California Cabs + Greek Revival: Feb. 4 LCBO Vintages Wine Picks

The next LCBO Vintages release is on Saturday, February 4th and the major feature in this release is titled "California Cabs". I find most Cabernets Sauvignons from California to be relatively high-priced and don't provide high QPR (quality-price ratio). However, the Sebastiani Cab Sauv did make my list of top wine picks.

Secondary feature of this release focuses on popular varietals from Greece. I've always enjoyed Greek wines and believe you will too! Some grape varietals to discover are the white Assyrtiko and Moschofilero (see Tselopos below), and the red grape Agiorgitiko.

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, some sweet wine that won't break the bank would be nice. I've chosen two such wines that will satisfy you and/or your partner's sweet tooth.

The rest of the release features a few quality wines, including the 'Wine of the Month' Plunkett Fowles Shiraz. Jip Jip Rocks also made my list of wine picks for the second time in three releases.

If you try any of these, send me a note or post a comment and tell me what you thought. Enjoy my picks for this week! Cheers!


Red Wine:

• PLUNKETT FOWLES STONE DWELLERS SHIRAZ 2008 - Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria, Australia (#265967) (XD) - $19.95
• MAETIERRA DOMINUM QUATRO PAGOS 2005 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#246660) (XD) - $19.95
• JIP JIP ROCKS SHIRAZ/CABERNET 2009 - Padthaway, South Australia, Australia (#186114) (D) - $16.95
• LA POSTA ANGEL PAULUCCI VINEYARD MALBEC 2008 - Mendoza, Argentina (#075515) (XD) - $15.95
• ALBINO ARMANI EGLE RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE 2008 - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#247916) (XD) - $15.95
• SEBASTIANI CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 - Sonoma County, California, USA (#640573) (D) - $19.95

White Wine:

• BELJE GRAŠEVINA 2009 - Suho Vrhunsko, Croatia (#264200) (D) - $16.95
• JOSEPH CATTIN RIESLING 2010 - AC, Alsace, France (#259788) (XD) - $14.95
• SMALL GULLY THE FORMULA HELEN’S HARMONY VIOGNIER 2008 - Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia (#269332) (XD) - $19.95
• TSELEPOS MOSCHOFILERO MANTINIA 2010 - PDO, Greece (#724583) (D) - $16.95

Icewine:

• FLOURISH VIDAL ICEWINE 2008 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#222356) (S) (200 mL) - $17.95

Dessert Wine:

• COTNARI GRASA DE COTNARI 2009 - DOCC, Romania (#073205) (MS) - $12.95

The rest of the wines from this release can be found here. Enjoy!