August 24, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Online & Flagship Exclusives

Here's my top wine picks from the Online & Flagship Exclusives (OFE) section of the August 24, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection. There are more than 40 wines listed as OFEs, and as is typical of the category, nearly all the wines are priced north of $20. All the wines should be readily available online and at the 16 Flagship stores in Ontario.

We'll begin with the red wines, and each of my top red wine picks is a mono-varietal wine. From Italy, both the Brunello di Montalcino and the Chianti Classico are crafted with 100% Sangiovese, while the wine from Marche is composed of 100% Montepulciano. For Pinot wine lovers, there is a fine Pinot Noir from Burgundy, as well as a Pinot Noir from Central Otago. South America is also represented among my red wine picks, with a fine Malbec from Argentina, and a Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile.

Among my white picks, there's only wine that is a blend - the Tuscan white that is mainly Vernaccia di San Gimignano with 5-7% Manzoni and Trebbiano to complete the blend. Other white wines include a pair of higher-end Chardonnays from Burgundy, a Grüner Veltliner from Austria, and an off-dry Pinot Gris from New Zealand.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CASAS DEL TOQUI GRAN TOQUI CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Sustainable, DO Valle de Cachapoal, Chile (#37751) (XD) - $26.95
• UMANI RONCHI CÚMARO CONERO RISERVA 2019 - DOCG, Marche, Italy (#27811) (XD) - $26.95
• ARGENTO SINGLE BLOCK #1 MALBEC 2021 - Vegan, Paraje Altamira, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#36179) (XD) - $35.95
• LOOP ROAD PINOT NOIR 2022 - Cromwell, Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand (#25948) (XD) - $37.95
• QUERCIABELLA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 - Vegan, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#728816) (XD) - $40.95
• PODERI 322 BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2019 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#39101) (XD) - $59.95
• CHARTRON ET TRÉBUCHET LES GRAND EPENOTS POMMARD 1ER CRU 2020 - AP, Burgundy, France (#37917) (XD) - $135.95

White Wine:

• TIKI SINGLE VINEYARD NORTH CANTERBURY PINOT GRIS 2023 - North Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand (#36881) (D) - $22.95
• PANIZZI VERNACCIA DI SAN GIMIGNANO 2022 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#36446) (XD) - $23.95
• PREISS KAMMERLING GRÜNER VELTLINER 2022 - DAC Traisental, Austria (#37421) (XD) - $23.95
• CHARLY NICOLLE LES FOURNEAUX ANTE MCMLXXX CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2020 - AP, Burgundy, France (#24945) (XD) - $52.95
• CHARTRON ET TRÉBUCHET CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET 2021 - AC, Burgundy, France (#37916) (XD) - $127.95