April 30 VINTAGES Release: Pacific Northwest + Aussie Whites + Rosé

The upcoming April 30 LCBO VINTAGES Release will be on shelves this coming Saturday and features wines from the Pacific Northwest as its main thematic - although noticeably absent this time around is the omission of British Columbia. There are two mini-themes in this release - great Australian white wines and some very fine rosés - both arriving just in time for warmer weather.

From the major theme of the release, the 8 wines from Washington are mostly a disappointment with only a dry Riesling making my list of wine picks. Meanwhile, the Oregon portion of the Pacific Northwest feature was only 6 wines, but 2 (of 4) Oregon Pinot Noirs are included among my wine picks. The Pinot from Two Messengers is a very big Pinot, but will also likely arrive late to shelves.

The first mini-theme is on great Australian whites and highlights 6 wines for your pleasure this Spring. Of the 6 wines, fully half are included among my wine recommendations. First up is an Organic Viognier from Australia's oldest family-owned winery. There's also an off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Riesling, and from Western Australia an off-dry blend of 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Semillon.

A rather large selection of 12 rosé wines yielded 4 fine wines, all of which are blends from the 2015 vintage from France. From Tavel, Rhône, is the Domaine Maby rosé that is a blend of 74% Grenache Noir with the balance made up of at least 5 other grapes, while the Gabriel Meffre rose is primarily Grenache with Syrah and Cinsault added in support. Lastly, the Château La Tour de l’Évêque is a blend primarily of Cinsault (40%), Grenache (35%), and Syrah (12%), with the balance made up of 5 other varietals.

In red wines from the rest of the release, the Bordeaux red is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, while the Wildass Red is a Meritage type of blend. In white wines, the Spanish white is mostly Albariño.

Enjoy my wine picks for this week. Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CHÂTEAU DES DEMOISELLES 2011 - AC Côtes de Bordeaux – Castillon, France (#348755) (XD) - $17.95
• TABALÍ RESERVA ESPECIAL SYRAH 2012 - Limarí Valley, Chile (#213538) (XD) - $17.95
• WILDASS RED 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#086363) (XD) - $19.95
• ERRAZURIZ ACONCAGUA ALTO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 - Aconcagua Valley, Chile (#203364) (XD) - $19.95
• PASCUAL TOSO BARRANCAS VINEYARDS RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 - Mendoza, Argentina (#083337) (XD) - $19.95  reviewed here
• SOLÉNA DOMAINE DANIELLE LAURENT PINOT NOIR 2012 - Yamhill-Carlton, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#446112) (XD) - $35.95
• RENDOLA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2004 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#181412) (XD) - $39.95  reviewed here
• TRAPICHE TERROIR SERIES FINCA AMBROSIA SINGLE VINEYARD MALBEC 2010 - Gualtallary, Mendoza, Argentina (#402941) (XD) - $39.95  FSE
• MAISON L’ENVOYÉ TWO MESSENGERS PINOT NOIR 2013 - Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#453357) (XD) - $41.95  late arrival
• SORDO GIOVANNI ROCCHE DI CASTIGLIONE RISERVA BAROLO 2008 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#442004) (XD) - $49.95
• FERRARI-CARANO RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 - Mountain Vineyards, Alexander Valley, Sonoma, California, USA (#450429) (XD) - $74.95

White Wine:

• FEATHERSTONE BLACK SHEEP RIESLING 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#080234) (M) - $16.95
• CHÂTEAU DE TRÉVIAC 2014 - AP Corbières, Midi, France (#438747) (XD) - $17.95
• YALUMBA ORGANIC VIOGNIER 2015 - South Australia (#288217) (XD) - $17.95
• SKUTTLEBUTT SAUVIGNON BLANC/SEMILLON 2014 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#047621) (D) - $18.95
• JOEL GOTT RIESLING 2012 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#443143) (XD) - $19.95
• PIKES TRADITIONALE RIESLING 2015 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#066894) (D) - $23.95
• QUINTA DE COUSELO O ROSAL 2014 - DO Rías Baixas, Spain (#440362) (XD) - $23.95
• VINCENT MOTHE CHABLIS 2014 - AC, Burgundy, France (#390468) (XD) - $26.95
• NORMAN HARDIE UNFILTERED CHARDONNAY 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#184432) (XD) - $39.00

Rosé Wine:

• DOMAINE MABY LA FORCADIÈRE TAVEL ROSÉ 2015 - AC, Rhône, France (#701318) (XD) - $18.95
• GABRIEL MEFFRE SAINT FERRÉOL TAVEL ROSÉ 2015 - AP, Rhône, France (#450866) (D) - $19.95
• CHÂTEAU LA TOUR DE L’ÉVÊQUE ROSÉ 2015 - Harvested by hand, AC Côtes de Provence, France (#319392) (XD) - $19.95
• SAINT AIX ROSÉ 2015 - AP Coteaux d’Aix en Provence, France (#451906) (XD) - $22.95

Dessert Wine:

• PUKLUS PINCÉSZET SZAMORODNI SWEET TOKAJI 2009 - Hungary (#179374) (S) (500 mL) - $18.95
• HENRY OF PELHAM CABERNET ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#672402) (S) (200 mL) - $39.95

Cider:

• DOMAINE FÉLIBRE GIVRÉ ICE CIDER 2014 - Product of Quebec, Canada (#393611) (S) (375 mL) - $21.95  reviewed here