.95  88 pts  wine review
• LA POSTA MALBEC ROSÉ 2021 - Tupungato, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#24747) (XD) - $14.95  89 pts  wine review
• CASAS DEL BOSQUE PINOT NOIR ROSÉ 2021 - Sustainable, Coastal, Valle de Casablanca, Chile (#15277) (XD) - $15.95  90 pts  wine review
  
• BOTTEGA PINOT GRIGIO ROSÉ 2021 - DOC delle Venezie, Venezie, Italy (#490938) (XD) - $16.95  87+ pts  wine review
• HIDDEN BENCH LOCUST LANE ROSÉ 2021 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#68833) (XD) - $24.95  91 pts  wine review
  

Sparkling Wine:

• ARTS DE LUNA ORGANIC BRUT NATURE SPARKLING - Vegan, DOP Cava, Spain (#25073) (XD) - $12.95