March 18, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Pinot Noir

Here are my top wine picks from the March 18, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection and the theme of the release focuses on Pinot Noir. Also in this release are a selection of Online & Flagship Exclusives. Overall, it's a small-ish release once again with 88 wines, all of which should be available for purchase across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the theme titled "Pinot Noir - A Labour of Love", the varietal known as the heartbreak grape and one that your either love or hate. In all there are only five wines (or eight if you add the three Essentials Collection wines) included as part of the theme, with wines from Ontario, Burgundy, Oregon, New Zealand, and somewhat surprisingly - Provence featured, and the two wines included among my list of top wine picks are Pinot Noir wines from Burgundy and Provence.

Red wine recommendations from the main release begins with the iconic Purple Angel that is composed of 92% Carmenère and 8% Petit Verdot, as well as the wine from South Africa that is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot. From Spain, the Gran Reserva is crafted with 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano, while the Reserva grown in Rioja Alta is a blend of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Garnacha / Graciano / Mazuelo. From Rhône, the Gigondas is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, while the Ventoux is composed of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah with traces of Cinsault and Carignan. Lastly, the Bordeaux red is crafted with 100% Merlot, while the red wine from Tuscany is composed of 80% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, and the rest other permitted varieties.

Among my white wine picks, all of the wines are single varietal wines. The Sancerre is crafted with Sauvignon Blanc, while the Chablis 1er Cru is made with Chardonnay. If you want something on the sweeter side, the Riesling from Niagara always impresses.

The last group of wines is composed of a dry rosé from California that is a blend of 65% Syrah, 14% Grenache, 11% Carignan, and 10% Vermentino, while both sparkling wines are dominated by Chardonnay. The Champagne is crafted with 96% Chardonnay and 4% Pinot Noir, while the sparkling wine from B.C. is composed of 65.5% Chardonnay and 34.5% Pinot Noir.

Enjoy my top recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• LAURA HARTWIG SINGLE VINEYARD CARMENÈRE 2020 - DO Valle de Colchagua, Chile (#213512) (XD) - $15.95
• PESQUIÉ ÉDITION 1912M VENTOUX 2020 - AP, Rhône, France (#636159) (XD) - $19.95
• CHÂTEAU HAUCHAT 2019 - AC Fronsac, Bordeaux, France (#123489) (XD) - $19.95  90+ pts  wine review
• CUNE RESERVA 2018 - Rioja Alta, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#417659) (XD) - $24.95
• VALMOISSINE PINOT NOIR 2021 - IGP Var, Provence, France (#714451) (XD) - $25.95  90 pts  wine review
  
• BENEGAS ESTATE SINGLE VINEYARD MALBEC 2018 - Gualtallary, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#547331) (XD) - $25.95
• ESK VALLEY SYRAH 2018 - Sustainable, Hawke's Bay, North Island, New Zealand (#17545) (XD) - $29.95  FE  90+ pts  wine review

 

• FAMILLE JAUME PASCAL & RICHARD CRU DES CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE GIGONDAS 2020 - AC, France (#28615) (XD) - $30.95
• CARPINETO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2017 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#47118) (XD) - $31.95  90 pts  wine review
• EL COTO DE IMAZ GRAN RESERVA 2015 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#976811) (XD) - $34.95  92+ pts  wine review
• MARCHAND-TAWSE CÔTE D'OR BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#285601) (XD) - $38.95
• MEERLUST RUBICON 2018 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#64329) (XD) - $59.95
• MONTES PURPLE ANGEL 2020 - DO Valle de Colchagua, Chile (#62364) (XD) - $96.95

White Wine:

• NOMAD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 - VQA Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#446088) (XD) - $17.95
• ZUCCARDI SERIE A TORRONTÉS 2022 - Argentina (#389262) (XD) - $17.95
• MARGAN FAMILY HUNTER VALLEY SEMILLON 2017 - Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia (#493338) (XD) - $19.95  91 pts  wine review
• TAWSE LIMESTONE RIDGE-NORTH RIESLING 2020 - Vegan, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#431593) (M) - $21.95
• BACHELDER LES VILLAGES-BENCH CHARDONNAY 2020 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#16059) (XD) - $34.95  FE  91+ pts  wine review
• ROGER & DIDIER RAIMBAULT SANCERRE 2021 - AC, Loire, France (#82255) (XD) - $36.95
• ALAIN GEOFFROY BEAUROY CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2020 - AP, Burgundy, France (#733501) (XD) - $43.95

Rosé Wine:

• DECOY ROSÉ 2021 - California, USA (#558114) (XD) - $24.95

Sparkling Wine:

• BLUE MOUNTAIN GOLD LABEL BRUT SPARKLING - Traditional method, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#206326) (XD) - $34.95  90 pts  wine review
• LE BRUN DE NEUVILLE GRAND VINTAGE BRUT CHAMPAGNE 2008 - Disgorged June 2022, AC, France (#11131) (XD) - $88.95  92 pts  wine review