November 9, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: California

The November 9, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release features wines from California in this mono-thematic, third to last Release of 2019. On the whole, there are many lovely wines to add to your collection or for gift-giving throughout this Release.

We begin with the main theme that focuses on top California wines, which lists fifteen as part of this theme. While many California wines as part of this theme are high quality wines, I've limited my recommendations to four from this feature. First up is the lone red which is a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stags Leap District in Napa Valley. My top white wines from California includes a barrel fermented Sauvignon Blanc (with a splash of Semillon) that is called Fumé Blanc from iconic Robert Mondavi. There's also a lovely Napa Valley Chardonnay and a Chardonnay from Sonoma Mountain.

My red wine picks are littered with blends from Italy and France. From Italy, the Amarone is a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara, while the Chianti Classico is a blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Malvasia Nera, and 5% Canaiolo. Both Super Tuscans - the Luce and Crognolo - are big wines made with Sangiovese and Merlot. From Rhône, France, the outstanding Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and 5% Cinsault, while the Côtes du Rhône-Villages is a blend of 65% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 5% Mourvèdre. Lastly, the Rioja from Spain is a blend of 75% Tempranillo, 15% Grenache, 5% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo.

My white wine recommendations from the rest of the Release are all single varietal wines. Some of the bigger highlights includes various oaked Chardonnays from New Zealand, Sonoma County, and South Africa, as well as a Pinot Grigio that is consistently delicious year after year. For sweet wine lovers, look to either the very sweet Spätlese Riesling from Mosel, or the off-dry Gewurztraminer from Alsace.

Among my sparkling wine picks, all are crafted in the traditional method, with the Italian bubbly made of 100% Chardonnay, while the Niagara bubbly is 50/50 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and lastly, the Rosé Champagne is a blend of 67% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay. All are dry and aged for a number of years prior to release.

Enjoy my wine picks from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• GÉRARD BERTRAND FITOU GRENACHE/CARIGNAN 2017 - AP, Midi, France (#403683) (D) - $17.95  88 pts  wine review
• SIDEWOOD SHIRAZ 2016 - Adelaide Hills, South Australia (#446146) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE MALBEC 2017 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#79798) (XD) - $19.95
• GABRIEL MEFFRE LAURUS CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2016 - AP, France (#381053) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• ERRAZURIZ ACONCAGUA ALTO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2017 - DO Aconcagua Valley, Chile (#203364) (XD) - $21.95  90 pts  wine review
• SAN FABIANO CALCINAIA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#23408) (XD) - $21.95  90 pts  wine review

• RODNEY STRONG ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2016 - Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#350454) (XD) - $32.95  90 pts  wine review
• SOLÉNA GRAND CUVÉE PINOT NOIR 2017 - Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#486944) (XD) - $33.95  90 pts  wine review
• TENUTA SETTE PONTI CROGNOLO 2016 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#727636) (D) - $34.95  92 pts  wine review
• R. LOPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA TONDONIA RESERVA 2006 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#356337) (XD) - $58.95  93 pts  wine review
• RENATO RATTI MARCENASCO BAROLO 2015 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#713479) (XD) - $59.95  92 pts  wine review

• VERSADO RESERVA ANCIENT MALBEC 2013 - Mendoza, Argentina (#316984) (XD) - $59.95  93 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU DE BEAUCASTEL CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2017 - AC, Rhône, France (#711317) (XD) - $93.95  93 pts  wine review
• LUCE 2016 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#685263) (XD) - $119.95  93 pts  wine review
• CLIFF LEDE STAGS LEAP DISTRICT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2016 - Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California, USA (#14217) (XD) - $119.95  93 pts  wine review
• MASI MAZZANO AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2012 - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#597476) (XD) - $129.95  93 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• KAIKEN TERROIR SERIES TORRONTÉS 2018 - Cafayate Valley, Salta, Argentina (#330407) (XD) - $17.95  88 pts  wine review
• PENCARROW SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 - Martinborough, North Island, New Zealand (#148429) (XD) - $18.95  88 pts  wine review
• CAVE HUNAWIHR KUHLMANN-PLATZ GEWURZTRAMINER 2018 - AP Alsace, France (#12010) (D) - $18.95  88+ pts  wine review
• CHRISTINA THE HERITAGE COLLECTION CHARDONNAY 2017 - WO Robertson, South Africa (#10104) (XD) - $18.95  90 pts  wine review
• TIEFENBRUNNER PINOT GRIGIO 2018 - IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Alto Adige-Trentino, Italy (#474742) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• BISCHÖFLICHE WEINGÜTER TRIER DOM SPÄTLESE RIESLING 2011 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#11651) (S) - $21.95  90 pts  wine review
• RODNEY STRONG CHALK HILL CHARDONNAY 2017 - Sonoma County, California, USA (#275552) (XD) - $26.95  90 pts  wine review
• CLOUDY BAY CHARDONNAY 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#359513) (XD) - $38.95  92 pts  wine review
• ROBERT MONDAVI TO KALON VINEYARD RESERVE FUMÉ BLANC 2015 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#326165) (XD) - $59.95  93 pts  wine review
• BERINGER PRIVATE RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2017 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#26682) (D) - $64.95  92 pts  wine review
• KISTLER SONOMA MOUNTAIN CHARDONNAY 2017 - Sonoma Mountain, Sonoma County, California, USA (#183921) (XD) - $114.95  93 pts  wine review

Sparkling Wine:

• FERRARI BRUT SPARKLING - Traditional method, DOC Trento, Italy (#352153) (XD) - $24.95  89 pts  wine review
• 13TH STREET PREMIER CUVÉE SPARKLING 2013 - Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#142679) (XD) - $39.95  91+ pts  wine review
• LOUIS ROEDERER BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE 2013 - AC, Champagne, France (#368415) (XD) - $104.95  FE

Dessert Wine:

• CAVE SPRING INDIAN SUMMER LATE HARVEST RIESLING 2017 - Estate grown, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#415901) (S) (375 mL) - $24.95
• CARMES DE RIEUSSEC 2015 - 1er cru, AC Sauternes, Bordeaux, France (#472092) (S) (375 mL) - $25.95  91 pts  wine review