July 6, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: White Wine for Summer Sunshine

Here are my top wine picks from the July 6, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, which is titled Fine White Wine for Summer Sunshine as the theme of the release. All the wines are already on shelves. However, since stores are closed during the strike, the LCBO is currently offering free home delivery with no minimum spend required. With nearly 140 products offered, this is a very big release, similar to what we see during the holidays.

We'll begin with the theme on Fine White Wine for Summer Sunshine. It's a large theme with twenty-four wines included as part of the feature and six wines included among my top wine picks. Somewhat surprisingly, all of my white wine picks from the theme are single varietal wines. From Italy, there is a Verdicchio from Marche, and a Pinot Grigio from Friuli. There's also a fine Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, as well as a Chardonnay from Stellenbosch. Lastly, in the uncommon category, there is a delicious, skin contact Pinot Grigio from Niagara, as well as White Malbec from Argentina.

White wine picks from the rest of the release starts with Chardonnay - a pair of local wines from Niagara/Ontario, followed by one from Argentina, and one from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley in South Africa. There's also a pair of wines from Greece - a Moschofilero from Peloponnese, and an 85/15 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Assyrtiko from Drama. The last wine is a Sauvignon Blanc from Loire Valley.

Most of my red wine recommendations are single varietal wines. The blends include the Pekin Red from South Africa that is crafted using Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, while the Rhône red is a blend of mainly Grenache and Syrah. The Rioja from Spain is also a blend, and it consists of mainly Tempranillo, plus a small amount of Graciano.

Among my rosé wine picks, the Greek rosé is a lovely 70/30 blend of Agiorgitiko and Moscofilero, while the Niagara rosé is composed of Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, Gamay, and Cabernet Franc, and lastly, the rosé from the Rhône Valley is a made with 70% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, and 10% Syrah. The lone bubbly among my wine picks is a Champagne that is crafted using 45% Pinot Meunier, 45% Pinot Noir, and 10% Chardonnay.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• ORAPIENA MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO RISERVA 2019 - DOC, Abruzzo, Italy (#36526) (XD) - $17.95  90 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU D'AIGUEVILLE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2019 - AC, France (#544031) (XD) - $18.95  88+ pts  wine review
• AVONDALE JONTY'S DUCKS PEKIN RED 2018 - WO Paarl, South Africa (#383547) (XD) - $18.95  89 pts  wine review
• GLENELLY GLASS COLLECTION CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#13316) (XD) - $18.95  90+ pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU HAUCHAT 2020 - AC Fronsac, Bordeaux, France (#123489) (XD) - $18.95
• D'ANGELO AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE 2019 - DOC, Campania, Italy (#971689) (XD) - $19.95
• TAWSE GROWER'S BLEND GAMAY 2021 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#32824) (XD) - $23.15  90+ pts  wine review
• DEEP WOODS HILLSIDE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#33418) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2020 - VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#268391) (XD) - $27.95  90 pts  wine review
• BARÓN DE LEY GRAN RESERVA 2017 - Vegan, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#642496) (XD) - $33.95

White Wine:

• ARTESANO DE ARGENTO AGRELO VINEYARD ORGANIC WHITE MALBEC 2023 - Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina (#37223) (XD) - $14.95
• ZACHARIAS MOSCHOFILERO 2022 - PGI Peloponnese, Greece (#548222) (XD) - $15.95  89 pts  wine review
• FEATHERSTONE PINOT GRIGIO 2023 - Sustainable, Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20599) (D) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• VINUM CHARDONNAY 2022 - Vegan, WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#37412) (XD) - $18.95  90+ pts  wine review
• ATTEMS PINOT GRIGIO 2023 - DOC Friuli, Italy (#707950) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• AUNTSFIELD SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - Sustainable, Southern Val.leys, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#663286) (XD) - $22.95

• DOMAINE COSTA LAZARIDI AMETHYSTOS BLANC 2022 - Vegan, PGI Drama, Greece (#984864) (XD) - $23.95  89 pts  wine review
• LEANING POST THE FIFTY CHARDONNAY 2021 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#578864) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• TENUTE PIERALISI VILLAIA CLASSICO SUPERIORE VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI 2021 - Vegan, DOC, Marche, Italy (#36551) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• JEAN-MAX ROGER MENETOU-SALON CUVÉE LE CHARNAY 2020 - AC, Loire, France (#35895) (XD) - $27.95
• EL ENEMIGO CHARDONNAY 2022 - Mendoza, Argentina (#482984) (XD) - $27.95  92 pts  wine review
• TRIUS SHOWCASE WILD FERMENT CHARDONNAY 2020 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#199273) (XD) - $38.00  92+ pts  wine review
• HAMILTON RUSSELL CHARDONNAY 2023 - Vegan, WO Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, South Africa (#931006) (XD) - $64.95

Rosé Wine:

• SKOURAS CUVÉE PRESTIGE AGIORGITIKO / MOSCOFILERO ROSÉ 2023 - PGI Peloponnese, Greece (#25745) (XD) - $15.95  90 pts  wine review
• IZADI LARROSA GARNACHA ROSÉ 2023 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#490961) (XD) - $17.95
• TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA ROSÉ 2022 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#172643) (D) - $18.95  88+ pts  wine review
• E. GUIGAL CÔTES DU RHÔNE ROSÉ 2023 - AC, France (#225003) (XD) - $21.95
• LA CREMA PINOT NOIR ROSÉ 2023 - Sustainable, Monterey County, California, USA (#668376) (XD) - $29.95

Sparkling Wine:

• FRESNE DUCRET LES NOUVEAUX EXPLORATEURS BRUT 1ER CRU CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#36189) (XD) - $58.95