February 15, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Australia

Here are my top wine picks from the February 15, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, which features wines from Australia as the theme of the release. This is a relatively large release with 105 wines offered, and includes just over a dozen Online & Flagship Exclusives (OFE). Most wines in this release come in at under $30, and all should be available for purchase by this Saturday. As a reminder, HST savings are still in effect until February 15th.

Of the thirteen wines included as part of the theme titled "Australia Coming to Light", five wines from Australia are included among my top wine recommendations in this release. We'll begin with a perennial favourite Hunter Valley Semillon, followed by a blend of 75/25 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon from Margaret River. There's also the consistently well-made Chardonnay from Clare Valley/Limestone Coast that is a frequent visitor to VINTAGES. The reds from Australia are both Cabs, with the 2018 crafted using 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, while the 2022 Cab is actually a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc.

There is only one blend among my top red wine picks from the main release - the Ventoux from Rhône that is a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Cinsault. Among the mono-varietal wines, both the Riserva and the Gran Selezione Chianti Classicos are 100% Sangiovese, while the Tinto de Toro is the local name in DO Toro for Tempranillo. Chile is well-represented among my picks with three wines crafted using Syrah, Carmenère, and Cabernet Sauvignon, respectively. On the local front, there are a pair of lovely Pinot Noir wines - one each from Niagara and Prince Edward County.

Among my top white wine picks from the main release, the barely off-dry Riesling from Alsace tops the list. After that, we've got a pair of Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand, followed by a Grüner Veltliner from Austria, and a Viognier from the Rhône. For sweet wine lovers, the Tokaji from Hungary was supposed to arrive last November, but got delayed, and is finally now here for your next special occasion.

Enjoy my top wine picks from this release! Cheers mate!

Red Wine:

• MATURANA PUENTE AUSTRAL RESERVA PRIVADA CARMENÈRE 2022 - Valle de Colchagua, Chile (#42113) (XD) - $14.95  review coming soon...
• CORAL DUERO ENVENA TINTA DE TORO 2022 - DO Toro, Spain (#40867) (XD) - $16.95  review coming soon...
• PESQUIÉ ÉDITION 1912M VENTOUX 2022 - Vegan, AP, Rhône, France (#636159) (XD) - $16.95
• XANADU CIRCA 77 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#18344) (XD) - $18.95  review coming soon...
• MONTGRAS ANTU LAS ARAUCARIAS VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 - Sustainable, Vegan, DO Valle de Maipo, Chile (#444703) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• EVANS & TATE HULLABALOO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#41312) (XD) - $19.95  review coming soon...
  

• CASAS DEL BOSQUE GRAN RESERVA SYRAH 2022 - Valle de Colchagua, Chile (#389759) (XD) - $22.95
• TERREDORA DI PAOLO CORTE DI GISO AGLIANICO 2019 - DOC Irpinia, Campania, Italy (#39183) (XD) - $26.95
• REDTAIL HUBBS CREEK VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2020 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#42667) (XD) - $27.00
• SAN FELICE IL GRIGIO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2021 - Sustainable, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#716266) (XD) - $29.95  review coming soon...
• LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE PINOT NOIR 2021 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#33894) (XD) - $30.00  90 pts  wine review
• LORNANO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2017 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#491985) (XD) - $48.95  93 pts  wine review
• PORSELEINBERG SYRAH 2020 - WO Swartland, South Africa (#483941) (XD) - $99.95

White Wine:

• WAKEFIELD ESTATE LABEL CHARDONNAY 2022 - Clare Valley / Limestone Coast, South Australia (#711556) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• RABL LANGENLOIS GRÜNER VELTLINER 2022 - Sustainable, DAC Kamptal, Austria (#377457) (XD) - $18.95
• DOMAINE FONT SARADE BLANC VIOGNIER 2023 - IGP Vaucluse, Rhône, France (#42392) (XD) - $19.95
• MOHUA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#536219) (XD) - $19.95
• THE HUNTING LODGE VIBRANT EXPRESSIONS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#17667) (XD) - $21.95
• XANADU VINEWORK SAUVIGNON BLANC / SEMILLON 2023 - Sustainable, Margaret River, Western Australia (#41315) (XD) - $22.95  review coming soon...
• TYRRELL'S HUNTER VALLEY SEMILLON 2023 - New South Wales, Australia (#632034) (XD) - $23.95  review coming soon...
• TRIMBACH RÉSERVE RIESLING 2022 - AC Alsace, France (#247023) (D) - $43.95  OFE

Fortified Wine:

• GONZÁLEZ BYASS LA COPA VERMOUTH ROJO - Jerez, Spain (#491712) (S) - $25.95

Dessert Wine:

• PUKLUS PINCÉSZET TOKAJI ASZÚ 5 PUTTONYOS 2016 - Tokaj-Hegyalja, Hungary (#47209, 500mL) (S) - $42.95  OFE