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Thursday, November 7, 2019

November 9, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: California

LCBO Wine Picks: November 9, 2019 VINTAGES Release

The November 9, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release features wines from California in this mono-thematic, third to last Release of 2019. On the whole, there are many lovely wines to add to your collection or for gift-giving throughout this Release.

We begin with the main theme that focuses on top California wines, which lists fifteen as part of this theme. While many California wines as part of this theme are high quality wines, I've limited my recommendations to four from this feature. First up is the lone red which is a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stags Leap District in Napa Valley. My top white wines from California includes a barrel fermented Sauvignon Blanc (with a splash of Semillon) that is called Fumé Blanc from iconic Robert Mondavi. There's also a lovely Napa Valley Chardonnay and a Chardonnay from Sonoma Mountain.

Cliff Lede Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 (93 pts)

Kistler Sonoma Mountain Chardonnay 2017 (93 pts)

Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay 2017 (92 pts)

Robert Mondavi To Kalon Vineyard Reserve Fumé Blanc 2015 (93 pts)

My red wine picks are littered with blends from Italy and France. From Italy, the Amarone is a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara, while the Chianti Classico is a blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Malvasia Nera, and 5% Canaiolo. Both Super Tuscans - the Luce and Crognolo - are big wines made with Sangiovese and Merlot. From Rhône, France, the outstanding Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and 5% Cinsault, while the Côtes du Rhône-Villages is a blend of 65% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 5% Mourvèdre. Lastly, the Rioja from Spain is a blend of 75% Tempranillo, 15% Grenache, 5% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo.

Masi Mazzano Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2012 (93 pts)

San Fabiano Calcinaia Chianti Classico 2016 (90 pts)

Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo 2016 (92 pts)

Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017 (93 pts)

Gabriel Meffre Laurus Côtes du Rhône-Villages 2016 (89 pts)

R. Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva 2006 (93 pts)

My white wine recommendations from the rest of the Release are all single varietal wines. Some of the bigger highlights includes various oaked Chardonnays from New Zealand, Sonoma County, and South Africa, as well as a Pinot Grigio that is consistently delicious year after year. For sweet wine lovers, look to either the very sweet Spätlese Riesling from Mosel, or the off-dry Gewurztraminer from Alsace.

Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay 2017 (90 pts)

Christina The Heritage Collection Chardonnay 2017 (90 pts)

Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio 2018 (89 pts)

Bischöfliche Weingüter Trier Dom Spätlese Riesling 2011 (90 pts)

Cave Hunawihr Kuhlmann-Platz Gewurztraminer 2018 (88+ pts)

Among my sparkling wine picks, all are crafted in the traditional method, with the Italian bubbly made of 100% Chardonnay, while the Niagara bubbly is 50/50 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and lastly, the Rosé Champagne is a blend of 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay. All are dry and aged for a number of years prior to release.

13th Street Premier Cuvée Sparkling 2013 (91+ pts)

Enjoy my wine picks from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

GÉRARD BERTRAND FITOU GRENACHE/CARIGNAN 2017 - AP, Midi, France (#403683) (D) - $17.95 88 pts wine review
SIDEWOOD SHIRAZ 2016 - Adelaide Hills, South Australia (#446146) (XD) - $19.95 89 pts wine review
SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE MALBEC 2017 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#79798) (XD) - $19.95
GABRIEL MEFFRE LAURUS CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2016 - AP, France (#381053) (XD) - $19.95 89 pts wine review
ERRAZURIZ ACONCAGUA ALTO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017 - DO Aconcagua Valley, Chile (#203364) (XD) - $21.95 90 pts wine review
SAN FABIANO CALCINAIA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#23408) (XD) - $21.95 90 pts wine review

Errazuriz Aconcagua Alto Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 (90 pts)

Gérard Bertrand Fitou Grenache/Carignan 2017 (88 pts)

RODNEY STRONG ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2016 - Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#350454) (XD) - $32.95 90 pts wine review
SOLÉNA GRAND CUVÉE PINOT NOIR 2017 - Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#486944) (XD) - $33.95 90 pts wine review
TENUTA SETTE PONTI CROGNOLO 2016 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#727636) (D) - $34.95 92 pts wine review
R. LOPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA TONDONIA RESERVA 2006 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#356337) (XD) - $58.95 93 pts wine review
RENATO RATTI MARCENASCO BAROLO 2015 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#713479) (XD) - $59.95 92 pts wine review

Renato Ratti Marcenasco Barolo 2015 (92 pts)

Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 (90 pts)

Soléna Grand Cuvée Pinot Noir 2017 (90 pts)

VERSADO RESERVA ANCIENT MALBEC 2013 - Mendoza, Argentina (#316984) (XD) - $59.95 93 pts wine review
CHÂTEAU DE BEAUCASTEL CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2017 - AC, Rhône, France (#711317) (XD) - $93.95 93 pts wine review
LUCE 2016 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#685263) (XD) - $119.95 93 pts wine review
CLIFF LEDE STAGS LEAP DISTRICT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2016 - Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California, USA (#14217) (XD) - $119.95 93 pts wine review
MASI MAZZANO AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2012 - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#597476) (XD) - $129.95 93 pts wine review

Versado Reserva Ancient Malbec 2013 (93 pts)

White Wine:

