Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES Sept. 15, 2018: Bringing Local Home

The upcoming September 15, 2018 LCBO VINTAGES Release focuses on the local scene here in Ontario and is the only theme of the release. All of these wines, plus many more, will be available on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario this coming Saturday.

In all, there are 21 wines featured in the "Bring Local Home" theme that looks at the people, places, and passion from wineries across Ontario. Just one wine made my list of wine picks - a nice Chardonnay from Flat Rock Cellars where a portion of sales from this bottle are donated to the Ontario Association of Food Banks. There are also a couple of other lovely Ontario wines that I did not include below because they are re-releases, but the 2016 Hidden Bench Estate Riesling ($24.95, #183491, 90+ pts ) and 2016 Vineland Estates Elevation St. Urban Vineyard Riesling ($19.95, #38117, 89+ pts) are off-dry to medium-dry (quite sweet) and would be worthy additions to your cellar.

Among my top red wine picks, the Madiran is a blend of about half Tannat, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc completing the blend, while the Corbieres is 40% Carignan, 30% Grenache and 30% Syrah that was aged in tanks. Also from France, the 2010 Bordeaux (from an excellent vintage) is made with approximately 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. From Argentina, the 1350 is nearly equal parts Cabernet Franc and Malbec, and a small amount of Casavecchia, all of which come from 1,350 metres above sea level. From Italy, the Brunello is made with 100% Sangiovese Grosso, while the Sicilian red comes from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna and consists of 80% Nerello Mascalese and 20% Nerello Cappuccio. From Spain, the Rioja is 85% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, and 5% Graciano, while the Priorat is a blend of 50% Garnatxa (Grenache), 10% Carinyena (Carignan), and 40% Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah. Lastly, there are a pair of Spanish reds made with the relatively unknown Mencía varietal - try both and compare.

From my top white wine picks, the only blend is from South Africa, and it is Chenin Blanc driven with balance made up of Roussanne, Viognier, and Semillon. Single varietal wines that you may have not heard of includes a Melon de Bourgogne from Loire, an Aligoté from Burgundy, and a Falanghina from Campania.

Among the rosé wines, the Rioja is a blend of 96% Tempranillo and 4% Garnacha Tinta, while the Rhône rosé is a blend of Syrah and Grenache. Lastly, the rosé from Provence is a blend of 55% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, and 10% Carignan.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• PAGO DE VALDONEJE MENCÍA 2016 - DO Bierzo, Spain (#268805) (XD) - $15.95
• BRUMONT TOUR BOUSCASSÉ 2012 - AC Madiran, Southwest, France (#414615) (XD) - $17.95
• CHÂTEAU OLLIEUX ROMANIS CUVÉE CLASSIQUE CORBIERES 2016 - AP, Languedoc, France (#568444) (XD) - $18.95
• VIÑADEMOYA CENTENARIA MENCÍA 2016 - DO Bierzo, Spain (#574608) (XD) - $18.95
• CHÂTEAU MOULIN DE CLOTTE 2010 - AC Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, France (#550426) (XD) - $19.95
• DOÑA PAULA 1350 RED TERROIR BLEND 2015 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#568956) (XD) - $22.95
• MARQUÉS DE CÁCERES RESERVA 2012 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#702761) (XD) - $24.95
• SENTIERI SICILIANI ETNA ROSSO 2016 - DOC, Sicily, Italy (#582874) (XD) - $27.95  FE
• CELLER DE L’ENCASTELL MARGE 2014 - DOQ Priorat, Spain (#462077) (XD) - $29.95
• BERTANI VAL DI SUGA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2012 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#713719) (XD) - $48.95

White Wine:

• PIERRE-LUC BOUCHAUD SUR LIE MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE 2016 - Sur lie, AC, Loire, France (#082461) (XD) - $15.95
• FLAT ROCK GOOD KHARMA CHARDONNAY 2016 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#356873) (XD) - $16.95
• AVONDALE JONTY’S DUCKS PEKIN WHITE 2016 - WO Paarl, South Africa (#439554) (XD) - $16.95
• PIERRE SPARR RÉSERVE PINOT GRIS 2016 - AC Alsace, France (#983395) (D) - $18.95  88+ pts  wine review
• CLOTILDE DAVENNE BOURGOGNE ALIGOTÉ 2016 - AP, Burgundy, France (#570432) (XD) - $19.95
• MASTROBERARDINO FALANGHINA DEL SANNIO 2016 - DOC, Campania, Italy (#562173) (XD) - $22.95
• ARTHUR METZ STEINKLOTZ PINOT GRIS 2013 - AP Alsace Grand Cru, France (#557819) (M) - $24.95  FE
• DOG POINT VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2014 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#238568) (XD) - $43.95  FE
• GRGICH HILLS FUMÉ BLANC DRY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - Estate grown, Napa Valley, California, USA (#346296) (XD) - $47.95  FE  91 pts  wine review

Rosé Wine:

• MARQUÉS DE CÁCERES ROSADO 2017 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#622142) (XD) - $14.95  87 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU VAL JOANIS TRADITION ROSÉ 2017 - AP Luberon, Rhône, France (#707281) (XD) - $15.95
• HENRI GAILLARD ROSÉ 2017 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#450825) (XD) - $16.95

Sparkling Wine:

• GÉRARD BERTRAND CUVÉE THOMAS JEFFERSON BRUT CRÉMANT DE LIMOUX 2016 - Traditional method, AC, Languedoc, France (#438838) (D) - $19.95
• LOUIS ROEDERER ET PHILIPPE STARCK BRUT NATURE CHAMPAGNE 2009 - AC, France (#440891) (XD) - $112.95  FE