LCBO VINTAGES Release June 24, 2017: Cosmopolitan Canucks + Sparkling Wine

Given the looming LCBO strike on Monday, June 26, I would highly advise that you stock up from this Release as I'm not sure what will happen with subsequent VINTAGES Releases.

The LCBO VINTAGES Release on June 24th is titled "Cosmopolitan Canucks" as its main theme and features Canadians making wines in Canada and abroad. The mini-theme is titled "Super Sparklers" and features a selection of budget-friendly sparkling wines.

We'll begin with the main theme that features Canadians making fine wines around the world. Fourteen wines are listed, but only two made my list of wine picks. Ann Sperling and Peter Gamble are considered Canada's winemaking 'power couple' and have roots in British Columbia, Niagara, Nova Scotia, and Versado is their project from Argentina, with the Malbec featured in this Release made with old vines. The other wine included among my wine recommendations is Quadrus Red from Portugal that is a blend of 55% Touriga Nacional, 30% Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), and 15% Souzão. This wine is made by renowned Toronto restaurateur brothers Tony and Mario Amaro, and their partner Aris Kaplanis, and their first bottling of Quadrus was the 2010 vintage.

From the "Super Sparkler" mini-thematic, only the Graham Beck Brut Rosé made the cut from the ten wines listed, and it is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes.

In red wines from the rest of the Release, from Portugal the São Miguel is a blend of Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional, while the Quinta do Crasto is a field blend of 25-30 grape varieties from old vines averaging 70 years of age. From Roussillon, the Saint-Roch is a re-release and consists of nearly equal parts Grenache, Syrah and Carignan, while the Madiran is made with Tannat. And finally, the Rioja is made with 85% Tempranillo and 15% Graciano, while the Greek wine is 100% Agiorgitiko.

Among my white wine picks, you'll find plenty of Chardonnay (including a Musqué) and Sauvignon Blanc wines. Sweet wine lovers should skip this VINTAGES Release.

There are two nice rosé wines among my top wine picks. The rosé from Hidden Bench is a blend of 95.2% Pinot Noir and 4.8% Viognier, while the Château de la Négly is a blend of 70% Mourvèdre, and equal parts Syrah and Cinsault.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release. Cheers!

Red Wine:

• SÃO MIGUEL ESCOLHA DOS ENOLOGOS 2014 - Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal (#445122) (XD) - $15.95
• SAINT-ROCH VIEILLES VIGNES SYRAH/GRENACHE 2014 - AP Côtes du Roussillon, France (#195107) (XD) - $15.95
• CAVINO GRANDE RESERVE 2009 - PDO Nemea, Greece (#295618) (XD) - $17.95  reviewed here
• LAPLACE MADIRAN 2013 - AP, Southwest, France (#103705) (XD) - $17.95
• QUADRUS RED 2012 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#440305) (D) - $19.95
• BARÓN DE LEY GRAN RESERVA 2010 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#642496) (XD) - $29.95
• SOLÉNA GRANDE CUVÉE PINOT NOIR 2014 - Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#486944) (XD) - $34.95
• QUINTA DO CRASTO OLD VINES RESERVA 2014 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#294116) (XD) - $39.95
• VERSADO RESERVA ANCIENT MALBEC 2012 - Mendoza, Argentina (#316984) (XD) - $59.95
• TWO HANDS BELLA’S GARDEN SHIRAZ 2014 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#636407) (XD) - $65.95
• CHIMNEY ROCK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 - Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California, USA (#731810) (XD) - $101.95

White Wine:

• CAVE SPRING ESTATE BOTTLED CHARDONNAY MUSQUÉ 2015 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#246579) (D) - $16.95
• LEYDA GARUMA SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - Leyda Valley, Chile (#99309) (XD) - $17.95
• KONO SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#441394) (XD) - $18.95  reviewed here
• TIEFENBRUNNER PINOT GRIGIO 2015 - IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Alto Adige, Italy (#474742) (XD) - $19.95
• VIGNERONS DE BUXY BUISSONNIER MONTAGNY 2014 - AC, Burgundy, France (#382879) (XD) - $19.95
• JOSEF CHROMY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Tasmania, Australia (#482216) (XD) - $27.00  FSE
• STAGS’ LEAP WINERY CHARDONNAY 2015 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#655381) (D) - $34.95
• DOMAINE SERVIN VAILLONS CHABLIS PREMIER CRU 2015 - AC, Burgundy, France (#142778) (XD) - $34.95
• HENRI BOURGEOIS LA CHAPELLE DES AUGUSTINS SANCERRE 2014 - AC, Loire, France (#322628) (XD) - $37.95
• FLOWERS CHARDONNAY 2015 - Sonoma Coast, California, USA (#215210) (XD) - $70.95  FSE

Rosé Wine:

• HIDDEN BENCH LOCUST LANE ROSÉ 2016 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#68833) (XD) - $21.95
• CHÂTEAU DE LA NÉGLY LA NATICE 2016 - AP Languedoc, Midi, France (#492199) (XD) - $23.95  reviewed here

Sparkling Wine:

• GRAHAM BECK BRUT ROSÉ - Méthode Cap Classique, WO Western Cape, South Africa (#175588) (D) - $19.95