Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES September 1, 2018: Euro Benchmarks

The upcoming September 1, 2018 LCBO VINTAGES Release is a mono-thematic release titled "The Grand Tour" and features wines from Europe's top Benchmark wine regions. In addition, there are many fine values to be found as we head toward the busy holiday season. It is also a very good release to re-stock your cellar if it was depleted during summer. All of these wines will be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves this coming Saturday.

We'll begin with The Grand Tour from Europe's top wine regions that lists fifteen wines, four of which are included among my top wine picks. From Bordeaux, there is a nicely matured 2006 red that is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend. From the Rhône Valley, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and 5% Cinsault from vines that are 60 years old. From Tuscany, the Chianti Classico is a blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot. And lastly, if you're looking for something quite sweet, from the Mosel is a lovely Riesling Kabinett.

Among my red wine picks, the Rubus from Spain is a blend of roughly equal parts Garnacha and Syrah, and 20% Tempranillo, while the Cannonau di Sardegna is commonly known as Grenache in other parts of the world. It's rare to see a Ripasso Valpolicella on my list of recommended wines, but there is a good one made in a dry style from Albino Armani that is a traditional blend of Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella. The red wine from Puglia is a blend of 65% Aglianico, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Syrah, while the Roussillon red is a blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 20% Carignan. Last but definitely not the least, the Australian red is a blend of 60% Shiraz and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.

My top white wine picks are all in the dry spectrum, save for the aforementioned Riesling. The Portuguese white is a blend of Encruzado and Malvasia, while the Sicilan white is made from the Carricante varietal that is indigenous to Sicily, with the grapes for this wine coming the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna. And lastly, the Loire white is made with Sauvignon Blanc, while the white Burgundy is Chardonnay.

There is also a fine selection of dry rosé wines in this release. The Tavel is a blend of 50% Grenache, 45% Cinsault, and 5% Syrah, while the rosé from the Languedoc is mostly Mourvèdre with some Syrah and Cinsault. Both rosés from Provence are primarily Mourvèdre, with Grenache and Cinsault in support. You'll want stock up on these as this just might be the end of new release quality rosé in our market until next spring.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this Release. Cheers!

Red Wine:

• ZUCCARDI SERIE A MALBEC 2016 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#167619) (XD) - $16.95  88 pts  wine review
• BODEGA JESÚS ROMERO RUBUS 2016 - DO Aragón, Spain (#575944) (XD) - $18.95  89 pts  wine review
• ALBINO ARMANI RIPASSO VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2015 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#558759) (XD) - $18.95
• ANTICHI PODERI JERZU CHUÈRRA RISERVA CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA 2015 - DOC, Sardinia, Italy (#270272) (XD) - $18.95
• BASTIDE SOBIRANA LIEU DIT LA COLOMINE 2015 - AP Côtes du Roussillon, France (#561217) (XD) - $18.95
• TORMARESCA TRENTANGELI ROSSO 2015 - DOC Castel del Monte, Puglia, Italy (#435529) (XD) - $19.95
• MAZZEI SER LAPO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2014 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#288530) (XD) - $23.95  90 pts  wine review
• CREEKSIDE CABERNET FRANC 2014 - Serluca Vineyard, VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#444034) (XD) - $25.00
• SOUTHERN RIGHT PINOTAGE 2016 - WO Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay, South Africa (#486167) (XD) - $27.95  90 pts  wine review
• LAKE BREEZE BERNOOTA SHIRAZ/CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 - Langhorne Creek, South Australia (#575886) (XD) - $27.95
• DOMAINE DE LA SOLITUDE SAINT-JULIEN 2006 - AC Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France (#550475) (XD) - $38.95
• DOMAINE CHANTE CIGALE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2015 - AP, Rhône, France (#194993) (D) - $51.95

White Wine:

• CASA DA PASSARELLA DÃO BRANCO 2016 - DO Dão, Portugal (#548859) (XD) - $13.95
• PONTE PELLEGRINO GRECO DI TUFO 2016 - IGT Campania, Italy (#477760) (XD) - $14.95
• BELLINGHAM HOMESTEAD SERIES THE OLD ORCHARDS CHENIN BLANC 2016 - WO Paarl, South Africa (#484055) (XD) - $15.95
• NOMAD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#446088) (XD) - $16.95
• CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES ESTATE BOTTLED CHARDONNAY MUSQUÉ 2015 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#640516) (XD) - $16.95
• TORNATORE ETNA BIANCO 2016 - DOC, Sicily, Italy (#577676) (XD) - $22.95
• REICHSGRAF VON KESSELSTATT SCHARZHOFBERGER RIESLING KABINETT 2015 - Prädikatswein, VDP Grosse Lage, Mosel, Germany (#282343) (MS) - $25.95  90 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU DE TRACY MADEMOISELLE DE T POUILLY-FUMÉ 2016 - AP, Loire, France (#106773) (XD) - $27.95
• DOMAINE LES VIEUX MURS POUILLY-FUISSÉ 2016 - AC, Burgundy, France (#241117) (XD) - $33.95
• DOG POINT SECTION 94 SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#325977) (XD) - $43.95  FE

Rosé Wine:

• LAVAU TAVEL ROSÉ 2017 - AC, Rhône, France (#556175) (XD) - $18.95  89 pts  wine review
• LA CADIÉRENNE CUVÉE GRANDE TRADITION BANDOL ROSÉ 2017 - AC, Provence, France (#119453) (XD) - $22.95
• CHÂTEAU LA NÉGLY LA NATICE ROSÉ 2017 - AP Languedoc, Midi, France (#492199) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU VAL D’ARENC BANDOL ROSÉ 2017 - AP, Provence, France (#557884) (XD) - $29.95

Sparkling Wine:

• LOUIS ESCHENAUER BRUT CRÉMANT DE BORDEAUX - Traditional method, AP, Bordeaux, France (#543108) (XD) - $16.95