Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES Release Jan. 5, 2019: Smart Buys

Hello 2019! This is the first LCBO VINTAGES Release of the year and it's the annual "Smart Buys" release. After a few months of very heavy releases (both on the wallet and thickness of the magazine), this release is a slim 42 pages. New wines from the January 5, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release will be on shelves this coming Saturday.

The "Smart Buys" feature consists of 25 wines chosen by five knowledgeable LCBO Product Consultants. All 25 wines come in at under $20, and three are included among my top wine picks. The Rhône red is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah from vines 40-45 years of age, while the Cecchi Storia di Famiglia Chianti Classico is a blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% other varietals. The third and final wine is an organic Pinot Grigio from northeastern Italy.

From the rest of the release, my top red wine picks include single-varietal wines such as Barbera from Italy, Gamay from Beaujolais, Tempranillo from Spain, and Petite Sirah from California. At the higher end, there's also a lovely single clone Cabernet Franc from Niagara, a Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley. From Italy, both the Fèlsina and iconic Cepparello are made with 100% Sangiovese. From Bordeaux, the Mansio is a 70/30 blend of Merlot and Malbec, the Breuil is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and some Petit Verdot, and the Boutisse is 88% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Carmenère.

Among my white wine picks, the Rueda white is made with Verdejo. There is also a Pecorino and a Grüner Veltliner. For sweet wine lovers, the Pinot Gris is slightly sweet (off-dry), while the Gewurztraminer is medium sweet (more sweeter).

Enjoy my wine recommendations and Happy New Year!

Red Wine:

• DOMAINE AUTRAND CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2016 - AC, Rhône, France (#380675) (D) - $14.95
• MICHELE CHIARLO LE ORME 16 MONTHS BARBERA D’ASTI 2016 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#265413) (XD) - $15.95
• VAUCHER PÈRE & FILS FLEURIE 2015 - AC, Beaujolais, France (#534339) (XD) - $16.95
• HEREDAD DE URUEÑA SANTO TERROIR TEMPRANILLO 2012 - Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León, Spain (#629832) (D) - $16.95
• CECCHI STORIA DI FAMIGLIA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#540922) (XD) - $17.95  88 pts  wine review
• CASTLE ROCK PETITE SIRAH 2015 - Paso Robles, California, USA (#633172) (XD) - $18.95
• CHÂTEAU CLOS MANSIO 2015 - AC Côtes de Bordeaux – Blaye, France (#630095) (XD) - $19.95

• CHÂTEAU DU BREUIL 2014 - Cru Bourgeois, AC Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#633081) (XD) - $24.95
• VINELAND ESTATES BOTEEK CLONE 327 CABERNET FRANC 2015 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#621342) (XD) - $35.00  90 pts  wine review
• FÈLSINA BERARDENGA RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#230722) (XD) - $38.95
• CHÂTEAU BOUTISSE 2015 - AC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France (#368175) (D) - $41.95
• ADELSHEIM PINOT NOIR 2016 - Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#683821) (XD) - $49.95  FE  91 pts  wine review
• ISOLE E OLENA CEPPARELLO 2015 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#025650) (XD) - $108.95

White Wine:

• CASTILLO DE LA MOTA 2017 - DO Rueda, Spain (#633768) (XD) - $12.95
• SAN RAFFAELE PINOT GRIGIO 2017 - DOC delle Venezie, Italy (#204768) (XD) - $15.95
• DE ANGELIS OFFIDA PECORINO 2016 - DOCG, Marche, Italy (#577734) (D) - $15.95
• RABL LANGENLOIS GRÜNER VELTLINER 2017 - DAC Kamptal, Austria (#377457) (D) - $16.95
• MATAHIWI PINOT GRIS 2018 - Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand (#630202) (D) - $17.95
• JEAN-BAPTISTE ADAM LES NATURES GEWURZTRAMINER 2016 - AC Alsace, France (#561555) (M) - $24.95