Dec. 8 Wine Picks: Festive Get-Togethers

The next LCBO Vintages wine release will be in stores across Ontario on December 8. This is the final release of 2012. So, if you haven't been stocking up for the holidays from previous releases, now is your last chance to do so.

This release is titled "Joys of the Season" and focuses on Fine Wines and Sparkling Wines for Festive Get-Togethers. I will skip the Sparklers as I didn't find anything too interesting, but you can check them out in the magazine.

If you're hosting a holiday dinner this season, it would be a good idea to start with a light, refreshing appertif that is "low" in alcohol, such as the Moscato (12% alc/vol) from California. Also suitable would be the extra-dry Riesling from Australia that is quite food-friendly and will pair nicely with appetizers.

Moving on to more fuller-bodied wines, I would suggest either the slightly off-dry Vouvray (made with Chenin Blanc) or the Chardonnay from Oregon. Even though winter is nearly upon us and the last thing you're probably thinking about is a rosé wine, I see the Southbrook Cab Franc Rosé slotted in here as well. You could even go with the lighter-bodied Pinot Noir from Ontario.

At this stage, depending on the spice level of your main course, you could either go with a medium-full bodied red, or a medium-sweet German Riesling Spätlese. In red wines, there are plenty of options, from the Mencía, to the Lealtanza (100% Tempranillo) and the Grenache-Syrah blend of Vacqueyras. A couple of very special wines include the Lucile Avril Châteauneuf-du-Pape that is made using 85% Grenache (90 year old vines), 10% Mourvèdre (60 year old vines) and 5% Syrah; and, also the Carnet that is mostly Merlot and some Cabernet Sauvignon, with additional drops of Cab Franc and Petit Verdot.

Finally, to end your meal, we have a sweet (!) Semillon from Australia. You could also indulge in a Tawny Port, or the Four Grapes Vintage port-style wine from California that's made using these 4 Port wine grapes: Tinta Madeira, Tinta Cão, Touriga Nacional, and Souzao.

Enjoy my wine picks for this week and enjoy your holidays! See you all in 2013!


Red Wine:

• PIERRE LAPLACE MADIRAN 2009 - AC, Southwest, France (#103705) (XD) - $14.95
• BODEGAS DEL ABAD DOM BUENO MENCÍA 2008 - DO Bierzo, Spain (#291989) (XD) - $15.95
• FINCA FLICHMAN EXPRESIONES RESERVE SHIRAZ/CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 - Mendoza, Argentina (#017111) (XD) - $15.95
• LEALTANZA RESERVA 2007 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#208223) (XD) - $19.95
• FAMILLE PERRIN LES CHRISTINS VACQUEYRAS 2010 - AC, Rhône, France (#973453) (XD) - $23.95
• TAWSE QUARRY ROAD PINOT NOIR 2009 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#307686) (D) - $34.95
• DOMAINE DURIEU LUCILE AVRIL CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2009 - AC, Rhône, France (#295147) (XD) - $42.95
• STONESTREET MONUMENT RIDGE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 - Alexander Mountain Estates, Alexander Valley, California, USA (#285098) (XD) - $49.95
• CHÂTEAU LA TOUR CARNET 2009 - AC Haut-Médoc, 4e Cru, Bordeaux, France (#194555) (XD) - $51.85

White Wine:

• TERRAPRIMA WHITE 2011 - DO Penedès, Spain (#303552) (D) - $17.95
• JIM BARRY THE LODGE HILL DRY RIESLING 2011 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#262469) (XD) - $19.95
• MARC BRÉDIF VOUVRAY 2010 - AC, Loire, France (#685362) (D) - $19.95
• UVAGGIO SECCO MOSCATO 2010 - Lodi, California, USA (#297515) (D) - $19.95
• REICHSRAT VON BUHL FORSTER JESUITENGARTEN RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2009 - QmP, Pfalz, Germany (#946673) (MS) - $24.95
• DE BORTOLI NOBLE ONE BOTRYTIS SEMILLON 2008 - New South Wales, Australia (#917252) (S) (375 mL) - $29.95
• BACHELDER OREGON CHARDONNAY 2010 - Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#273334) (XD) - $29.95
• PAUL ROSS RIESLING 2007 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#206813) (D) - $35.00

Rosé Wine:

• SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC CABERNET FRANC ROSÉ 2011 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#279117) (D) - $19.95

Fortifieds:

• PEDRONCELLI FOUR GRAPES VINTAGE PORT 2006 - Dry Creek Valley, California, USA (#204487) (MS) (500 mL) - $19.95
• BURMESTER 10-YEAR-OLD TAWNY PORT - DOC Douro, Portugal (#223958) (S) - $24.95

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