KAIKEN TERROIR SERIES TORRONTÉS 2018 - Cafayate Valley, Salta, Argentina (#330407) (XD) - $17.95 88 pts wine review
PENCARROW SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 - Martinborough, North Island, New Zealand (#148429) (XD) - $18.95 88 pts wine review
CAVE HUNAWIHR KUHLMANN-PLATZ GEWURZTRAMINER 2018 - AP Alsace, France (#12010) (D) - $18.95 88+ pts wine review
CHRISTINA THE HERITAGE COLLECTION CHARDONNAY 2017 - WO Robertson, South Africa (#10104) (XD) - $18.95 90 pts wine review
TIEFENBRUNNER PINOT GRIGIO 2018 - IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Alto Adige-Trentino, Italy (#474742) (XD) - $19.95 89 pts wine review
BISCHÖFLICHE WEINGÜTER TRIER DOM SPÄTLESE RIESLING 2011 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#11651) (S) - $21.95 90 pts wine review
RODNEY STRONG CHALK HILL CHARDONNAY 2017 - Sonoma County, California, USA (#275552) (XD) - $26.95 90 pts wine review
CLOUDY BAY CHARDONNAY 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#359513) (XD) - $38.95 92 pts wine review
ROBERT MONDAVI TO KALON VINEYARD RESERVE FUMÉ BLANC 2015 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#326165) (XD) - $59.95 93 pts wine review
BERINGER PRIVATE RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2017 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#26682) (D) - $64.95 92 pts wine review
KISTLER SONOMA MOUNTAIN CHARDONNAY 2017 - Sonoma Mountain, Sonoma County, California, USA (#183921) (XD) - $114.95 93 pts wine review

Kaiken Terroir Series Torrontés 2018 (88 pts)

Sparkling Wine:

FERRARI BRUT SPARKLING - Traditional method, DOC Trento, Italy (#352153) (XD) - $24.95 89 pts wine review
13TH STREET PREMIER CUVÉE SPARKLING 2013 - Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#142679) (XD) - $39.95 91+ pts wine review
LOUIS ROEDERER BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE 2013 - AC, Champagne, France (#368415) (XD) - $104.95 FE

Dessert Wine:

CAVE SPRING INDIAN SUMMER LATE HARVEST RIESLING 2017 - Estate grown, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#415901) (S) (375 mL) - $24.95
CARMES DE RIEUSSEC 2015 - 1er cru, AC Sauternes, Bordeaux, France (#472092) (S) (375 mL) - $25.95 91 pts wine review

October 26, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: France vs. Italy + Wine & Cheese

LCBO Wine Picks: October 26, 2019 VINTAGES Release

The October 26, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release compares and contrasts France and Italy in its main theme, while the mini-theme looks at wine and cheese pairings. All of the wines featured as part of themes, as well everything else from the Main Release will arrive on shelves by Saturday. This is another Release where you'll want to stock up for the holidays or pick up special bottles for holiday gift-giving.

We'll begin with the main theme that compares wines from the two titans of the wine world - France and Italy. There are twenty-two wines featured as part of this theme, eleven from each country, and seven are included among my top wine picks. From the first category on Traditional Method sparkling wines, we have a lovely Bollinger Champagne that consists of 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, and 15% Pinot Meunier. From the Classic Premium Grape category, there is a fine Barolo that is made with the Nebbiolo grape. The Southern Values category features a nice Côtes du Rhône that consists of equal parts Syrah and Grenache, plus some Mourvèdre. Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio wines are actually made using the same grape, but often in different styles, hence the distinction in name. In this Release, there is a fine, dry, quality Pinot Grigio from a place it calls home in northern Italy. The last category focuses on the Revered Regions of Bordeaux and Tuscany. From Bordeaux, we have a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru that is a blend of roughly 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tuscany also makes some fine Bordeaux blends, such as the baby Ornellaia that consists of 54% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot. Lastly, the Chianti Classico, which is also from Tuscany, is made with 100% Sangiovese and reminds me a little bit of a wine from Montalcino.

Le Serre Nuove Dell'Ornellaia 2017 (92 pts)

Castello di Bossi C. Berardenga Chianti Classico 2015 (91 pts)

Xavier Vignon Côtes du Rhône 2017 (89 pts)

From the feature on wine and cheese pairings, which can be done year-round but becomes especially popular during the holidays. Of the nine wines featured, just one is included among my top wine picks - a lightly oaked Chardonnay from Niagara's Thirty Bench. There is also an excellent Masi Amarone (#548677) included as part of this theme, but I didn't include it in my list below because you would have probably bought it when it came out in VINTAGES last year. You can read more about wine and cheese pairings in the magazine.

My red wine picks include an unoaked blend of 75% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 5% Carignan from Languedoc, while the Spanish red is a blend of Garnacha, Cariñena (Samsó), Syrah, and Merlot. From France, the Beaujolais is made with Gamay, while the Roussillon red is a blend of mainly Syrah with Grenache and Carignan in support. Lastly, the iconic Sassicaia is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc.

Most of my white wine recommendations happen to be minimally oaked Chardonnays. However, Flat Rock's Unplugged Chardonnay is actually an unoaked Chardonnay, while the Umbrian white is a blend of mostly Chardonnay and some Grechetto. There is also a white blend of Loureiro and Alvarinho from Portugal.

Maria Papoila Loureiro/Alvarinho 2018 (88 pts)

Among my sparkling wine picks, the Tasmanian Brut Rosé is primarily Pinot Noir, with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier completing the blend, while the Cava is a blend of indigenous varietals Macabeo (67%) and Parellada (33%). Lastly, the Dom Perignon is a traditional blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Segura Viudas Heredad Reserva Brut Cava (90 pts)

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!