August 24, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: West Coast

This is the first release since the end of the LCBO strike, and features wines that were originally supposed to be released on Aug. 10th, but are now part of the August 24, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection. It's a big release with more than 140 wines offered, while the theme of the release is titled West Coast Wine Country. All the wines should be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario already.

We'll begin with the theme, which is titled "A Trip Through West Coast Wine Country" and features fourteen wines, all from the states of California, Washington, and Oregon, as British Columbia was left out of the picture. Only two of these wines are among my top wine picks, and both are from Sonoma County, with an Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon which is a blend that includes 5% Merlot and 5% Malbec, and a rosé which consists of 90% Grenache, plus Syrah and Carignan completing the blend.

Somewhat surprisingly, all my top red wine picks outside the theme come in at under $25. Among the blends there is the Chianti Classico that is composed of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Merlot, as well as the Rhône red which is 50/50 Grenache and Syrah. The only other blend is the Valpolicella, which is a blend of Corvina and Rondinella. Other lovely mono-varietal red wines include a Frappato from Sicily, a Merlot from Bordeaux, and a Tempranillo from Rioja.

Among my top white wine recommendations, we start in Greece with a top Assyrtiko from Santorini, followed by another Assyrtiko which is from Drama. Staying in Greece, there is also a fine Malagouzia. On the local front, there is a fine Fumé Blanc, which is a barrel fermented and aged Sauvignon Blanc, as well as the off-dry Phoenix, which is made with 100% Gewürztraminer, and a medium-sweet Riesling from Niagara. Other white wines include a Grillo from Sicily, a skin-contact Pinot Grigio from Italy, and the Rhône white, which is a blend of 60/40 Grenache Blanc and Viognier.

Both of my rosé wine picks from France are blends, with the Tavel a blend of Grenache, Clairette, Cinsault, Bourboulenc, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. From the Languedoc, the Béziers rosé is a blend of 45% Cinsault, 40% Grenache, 10% Caladoc, and 5% Syrah, while the Midi rosé is made with 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, and 15% Marselan. From Niagara, the Malivoire Rosé is crafted with 100% Pinot Noir. Lastly, the bubbly from South Africa is 100% Chardonnay.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• TAPIZ MALBEC 2021 - Sustainable, Mendoza, Argentina (#36315) (XD) - $14.95
• DOMAINE LA DÉCELLE RÉSERVE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES VALRÉAS 2020 - AC, France (#14391) (XD) - $15.95
• CHÂTEAU CLOU DU PIN 2021 - AC Bordeaux Supérieur, France (#28727) (XD) - $18.95  89 pts  wine review
• CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CASTELGREVE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2021 - Sustainable, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#573485) (XD) - $18.95  90 pts  wine review
• CREMASCHI FURLOTTI GRAN RESERVA CARMENÈRE 2019 - Sustainable, Vegan, DO Valle del Loncomilla, Valle del Maule, Chile (#549741) (XD) - $19.95
• LEALTANZA ÚNICO 12 MESES ROBLE FRANCÉS 2018 - Vegan, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#37475) (XD) - $22.95
• TEZZA VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO VALPANTENA SUPERIORE 2020 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#25823) (D) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• VITE COLTE SOGNI AL CAMPO NEBBIOLO 2021 - DOC Langhe, Piedmont, Italy (#17572) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• PLANETA FRAPPATO 2022 - Sustainable, DOC Sicilia Vittoria, Italy (#508655) (XD) - $24.95
• RODNEY STRONG ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Sustainable, Sonoma County, California, USA (#350454) (XD) - $34.95  91 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• LAVAU CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2022 - AC, France (#36914) (XD) - $16.95  88+ pts  wine review
• FEATHERSTONE PHOENIX 2023 - Sustainable, Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#519025) (D) - $18.95  90+ pts  wine review
• ALPHA ESTATE TURTLES SINGLE VINEYARD MALAGOUZIA 2023 - Vegan, PGI Florina, Greece (#32161) (XD) - $18.95  91 pts  wine review
• ATTEMS RAMATO PINOT GRIGIO 2023 - DOC Friuli, Italy (#111732) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• HIEDLER PHENOMENON GRÜNER VELTLINER 2023 - Qualitätswein, Niederösterreich, Austria (#39119) (XD) - $19.95
• MEGALOMANIAC NARCISSIST RIESLING 2021 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#67587) (M) - $19.95
• REGALEALI CAVALLO DELLE FATE GRILLO 2022 - Sustainable, DOC Sicilia, Italy (#36662) (XD) - $23.95
• WINE ART ESTATE IDISMA DRIOS ASSYRTIKO 2022 - PGI Drama, Greece (#36834) (XD) - $28.95  91+ pts  wine review
• HIDDEN BENCH ROSOMEL VINEYARD FUMÉ BLANC 2021 - Sustainable, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#68825) (XD) - $29.95
• ARGYROS ASSYRTIKO 2022 - PDO Santorini, Greece (#387365) (XD) - $45.95  94+ pts  wine review

Rosé Wine:

• LE BIJOU DE SOPHIE VALROSE ROSÉ 2023 - Vegan, IGP Coteaux de Béziers, Languedoc, France (#20012) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• DOMAINE D'ESPEYRAN ELÉGANCE ROSÉ 2021 - IGP Terres du Midi, Languedoc, France (#37825) (XD) - $17.95
• 13TH STREET EXPRESSION SERIES CABERNET FRANC ROSÉ 2023 - Sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20359) (XD) - $17.95
• DOMAINE TERRE DAVAU TAVEL ROSÉ 2023 - AC, Rhône, France (#37680) (XD) - $19.95  90 pts  wine review
• MALIVOIRE VIVANT ROSÉ 2023 - Sustainable, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#498535) (XD) - $21.95  91+ pts  wine review
• ANGELS & COWBOYS ROSÉ 2023 - Sonoma County, California, USA (#493155) (XD) - $25.95  89 pts  wine review

Sparkling Wine:

• L'ORMARINS CAP CLASSIQUE BLANC DE BLANCS 2018 - Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa (#15681) (XD) - $28.95

Dessert Wine:

• FEATHERSTONE FROSTBITE SELECT LATE HARVEST GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2022 - Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#39276) (S) (375mL) - $29.95  92 pts  wine review