April 27, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Paso Robles + Bordeaux's Right Bank

Here's my top wine picks from the April 27, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection. The main feature of this release focuses on wines from Paso Robles, and for the first time in a very long time, there is a mini-theme, and it takes a brief look at Bordeaux's Right Bank. Also in this release is a fine selection of Online & Flagship Exclusive (FE) wines. All 93 wines will be available for purchase by Saturday, if not a couple of days earlier.

We'll begin with the theme on wines from Paso Robles - A Region to Watch. While I agree that Paso Robles is a region to watch, especially after tasting many fine wines from the region at the recent California wine tasting, only one of the wines from the theme is included among my top wine picks - the wine by Austin Hope that is crafted with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Not from the theme, but also in this release is a fine Paso Robles Cab by DAOU that is actually a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Petit Verdot.

I am delighted to see the return of the mini-theme. However, four wines are not enough to turn it into any kind of theme. Of the four wines from the mini-theme on Bordeaux's Right Bank in this release, the lone wine recommendation is from the AC Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion appellation and is a Merlot-based blend.

Red wine recommendations from the main release begin in Italy with a Chianti Classico that is composed of approximately 80% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo, and 5% Syrah, followed by the Super Tuscan, which is a blend of Merlot and Sangiovese. Other blends include a red from Languedoc that consists of 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 20% Mourvèdre, as well as The Tragically Hip red from Niagara that is a blend of 54% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, and 22% Cabernet Sauvignon. Pinot wine lovers can sip local with a fine Pinot Noir from Niagara, or look abroad for an excellent Pinot Noir from Martinborough in New Zealand.

Among my white wine picks, the only blend is from Spain, and it is equal parts Chardonnay and Macabeo. Mono-varietal white wines include a fantastic, vegan-friendly Assyrtiko from Greece, a Chardonnay from California, and a Melon de Bourgogne from the Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine appellation in Loire. From Italy, there is a wine made with Fiano from Campania, and a Pecorino from Abruzzo. On the local front, there is a Chardonnay and a perennially excellent dry Riesling, both from Niagara.

Other wines from the main release include a pair of lovely rosé wines - a Pinot Noir rosé from Niagara, while the rosé from Provence is composed of 58% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, and 2% Mourvèdre. The last wine is a fortified wine from Spain - a Vermouth - that is a sweet blend of 50% Palomino and 50% Pedro Ximenez.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• PIATTELLI LUJÁN DE CUYO RESERVE MALBEC 2021 - Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina (#452029) (XD) - $17.95
• CHÂTEAU LE CONTE MARQUEY 2018 - AC Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France (#35375) (XD) - $18.95
• DOMAINE LAFAGE CAYROL VIEILLES VIGNES CARIGNAN 2021 - IGP Côtes Catalanes, Roussillon, France (#494039) (XD) - $19.95
• CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN LA GRANGE DES COMBES SAINT-CHINIAN-ROQUEBRUN 2021 - AC, Languedoc, France (#155804) (XD) - $21.95  review coming soon...
• MIGUEL TORRES CORDILLERA DE LOS ANDES CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 - Valle del Maipo, Chile (#541169) (XD) - $22.95
• THE TRAGICALLY HIP FULLY COMPLETELY RESERVE RED 2021 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#411595) (XD) - $24.95  review coming soon...
  
• LUNA ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2021 - Sustainable, Martinborough, North Island, New Zealand (#17544) (XD) - $26.95  92 pts  wine review
• LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE PINOT NOIR 2021 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#33894) (XD) - $29.95  90 pts  wine review
• LA VITE LUCENTE 2021 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#747030) (XD) - $33.95  91 pts  wine review
• ISOLE E OLENA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#704346) (XD) - $43.95
• AUSTIN HOPE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Paso Robles, California, USA (#578005) (D) - $74.95  92 pts  wine review
• DAOU RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 - Paso Robles, California, USA (#20715) (XD) - $98.95  FE  93+ pts  wine review

White Wine:

• BORSAO SELECCIÓN BLANCO 2022 - DO Campo de Borja, Spain (#25533) (XD) - $12.95
• DOMAINE GIRARD LE FLEURON DE LA REBOURGÈRE MUSCADET-SÈVRE ET MAINE SUR LIE 2022 - AC, Loire, France (#557207) (XD) - $16.95  90 pts  wine review
• KIR-YIANNI LE NORD ASSYRTIKO 2023 - Vegan, IGP Florina, Greece (#25707) (XD) - $18.00  91+ pts  wine review
• IL POGGIO SANNIO FIANO 2022 - DOP, Campania, Italy (#36344) (XD) - $18.95
• STEL + MAR CHARDONNAY 2021 - California, USA (#36758) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• UMANI RONCHI CENTOVIE PECORINO 2020 - IGT Colli Aprutini, Abruzzo, Italy (#11108) (XD) - $26.95  92 pts  wine review
• BACHELDER LES VILLAGES-BENCH CHARDONNAY 2021 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#16059) (XD) - $34.95
• CAVE SPRING CSV ESTATE GROWN RIESLING 2022 - Sustainable, Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#566026) (XD) - $34.95

Rosé Wine:

• MALIVOIRE VIVANT ROSÉ 2023 - Sustainable, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#498535) (XD) - $19.95  91+ pts  wine review
• OTT BY.OTT ROSÉ 2022 - AC Côtes de Provence, France (#490896) (XD) - $33.95

Fortified Wine:

• GONZÁLEZ BYASS LA COPA VERMOUTH ROJO - Jerez, Spain (#491712) (S) - $25.95