VINTAGES Release November 12: Holiday Gifts & Parties

The upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release on November 12 is a large one featuring just one theme - wines for holiday gifts and parties. All wines will be on shelves this Saturday, November 12.

Since there is only one theme in this release, there are 31 wines included as part of the feature, and 12 are included among my wine picks. Most of the wines in this theme are red wines, but there are a few other delightful wines to choose from that would make delightful gifts or amazing additions to holiday parties. The vintage sparkling wine from Henry of Pelham is made with Chardonnay, while the vintage Rosé Champagne is a blend of 47% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay, and 20% Pinot Meunier. There are only 2 white wines among the 31, and both are highly recommended - they are the Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc and the slightly sweet Cave Spring CSV Riesling.

The red wines listed as part of this theme are numerous, with 8 reds being included among my wine recommendations. We'll begin with a Pinot Noir from Chile, the Barossa Valley Shiraz from Australia that has some age on it. In blends, the Hidden Bench Terroir Caché Meritage is a blend of 46% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc and 13% Malbec, while the Clos de los Siete is a blend of 57% Malbec, 18% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Syrah. From Veneto, the Masi Amarone is a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara, while the Quintarelli uses no dried grapes and consists of 50% Corvina/Corvinone and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc. The Penfolds Bin 389 is an almost even split of Cabernet Sauvignon (51%) and Shiraz (49%), while the 2007 Rioja is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha.

From the rest of the release in red wines, the wine from Bordeaux is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc. From Italy, the Zisola from Sicily is 100% Nero d'Avola, while the Rivera Il Falcone is 70% Nero di Troia and 30% other varietals.

In white wines, the Greek white from Crete is a blend of two indigenous varietals - Vilana (65%) and Vidiano (35%). For Riesling fans, all of my Riesling picks are on the dry side (i.e. not sweet), with only the versions from Cave Spring and Charles Baker showing some sweetness.

Enjoy my wine picks from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• THYMIOPOULOS YOUNG VINES XINOMAVRO 2013 - Naoussa, Greece (#466474) (XD) - $17.95
• MAZZEI ZISOLA 2013 - DOC Sicilia Noto Rosso, Italy (#303925) (XD) - $18.95
• CHÂTEAU GUILLOU 2014 - AC Montagne Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France (#140483) (XD) - $19.95  reviewed here
• MAYCAS DEL LIMARÍ RESERVA ESPECIAL PINOT NOIR 2014 - Limarí Valley, Chile (#469213) (XD) 750 mL $19.95  reviewed here
• KAIKEN ULTRA MALBEC 2014 - Mendoza, Argentina (#50849) (D) - $19.95
• CATENA MALBEC 2014 - Mendoza, Argentina (#468066) (XD) (1500 mL) - $39.95
• CLOS DE LOS SIETE 2013 - Mendoza, Argentina (#622571) (XD) - $23.95
• RIVERA IL FALCONE RISERVA CASTEL DEL MONTE 2009 - DOC, Puglia, Italy (#177295) (XD) - $23.95  reviewed here

• HIDDEN BENCH TERROIR CACHÉ MERITAGE 2012 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#505610) (XD) - $38.00  reviewed here
• ANTINORI BADIA A PASSIGNANO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2010 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#384552) (D) - $44.95  reviewed here
• LA RIOJA ALTA VIÑA ARDANZA RESERVA 2007 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#315531) (XD) - $44.95
• QUINTARELLI PRIMOFIORE 2012 - IGT Veneto, Italy (#020867) (XD) - $66.95
• PENFOLDS BIN 407 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 - South Australia (#414987) (D) - $69.95
• PENFOLDS BIN 389 CABERNET/SHIRAZ 2013 - South Australia (#309625) (D) - $69.95
• BAROSSA VALLEY ESTATE E&E BLACK PEPPER SHIRAZ 2008 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#731620) (XD) - $89.95
• STAGS’ LEAP ESTATE THE LEAP CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#142844) (XD) - $89.95
• MASI MAZZANO AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2011 - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#215764) (D) - $109.95

White Wine:

• KARAVITAKIS WINERY THE LITTLE PRINCE WHITE 2015 - Crete, Greece (#465930) (XD) - $14.95  reviewed here
• MEGALOMANIAC NARCISSIST RIESLING 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#067587) (XD) - $17.95  reviewed here
• WILDASS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#376814) (D) - $18.95
• HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2014 - VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#268342) (XD) - $19.95
• TRIMBACH RIESLING 2013 - AC Alsace, France (#734517) (XD) - $23.95
• DOG POINT SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#677450) (XD) - $24.95
• CAVE SPRING CSV RIESLING 2014 - Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#566026) (D) - $29.95  reviewed here
• CHARLES BAKER PICONE VINEYARD RIESLING 2013 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#241182) (D) - $35.20  reviewed here
• LOUIS MOREAU VAULIGNOT CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2014 - AC, Burgundy, France (#525386) (XD) - $36.95

Sparkling Wine:

• BAILLY LAPIERRE RÉSERVE BRUT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE - AC, Burgundy, France (#991562) (XD) - $19.95
• HENRY OF PELHAM CUVÉE CATHARINE CARTE BLANCHE BLANC DE BLANC 2011 - Méthode traditionelle, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#315200) (D) - $44.95
• MOËT & CHANDON GRAND VINTAGE BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE 2006 - AC, France (#069831) (D) - $95.95

Fortifieds:

• DALVA COLHEITA PORT 1995 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#69930) (S) - $34.95  reviewed here

Dessert Wine:

• REIF VIDAL ICEWINE 2014 - VQA Niagara River, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#544791) (S) (200 mL) - $24.95