Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES Release Feb. 16, 2019: Brand New + Australia

The upcoming February 16, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release highlights wines that are Brand New to VINTAGES in the main theme, while the mini-theme looks at cool wines from Australia. All of these wines, and many more, will arrive on VINTAGES shelves across Ontario by this Saturday.

We'll begin with the main theme that features eighteen wines in the theme titled "Brand New to VINTAGES", of which six are included among my top wine picks. From the white wines, there is a nice indigenous Greco from Campania, as well as a barrel-fermented Pouilly-Fuissé Chardonnay from Burgundy. Among the red wines, there is a lovely single vineyard Syrah from the coastal cool-climate region of Leyda Valley in Chile. From Rhône, there is the excellent Domaine Alary Cairanne, as well as the Camille Cayran Plan de Dieu, both of which are made with 100% Grenache. Lastly, there is an alluring 2011 Barolo made with Nebbiolo.

From the mini-theme that focuses on refined and elegant wines from the cool-climate regions of Australia, three of the seven wines are included among my wine recommendations. From the cool-climate region of Adelaide Hills in South Australia there is a single vineyard (and single block) Australian Shiraz. From the Margaret River region in Western Australia, the Stella Bella Chardonnay is a fine barrel-fermented example. Also from Margaret River is a lovely Syrah (note the spelling) that is actually a blend of 95% Syrah, 3% Viognier, and 2% Malbec, and shows elegance and finesse reminiscent of wines from Rhône.

Among my red wine picks from the rest of the Release, the Patrick Lesec Cairanne is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and old-vines Carignan that was raised almost entirely in tank, while the Bordeaux is a blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. From Tuscany, the Chianti Classico is a blend of 96% Sangiovese and 4% Merlot, while the Palazzino is made with Colorino - a grape normally used for blends. From the volcanic soils of Etna (Sicily), the Piano dei Diani is a blend of 90% Nerello Mascalese and 10% Nerello Cappuccio, while the Portuguese wine is a field blend of 30 grape varietals, but primarily Touriga Franca, Tempranillo and Touriga Nacional.

My white wine picks are all single varietals, including a Pinot Grigio that shows some sweetness. The rest are all dry white wines including Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre (Loire, France), Chile, and New Zealand, and Chardonnay from Meursault (Burgundy) and Australia.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• SANTA CAROLINA GRAN RESERVA PETIT VERDOT 2014 - DO Rapel Valley, Chile (#007484) (XD) - $16.95
• CAMILLE CAYRAN LA RÉSERVE PLAN DE DIEU 2017 - AP Côtes du Rhône-Villages, France (#644286) (XD) - $17.95
• PATRICK LESEC CAIRANNE 2016 - AP, Rhône, France (#636217) (XD) - $19.95
• PIERRE LURTON BORDEAUX 2016 - AC, France (#632984) (XD) - $19.95
• VIÑA LEYDA CANELO SINGLE VINEYARD SYRAH 2015 - DO Leyda Valley, Chile (#632703) (XD) - $19.95  90 pts  wine review
• DOMAINE NATURALISTE DISCOVERY SYRAH 2014 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#632596) (XD) - $24.95

• PIANO DEI DIANI 2015 - DOC Etna Rosso, Sicily, Italy (#589242) (XD) - $26.95
• DOMAINE ALARY LA JEAN DE VERDE CAIRANNE 2015 - AC Côtes du Rhône-Villages, France (#639914) (XD) - $28.95  91 pts  wine review
• THE LANE SINGLE VINEYARD BLOCK 14 BASKET PRESS SHIRAZ 2016 - Adelaide Hills, South Australia (#470591) (XD) - $29.95
• AMA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#515759) (XD) - $34.95
• IL PALAZZINO STAGI 2012 - IGT Toscana, Tuscany, Italy (#629212) (XD) - $37.95  FE
• PINTAS CHARACTER 2015 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#292599) (XD) - $49.95  FE
• LA SPINONA SORÌ GEPIN BAROLO 2011 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#577874) (XD) - $68.95

White Wine:

• CLIFFHANGER PINOT GRIGIO 2017 - DOC Trentino, Italy (#528687) (XD) - $15.95  86 pts  wine review
• TARAPACÁ GRAN RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 - DO Leyda Valley, Chile (#632349) (XD) - $17.95
• LA GUARDIENSE JANARE DEL SANNIO GRECO 2017 - DOP, Campania, Italy (#631085) (XD) - $18.95
• CHAVET & FILS LA DAME DE JACQUES COEUR MENETOU-SALON BLANC 2017 - AC, Loire, France (#525048) (XD) - $20.95
• AWATERE RIVER BY LOUIS VAVASOUR SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#492272) (XD) - $21.95
• STELLA BELLA CHARDONNAY 2016 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#102061) (XD) - $28.95
• JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2017 - AC, Loire, France (#189126) (XD) - $29.95
• DOMAINE NATURALISTE FLORIS CHARDONNAY 2015 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#609339) (XD) - $33.95  FE
• DOMAINE SANGOUARD-GUYOT QUINTESSENCE POUILLY-FUISSÉ 2016 - AP, Burgundy, France (#637850) (XD) - $34.95
• BOUCHARD PÈRE & FILS LES CLOUS MEURSAULT 2016 - AC, Burgundy, France (#661322) (XD) - $68.95  FE