October 19, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Top Italian Regions

Here are my top wine picks from today's October 19, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection. The theme of the release is titled "Top Italian Regions", while the mini-theme (with only 3 wines) shines a spotlight on Patagonia, Argentina. Overall, it is a big release with over 140 wines and includes a selection of large-format gifting options, as well as a fine selection of Online & Flagship Exclusives (OFE), all of which are readily available for purchase today.

We'll begin with the theme titled "Top Italian Regions", which takes you on a tour through most of Italy's wine regions, although Campania is notably absent from this tour. There are nineteen wines included as part of the theme, with eight wines among my top wine picks. The tour begins in Tuscany with a Bolgheri that is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, while the Gran Selezione Chianti Classico is composed of 80% Sangiovese, 13% Merlot, and 7% Malvasia Nera. Next, we go south to the volcanic island of Sicily for a white wine made with Carricante, and an Etna Rosso crafted with Nerello Mascalese. Next, we head northeast for a Nebbiolo from Piedmont, then west to Veneto for a 2022 Soave that is 100% Garganega, and a Valpolicella that is a blend of Corvina Veronese, Corvinone, and Rondinella. For the last stop on this tour, we go a little further north to Alto Adige for a northern Italian Pinot Grigio.

Red wine recommendations from the rest of the release starts in Chile with an iconic wine that is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Malbec, 17% Carmenere, and 6% Petit Verdot. There are a trio of red blends from the Rhône, with the Plan de Dieu composed of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre, the Costières de Nîmes is a a blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, and 5% Carignan, and the Vinsobres is an unoaked blend of Grenache and Syrah. From Italy, the Riserva Chianti Classico is crafted with 100% Sangiovese, while the 2017 red from Sicily is made with 58% Nero d'Avola and 42% Perricone. Lastly, the Rioja is composed of 65% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacha, and 10% Graciano / Mazuelo, while the Beaujolais is made with Gamay.

Among my top white wine picks from the main release, all are mono-varietal wines. There's a fine Assyrtiko from Greece, followed by a trio of Sauvignon Blanc wines - one each from New Zealand, Chile, and South Africa. Also on the list is a lovely 2015 Soave from Veneto that is made with Garganega, and a locally crafted Chardonnay from Niagara that was fermented and aged in Canadian oak. For those that prefer slightly sweet wines, the Gewürztraminer from Alsace is a perennial favourite.

There are three Champagne sparkling wines worth your attention. The NV bubbly by Heidsieck is composed of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, and 20% Meunier, while the Sélèque is made with 50% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Meunier, and 10% Pinot Noir. And lastly, the 2016 Brut Rosé is a blend of 43% Pinot Noir (13% red wine), 42% Chardonnay, and 15% Meunier.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• ALAMOS SELECCIÓN MALBEC 2020 - La Consulta, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#322800) (XD) - $16.95
• RÉMY FERBRAS PLAN DE DIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2022 - AP, France (#538009) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• SAN ALEJANDRO QUERENCIA DESEYA ORGANIC VIEJA GARNACHA 2022 - Vegan, DO Calatayud, Spain (#37722) (XD) - $18.00
• COURTOIS LA GRANGE VINSOBRES 2022 - Sustainable, AC, Rhône, France (#526632) (XD) - $19.95
• CAVE DU CHÂTEAU DES LOGES LES 3 MADONES CÔTE DE BROUILLY 2022 - AC, Beaujolais, France (#39769) (XD) - $21.95  90 pts  wine review

• MONTE DEL FRÀ TENUTA LENA DI MEZZO VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2021 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#165662) (D) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• MICHEL GASSIER NOSTRE PAÏS 2021 - AP Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#295410) (XD) - $25.95  90 pts  wine review
  
• RÉVA NEBBIOLO D'ALBA 2021 - DOC, Piedmont, Italy (#38310) (XD) - $28.95
• R. LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA CUBILLO CRIANZA 2016 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#692780) (XD) - $33.95
• TORNATORE PIETRARIZZO ETNA ROSSO 2021 - DOC, Sicily, Italy (#18926) (XD) - $37.95
• FLAT ROCK GRAVITY PINOT NOIR 2020 - Sustainable, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#1560) (XD) - $39.95  92 pts  wine review

 

• THIRTY BENCH WILD CASK CABERNET FRANC 2020 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#41093) (XD) - $55.00  92+ pts  wine review
• CASTELLO DI VOLPAIA RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#705335) (XD) - $64.95  OFE
• REGALEALI ROSSO DEL CONTE 2017 - DOC Contea di Sclafani, Sicily, Italy (#22824) (XD) - $74.95  OFE
• CASTELLO DI AMA SAN LORENZO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2019 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#12751) (XD) - $76.95  94+ pts  wine review
  
• GUADO AL TASSO 2021 - DOC Bolgheri Superiore, Tuscany, Italy (#986380) (XD) - $204.95  94+ pts  wine review
  
• SEÑA 2021 - Vegan, Valle del Aconcagua, Chile (#496430) (XD) - $209.95  OFE  95 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• SUTHERLAND SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 - WO Elgin, South Africa (#203877) (XD) - $15.95
• LUIS FELIPE EDWARDS FAMILY SELECTION GRAN RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - Vegan, Valle de Leyda, Chile (#37758) (XD) - $16.95  90 pts  wine review
• SKOURAS WILD FERMENT ASSYRTIKO 2023 - PGI Peloponnese, Greece (#32387) (XD) - $19.95  90+ pts  wine review
• ALOIS LAGEDER TERRA ALPINA PINOT GRIGIO 2022 - IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Alto Adige, Italy (#681429) (XD) - $19.95  91 pts  wine review
• BABICH BLACK LABEL SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 - Sustainable, Estate grown, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#9142) (XD) - $20.95
• PIERRE SPARR GRANDE RÉSERVE GEWURZTRAMINER 2022 - AC Alsace, France (#747600) (D) - $20.95
• INAMA VIN SOAVE CLASSICO 2022 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#949768) (XD) - $22.95
• FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY 2022 - Vegan, Sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#149302) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
• TORNATORE ETNA BIANCO 2022 - DOC, Sicily, Italy (#577676) (XD) - $27.95
• GINI LA FROSCÀ SOAVE CLASSICO 2015 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#528471) (XD) - $57.95  OFE

Sparkling Wine:

• JM SÉLÈQUE SOLESSENCE EXTRA BRUT CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#22923) (XD) - $88.95  OFE  92 pts  wine review
  
• CHARLES HEIDSIECK BRUT RÉSERVE CHAMPAGNE - Disgorged in 2023, AC, France (#36962) (XD) - $94.95  OFE
• MOËT & CHANDON GRAND VINTAGE EXTRA BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE 2016 - AC, France (#69831) (XD) - $129.95