July 22, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: American Idyll

Here's my top wine picks from the July 22, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection which is titled "American Idyll" and focuses on wines from the U.S.A. It's a big release with 151 wines that will be available at LCBO stores across Ontario by this Saturday. Also included in the printed catalogue is a sneak preview of next month's Online & Flagship Store Exclusive Release.

We begin with the feature on wines from the United States of America. There are fourteen wines as part of the theme, spread out across the four states that are leaders in fine wine production in the U.S. - California, Washington, Oregon, and New York, with three wines included among my top wine picks. At the top of the list is the California Chardonnay by Kistler. There are also a pair of wines from New York - a dry-ish Riesling and an unoaked Chardonnay, as well as a Zinfandel from Lodi.

Among my top red wine picks from the main release, we start in Tuscany with 2021 Chianti Classico that is made with 96% Sangiovese and 4% Merlot, while the 2018 Chianti Classico is straight Sangiovese. Spain is well-represented among my top wine picks with the 2011 Rioja composed with approximately 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacho, and 10% Graciano / Mazuelo, while both the 2016 and 2020 Rioja wines are crafted with 100% Tempranillo. The red wine from Spain's DO Almansa is a blend of approximately 50% Monastrell, 25% Garnacha Tintorera, and 25% Tempranillo. From Rhône, the Sablet is a blend based on Grenache and Syrah, while the red wine from Sicily is crafted with the Frappato grape, a varietal that is largely-unknown, but gaining in popularity. And lastly, the wine from Fleurieu in Australia is a blend of 65% Tempranillo and 35% Grenache.

There are a couple of blends among my white wine picks from the rest of the release, with the wine from McLaren Vale in Australia made with 66% Viognier and 34% Marsanne, while the white wine from Santorini is composed of 85% Assyrtiko and 15% Athiri. Chardonnay is well-represented among my picks with a pair of versions from Niagara, as well as singletons from Australia, Sonoma Coast, Napa Valley, and South Africa. Other white wines include an Assyrtiko from the high slopes of Aigialeia in Greece, and a Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough in New Zealand.

A couple of other brilliant wines are also worth your attention. The 2012 vintage Champagne is crafted with approximately 60% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Meunier, with the 2013 Sauternes dessert wine is a blend of 93% Sémillon and 7% Sauvignon Blanc. In pink wines, the rosé from Provence is a blend of 60% Grenache, 35% Cinsault, and 5% Syrah, while the rosé from Portugal is composed of equal parts Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• MONTEBUENA CUVÉE KPF 2020 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#211029) (XD) - $17.95  88+ pts  wine review
• MARIUS FINCA LOS TIMONARES RESERVA 2018 - DO Almansa, Spain (#30232) (XD) - $17.95
• LE GRAVILLAS SABLET CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2020 - AC, France (#78790) (XD) - $18.95
• FOUR VINES OLD VINE ZINFANDEL 2019 - Lodi, California, USA (#17157) (D) - $19.95  88+ pts  wine review
• WAKEFIELD ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Limestone Coast / Clare Valley, South Australia (#744235) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• ARBOLEDA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Vegan, DO Valle del Aconcagua, Chile (#606764) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP SPLITTING HARES TEMPRANILLO / GRENACHE 2021 - Vegan, Fleurieu, South Australia (#30847) (XD) - $21.95  89 pts  wine review

• ALTANZA RESERVA 2016 - Vegan, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#208223) (XD) - $23.95  89 pts  wine review
• PLANETA FRAPPATO 2021 - Sustainable, DOC Sicilia Vittoria, Italy (#508655) (XD) - $24.95  91+ pts  wine review
• TAWSE GROWERS BLEND CABERNET FRANC 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#284570) (XD) - $29.95  90 pts  wine review
• VECCHIE TERRE DI MONTEFILI CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#28723) (XD) - $40.95
• CASTELLO DI AMA AMA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2021 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#515759) (XD) - $42.95
• R. LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA TONDONIA RESERVA 2011 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#356337) (XD) - $72.95

White Wine:

• ALVI'S DRIFT SIGNATURE CHARDONNAY 2021 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#21151) (XD) - $14.95  88+ pts  wine review
• WAKEFIELD ESTATE LABEL CHARDONNAY 2021 - Padthaway / Clare Valley, South Australia (#711556) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• D'ARENBERG THE HERMIT CRAB VIOGNIER / MARSANNE 2022 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#662775) (XD) - $19.95
• LAMOREAUX LANDING UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2021 - Estate bottled, Finger Lakes, New York, USA (#32669) (XD) - $24.95  89 pts  wine review
• ROUVALIS ASSYRTIKO 2021 - PGI Slopes of Aigialeia, Greece (#33207) (XD) - $24.95
• LEANING POST THE FIFTY CHARDONNAY 2020 - Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#578864) (XD) - $24.95
• TWO RIVERS CONVERGENCE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 - Vegan, sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#277707) (XD) - $26.95
• DR. KONSTANTIN FRANK DRY RIESLING 2021 - Finger Lakes, New York, USA (#70631) (D) - $29.95  90 pts  wine review
• STRATUS CHARDONNAY 2021 - Vegan, sustainable, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#267856) (XD) - $35.00
• SIGALAS AA 2021 - PDO Santorini, Greece (#33162) (XD) - $36.95  91 pts  wine review
• STAGS' LEAP WINERY CHARDONNAY 2020 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#655381) (XD) - $44.95  92+ pts  wine review
• FLOWERS CHARDONNAY 2021 - Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California, USA (#215210) (XD) - $59.95
• KISTLER LES NOISETIERS CHARDONNAY 2021 - Unfiltered, unfined, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California, USA (#251223) (XD) - $114.95

Rosé Wine:

• CABRIZ ROSÉ 2022 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#30445) (D) - $14.95  88+ pts  wine review
• LA POSTA MALBEC ROSÉ 2022 - Sustainable, Tupungato, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#24747) (XD) - $16.95
• 13TH STREET EXPRESSION SERIES CABERNET FRANC ROSÉ 2022 - Vegan, sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20359) (XD) - $17.95
• VILLA AIX EN PROVENCE ROSÉ 2022 - AP Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, France (#668426) (XD) - $21.95

Sparkling Wine:

• HENRIOT BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE 2012 - AC, France (#14846) (XD) - $152.95

Dessert Wine:

• CHÂTEAU SUDUIRAUT SAUTERNES 2013 - AC Sauternes 1er Grand Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France (#29516) (S) (375 mL) - $63.00