October 21, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: California

Here are my top wine picks from the October 21, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, which is titled "Golden State". As is the norm for this time of the year, the releases get bigger and pricier, with 157 products offered in this release, including many Gift and Sampler packs. The most expensive gift pack is over $2,000 and the person receiving it would be a very lucky duck. All of the wines in this release will be available in stores or online by this Saturday.

We begin with the shining wines from the Golden State of California, which include 12 premium-priced wines for your holiday shopping list - and three of which are among my top wine picks. The lone white wine is an always impeccable Chardonnay from Sonoma Mountain. Unsurprisingly, the other two wines are top California Cabernet Sauvignons, with the Cliff Lede version composed of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot, while the Grgich Hills is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6.5% Merlot, and 6.5% Petit Verdot.

Even though California is the theme of the release, Italy could have made the case for being the mini-theme with many fine offerings from the boot-shaped peninsula. Leading off is the Gran Selezione Chianti Classico, which is a blend of 80% Sangiovese, 13% Merlot, and 7% Malvasia Nera, followed by a pair of Riserva Chianti Classico wines - the 2016 is 100% Sangiovese, while the 2018 Riserva Chianti Classico is a blend of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Merlot. The last red wine from Italy is the Modus Super Tuscan, which is composed of 44% Sangiovese, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 19% Merlot. Moving westwards to France, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 38% Syrah, 35% Grenache Noir, 25% Mourvèdre, 1% Cinsault, and 1% other permitted varieties, while the Côtes du Rhône Villages is made with 40% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, and 10% Counoise. The last wine from France is from Languedoc and it is a blend of 70% Syrah, 20% Grenache, and 10% Mourvèdre. The last blend is a Malbec from Argentina that actually consists of 90% Malbec, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot.

The only blend among my white picks from the rest of the release is the Marsanne from Niagara, which is actually a blend of 93% Marsanne and 7% Viognier. The other wines include a pair of Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand, a Chardonnay from Chablis, a Chenin Blanc from South Africa, and a Pecorino from Italy. If you prefer an off-dry style of wine (i.e. slightly sweet), you should take a look at the Gewurztraminer from Alsace.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release!

Red Wine:

• S. DELAFONT MOSAÏQUE 2020 - AP Languedoc, France (#31697) (XD) - $19.95
• MONTERRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 - Vegan, McLaren Vale, South Australia (#12835) (XD) - $21.95
• LA ROSELIÈRE CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES LAUDUN 2020 - AP, France (#31694) (XD) - $21.95
• ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP NATURE'S CRUX SHIRAZ 2020 - Vegan, Fleurieu, South Australia (#33367) (XD) - $21.95
• CAVALIERE D'ORO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#216309) (XD) - $24.95  91 pts  wine review
• TEHO ZAHA TOKO VINEYARD MALBEC 2019 - Vegan, Paraje Altamira, Mendoza, Argentina (#441691) (XD) - $25.95

 

• RUFFINO MODUS 2019 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#912956) (XD) - $32.95  91+ pts  wine review
• BACHELDER LES VILLAGES BENCH PINOT NOIR 2021 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#11582) (XD) - $34.95
• CASTELLO DI RADDA CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#31409) (XD) - $43.95
• CHÂTEAU LA NERTHE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2020 - AC, Rhône, France (#735407) (XD) - $64.95
• CASTELLO DI AMA SAN LORENZO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#12751) (XD) - $64.95  94 pts  wine review
• GRGICH HILLS ESTATE GROWN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#71407) (XD) - $109.95
• CLIFF LEDE STAGS LEAP DISTRICT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California, USA (#14217) (XD) - $124.95  94 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• PFAFF TRADITION GEWURZTRAMINER 2020 - AC Alsace, France (#29822) (D) - $16.95  89 pts  wine review
• UMANI RONCHI VELLODORO PECORINO 2022 - IGT Terre di Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy (#289553) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• KEW VINEYARDS MARSANNE 2019 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#485334) (XD) - $19.95
• RADFORD DALE VINUM CHENIN BLANC 2022 - Vegan, WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#13338) (XD) - $19.95
• WHITEHAVEN GREG SINGLE VINEYARD RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 - Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#325944) (XD) - $25.95
• THE CRATER RIM SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Single vineyard, Waipara, South Island, New Zealand (#26359) (XD) - $29.95
  
• JEAN-MARC BROCARD SAINTE CLAIRE CHABLIS 2021 - AC, Burgundy, France (#356634) (XD) - $34.95
• KISTLER SONOMA MOUNTAIN CHARDONNAY 2021 - Sonoma County, California, USA (#183921) (XD) - $121.95

Fortified Wine:

• TAYLOR FLADGATE HISTORIC LIMITED EDITION RESERVE TAWNY PORT - DOP, Portugal (#581561) (S) - $53.95