LCBO VINTAGES Release August 5, 2017: Argentina + New Old School

New wines from the upcoming August 5, 2017 LCBO VINTAGES Release will be on shelves this Saturday and features wines from Argentina as its main theme, while the mini-theme looks at 5 "new old school" wine regions.

We'll begin with the feature on Argentina, where the particular focus is on the various altitudes where grapes are grown, ranging from as low as 600 metres up to more than 3,000 metres above sea level. The wine region of Salta in northern Argentina is home to the world's highest vineyards, where grapes are grown up to 3,111 metres above sea level. Of the 12 wines listed, just 2 are included among my top wine picks. The first wine is from Finca Flichman and is a red blend made with 70% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot from a vineyard located 1,100 metres above sea level. The second wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon (that also includes approx. 15% Malbec) from Uco Valley, where vineyards range between 1,000 and 1,450 metres above sea level.

The mini-theme is a small one, featuring just 6 wines from 5 countries that are relatively unknown to most wine consumers. Armenia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia and Greece are the countries featured, and while they may not be household names when it comes to wine, winemaking in these regions go as far back as 8,000 years ago. Unfortunately, none of the wines from this feature quite made the cut on my list of wine recommendations.

Among the red wines from the rest of the Release, there is a 2011 red from Portugal that consists of indigenous varietals Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Baga, Alfrocheiro and Jaen, while the 2013 Portuguese red is a blend of 60% Touriga Nacional, 25% Touriga Franca, 15% Tinta Roriz. From Spain, the 2007 Rioja is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Mazuelo/Graciano, while the 2009 Rioja is a blend of 92% Tempranillo, 4% Mazuelo and 4% Graciano. Also from Spain, the Priorat is a Grenache blend. Last, but not least, the Chianti is 100% Sangiovese.

The white wines listed in my top wine picks are all single varietals. Dry white wines include Xarel-lo, Grüner Veltliner, Viognier, Chardonnay, and a trio of Sauvignon Blanc wines, including one from India! On the sweeter side, there is a nice Gewürztraminer and a pair of lovely Ontario Riesling wines.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Salud!

Red Wine:

• MONDECO RED 2011 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#442210) (D) - $13.95  reviewed here
• QUINTA DA REDE RESERVA 2013 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#431742) (XD) - $17.95
• FINCA DEL MARQUESADO RESERVA 2009 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#492652) (XD) - $17.95
• FINCA FLICHMAN PAISAJE DE TUPUNGATO 2015 - Mendoza, Argentina (#415034) (XD) - $18.95
• FLEUR DU PALAY CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2015 - AP, Rhône, France (#494849) (XD) - $19.95
• JOVINO PINOT NOIR 2014 - Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#514802) (XD) - $22.95
• BODEGA PIEDRA NEGRA GRAN LURTON CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#980334) (XD) - $24.95
• ROTLLAN TORRA PRIORAT RESERVA 2011 - DOQ Priorat, Spain (#511048) (XD) - $24.95
• VIÑA OLABARRI GRAN RESERVA 2007 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#329102) (XD) - $24.95  reviewed here
• VIGNA DI PALLINO RISERVA CHIANTI 2014 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#514331) (XD) - $26.95

White Wine:

• GROVER ZAMPA ART COLLECTION SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - Nandi Hills, Karnataka, India (#498329) (XD) - $16.95
• CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES OLD VINES RIESLING 2014 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#277228) (D) - $18.95  reviewed here
• HERETAT MONT-RUBI WHITE XAREL-LO 2015 - DO Penedès, Spain (#488742) (XD) - $19.95
• REDSTONE LIMESTONE VINEYARD SOUTH RIESLING 2013 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#381251) (M) - $19.95  reviewed here
• TWO RIVERS CONVERGENCE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#277707) (D) - $19.95
• HENRI EHRHART RÉSERVE PARTICULÈRE GEWURZTRAMINER 2015 - AC Alsace, France (#392118) (D) - $21.95  FSE
• HIRSCH HEILGENSTEIN GRÜNER VELTLINER 2014 - Kammern, DAC Kamptal, Austria (#484980) (XD) - $24.95
• YALUMBA VIOGNIER 2015 - Eden Valley, South Australia (#954644) (XD) - $24.95
• ARGYLE CHARDONNAY 2015 - Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#946640) (XD) - $29.95
• TE MATA ESTATE CAPE CREST SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014 - Hawkes Bay, North Island, New Zealand (#490318) (XD) - $30.95  FSE

Rosé Wine:

• BY OTT ROSÉ 2016 - AC Côtes de Provence, France (#490896) (XD) - $28.95
• DOMAINES OTT CHÂTEAU DE SELLE ROSÉ 2016 - AC Côtes de Provence, France (#074617 / #490888) (XD) - (750 mL / 1500 mL) $47.95 / $104.95  FSE

Sparkling Wine:

• ELYSSIA GRAN CUVÉE BRUT CAVA - Traditional method, DO, Spain (#392548) (XD) - $19.95
• JANSZ PREMIUM SPARKLING ROSÉ - Tasmania, Australia (#037499) (XD) - $27.95
• HURÉ FRÈRES INSTANTANÉE EXTRA BRUT CHAMPAGNE 2008 - AC, France (#491761) (XD) - $64.95  FSE