January 21, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: California

Here's my top wine picks from the January 21, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release which focuses on California's top wine regions as the theme of the release. Also included in this release is a selection of Online Exclusives (VOE) that will also be available at select Flagship Store locations.

The theme is titled "Places in the Sun" and looks at California's top wine regions. There are ten wines featured as part of the theme, and while there are a couple of wines from here that I would happily recommend, just one wine is included among my top wine picks - a consistently well-made Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley from a solid producer.

Moving on to my top red wine picks from the rest of the release, for Rhône wine lovers there is the Lirac that is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, while the Rasteau is equal parts Grenache and Syrah. From Spain, the 2017 Rioja is a composed of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Graciano / Mazuelo / Garnacha, while the 2015 Rioja is a blend of Tempranillo and Graciano. Fans of Bordeaux blends will want to seek out the premium wine from South Africa that is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, or the wine from Washington that is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Carmenere, and 1% Merlot, or the budget-friendly 2015 Bordeaux that is a blend of 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Cabernet Franc. Wines from Italy include a Tuscan red crafted with 90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Barolo which is, of course, made with Nebbiolo.

Among my white wine recommendations, the Rhône white is a blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, 15% Clairette, and 5% Viognier, while the Portuguese white is composed of 50% Loureiro, 40% Arinto, and 10% Trajadura. The other white wines are all mono-varietal wines, with both the Petit Chablis and the Chilean white crafted with Chardonnay.

Sparkling wine recommendations in this release include a Champagne which is crafted with 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, as well as a Cava which is made with 75% Macabeo and 25% Chardonnay. For sweet wine lovers, there is a lovely Sauternes that is crafted with 91% Sémillon and 9% Sauvignon Blanc, and a Sherry which is made with 100% Pedro Ximénez.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CHÂTEAU LES PINS DE BOSSUET 2015 - AC Bordeaux Supérieur, France (#26305) (XD) - $16.95
• WAKEFIELD PINOT NOIR 2021 - South Australia (#197392) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
  
• POWERS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#434456) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• SALENTEIN RESERVE MALBEC 2020 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#640854) (XD) - $19.95
• MONTERRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Vegan, McLaren Vale, South Australia (#12835) (XD) - $19.95
• LAVAU RASTEAU 2019 - AC, Rhône, France (#394650) (XD) - $23.95  90+ pts  wine review
• XAVIER VIGNON LIRAC 2019 - AP, Rhône, France (#636183) (XD) - $24.95  91 pts  wine review

• CASTELLO VICCHIOMAGGIO AGOSTINO PETRI RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - 47th Anniversary, sustainable, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#993360) (XD) - $30.95  91 pts  wine review
• DELHEIM GRAND RESERVE 2017 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#26094) (XD) - $31.95  92+ pts  wine review
• BARÓN DE LEY GRAN RESERVA 2015 - Vegan, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#642496) (XD) - $32.95  92+ pts  wine review
• RODNEY STRONG ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Sustainable, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#350454) (XD) - $35.95  91+ pts  wine review
  
• CVNE IMPERIAL RESERVA 2017 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#424390) (XD) - $39.95
• MIRAFIORE BAROLO 2016 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#26908) (XD) - $49.95  92+ pts  wine review

White Wine:

• ARCA NOVA VINHO VERDE 2021 - Vegan, DOC, Portugal (#292029) (XD) - $13.95
• CHÂTEAU DE NAGES HÉRITAGE BLANC 2020 - AC Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#479659) (XD) - $22.95
• DOMAINE YVON & LAURENT VOCORET PETIT CHABLIS 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#26446) (XD) - $27.95  91 pts  wine review
• CLOS HENRI SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#675629) (XD) - $29.95
• TARA ATACAMA WHITE WINE 1 2020 - Unfiltered, DO Valle de Atacama, Chile (#511337) (XD) - $54.95  VOE

Sparkling Wine:

• SEGURA VIUDAS HEREDAD RESERVA BRUT CAVA - Traditional method, DO, Spain (#558825) (D) - $39.95  91 pts  wine review
  
• VILMART ET CIE GRANDE RÉSERVE 1ER CRU CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#12619) (D) - $73.95  92 pts  wine review

Dessert Wine:

• CASTELNAU DE SUDUIRAUT 2015 - Second wine of Château Suduiraut, AC Sauternes, Bordeaux, France (#29694) (S) (375mL) - $26.95  VOE

Fortified Wine:

• GONZÁLEZ BYASS NECTAR PEDRO XIMÉNEZ DULCE SHERRY - Vegan, DO, Spain (#87577) (S) - $26.95