VINTAGES Release July 9: Summer Pantry + Cool-Climate Chardonnay

The LCBO VINTAGES Release on July 9th will be on shelves this coming Saturday and features smart wines for the summer pantry as its main theme. The mini-theme focuses cool-climate Chardonnay, to coincide with the 6th annual International Cool-Climate Chardonnay Celebration (i4c) that will take place July 22-24 in Niagara.

From the summer pantry focus that highlights great-value wines, only 3 of the 24 wines featured are included among my wine picks. There is a nice Cremant d'Alsace that is made using Pinot Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Gris and will show just a kiss of sweetness. The Bila-Haut is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan matured in vats. The last of the summer pantry wines is a Sauvignon Blanc from Loire.

I've always enjoyed my Chardonnay, and the delectable selection of cool-climate Chards in this release is quite good with 4 of 9 wines featured included among my wine recommendations. Local cool-climate Chardonnays include barrel-fermented styles from Henry of Pelham, Flat Rock Cellars and Château des Charmes. Also barrel-fermented is the Chardonnay from Chile. Lastly, as part of the Flagship Store Exclusive (FSE) selection is the barrel-fermented Chardonnay from Niagara's Pearl Morissette which uses only indigenous yeast during fermentation.

In red wines from the rest of the release, the Piazzano Blend 2 is a blend of 34% Colorino, 33% Sangiovese and 33% Malvasia Nero, while the Crianza is 85% Tempranillo and 15% Garnacha tinta/Mazuelo. Single varietal wines include the old vines Carignan, the Aglianico, and the Barbaresco (100% Nebbiolo). The Gran Selezione Chianti Classico and the Brunello are both 100% Sangiovese, while the Cigliano Chianti Classico includes 5% Colorino in addition to Sangiovese. From Tablas Creek in California is a red blend more reminiscent of Rhône, consisting of 40% Mourvedre, 30% Syrah, 21% Grenache and 9% Counoise.

In white wines, the blend from South Africa consists of Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Semillon. Single varietal wines include the Müller-Thurgau, the Soave (100% Garganega), and the off-dry Riesling.

The rosé wine from Tavel is made with Cinsault, Grenache, and Mourvèdre, while Brangelina's Miraval Rosé is a blend of Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, and Rolle.

Enjoy my wine picks from this release.

Red Wine:

• M. CHAPOUTIER LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON-VILLAGES 2014 - AC, Midi, France (#168716) (D) - $14.95
• CUNE RIOJA CRIANZA 2012 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#039925) (XD) - $16.95
• TESSELLAE VIEILLES VIGNES CARIGNAN 2014 - IGP Côtes Catalanes, Southwest, France (#343509) (D) - $17.95
• D’ANGELO AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE 2012 - DOC, Basilicata, Italy (#971689) (XD) - $18.95
• VILLA DEL CIGLIANO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2013 - DOCG, Tuscany (#189803) (XD) - $19.95
• PIAZZANO BLEND 2 2013 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#455493) (XD) - $24.95  reviewed here
• CASTELLO DI GABBIANO GRAN SELEZIONE BELLEZZA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2012 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#652438) (XD) - $39.95  reviewed here
• NADA GIUSEPPE CASOT BARBARESCO 2012 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#456988) (XD) - $41.95
• LA GERLA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2010 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#642561) (XD) - $63.95
• TABLAS CREEK ESPRIT DE TABLAS 2012 - Paso Robles, California, USA (#735654) (XD) - $65.95  FSE

White Wine:

• DOMAINE DE LA CHAISE TOURAINE SAUVIGNON 2014 - AC, Loire, France (#452540) (XD) - $14.95
• TABALI RESERVA ESPECIAL CHARDONNAY 2013 - Limarí Valley, Chile (#663005) (XD) - $18.95
• CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES ST. DAVID’S BENCH VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2012 - VQA St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#430991) (XD) - $19.95
• WATERKLOOF CIRCLE OF LIFE 2012 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#284588) (XD) - $19.95
• ABBAZIA DI NOVACELLA MÜLLER-THURGAU 2014 - DOC Valle Isarco Alto Adige, Italy (#452557) (XD) - $19.95
• FLAT ROCK THE RUSTY SHED CHARDONNAY 2013 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#001552) (XD) - $24.95
• CHARLES BAKER IVAN VINEYARD RIESLING 2015 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#395921) (D) - $27.20
• HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2013 - VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#616466) (XD) - $29.95
• PIEROPAN LA ROCCA SOAVE CLASSICO 2013 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#092437) (XD) - $37.95
• PEARL MORISSETTE CUVÉE DIX-NEUVIÈME CHARDONNAY 2013 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#303602) (XD) - $38.20  FSE

Rosé Wine:

• FAMILLE PERRIN TAVEL 2015 - AC, Rhône, France (#680801) (XD) - $19.95
• MIRAVAL ROSÉ 2015 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#042584) (XD) - $22.95

Sparking Wine:

• DOMAINE ALLIMANT-LAUGNER BRUT CRÉMANT D’ALSACE - Méthode Traditionnelle, AC Alsace, France (#030593) (D) - $19.95