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Saturday, November 2, 2024

November 2, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: California

LCBO Wine Picks: November 2, 2024 VINTAGES New Release Collection

Here are my top wine picks from the November 2, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, with the theme of the release titled "California Stars & Icons". The release is on the bigger and more expensive side of the spectrum with 121 wines offered in this release, with about two-thirds dedicated to red wines. Overall, it is a very good release, especially if you are looking for red wines, since there are a wide variety of choices at many price points, including many fine gifting options. All the wines should be readily available for purchase today!

We'll begin with the theme of the release, which looks at some of California's Stars & Icon wines. There are twelve wines included as part of the feature, and four are included among my top wine picks. The mono varietal wines include the lone white, which is a fine Napa Valley Chardonnay, and an excellent Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley. Both Napa Cabs are blends, with the Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon blended with 15% Merlot, while the Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon includes 9% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, 2% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot.

Groth Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (94 pts)

Gary Farrell Russian River Selection Pinot Noir 2021 (93 pts)

There are a good number of high quality red wines from the main release, and we'll begin in Tuscany with an excellent Brunello di Montalcino that is crafted with Sangiovese, followed by a Chianti Classico that is also crafted using the same grape, while the Super Tuscan is mainly Sangiovese (79%) with a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (13%) and Cabernet Franc (8%). The red from Rioja is a blend of 80/20 Tempranillo and Garnacha, while the Armenian red is composed of Syrah, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc. Meanwhile, the red from Niagara is a blend of 48% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, and 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Bordeaux red is a Cabernet-based blend. The rest of the reds are all single varietal wines.

Banfi Poggio alle Mura Brunello di Montalcino 2019 (94 pts)

Castelli del Grevepesa Clemente VII Chianti Classico 2020 (88+ pts)

The only blend among my white wine recommendations is the white from Argentina, which is composed of 38% Sémillon, 32% Sauvignon Blanc, and 30% Torrontes. Among the mono-varietal dry whites, there is a Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa, and a Chardonnay from Chile. If you want something a little sweet, the Niagara Riesling is a top-notch wine.

Among my sparkling wine picks, the 2009 Dom leads the pack with a Brut Rosé that is a blend of 59% Pinot Noir and 41% Chardonnay, followed by the sparkling wine from Australia that is composed of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. The Cava is also a blend, consisting of approximately 70% Parellada, 15% Macabeu, and 15% Xarel·lo, while the Cap Classique from South Africa is made with straight Chenin Blanc.

Ken Forrester Sparklehorse Cap Classique Sparkling Chenin Blanc 2020 (91 pts)

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

CHÂTEAU DUCASSE 2020 - AC Graves, Bordeaux, France (#38261) (XD) - $16.95
SUSANA BALBO CRÍOS MALBEC 2022 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#162529) (XD) - $17.95 88+ pts wine review
FINCA SOPHENIA ALTOSUR MALBEC 2023 - Gualtallary, Tupungato, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#13113) (XD) - $17.95
CASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CLEMENTE VII CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 - Sustainable, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#421388) (XD) - $22.95 88+ pts wine review
SALENTEIN PYROS APPELLATION MALBEC 2019 - Valle de Pedernal, Argentina (#38506) (XD) - $22.95

FALERNIA TITÓN SINGLE VINEYARD RESERVA SYRAH 2019 - DO Valle del Elqui, Chile (#27198) (XD) - $22.95
KARAS RED BLEND 2022 - Armavir Region, Ararat Valley, Armenia (#492751) (XD) - $22.95
URLAR THE MEDIATOR GLADSTONE PINOT NOIR 2020 - Vegan, Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand (#37396) (XD) - $24.95
PLANETA PLUMBAGO NERO D'AVOLA 2021 - Sustainable, DOC Sicilia Menfi, Italy (#19491) (XD) - $24.95 91 pts wine review
TWO SISTERS ELEVENTH POST 2018 - VQA Niagara River, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#20935) (XD) - $48.00 92 pts wine review
LA RIOJA ALTA VIÑA ARDANZA RESERVA 2016 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#315531) (XD) - $59.95

HAMILTON RUSSELL PINOT NOIR 2023 - Sustainable, WO Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, South Africa (#999516) (XD) - $69.95
GARY FARRELL RUSSIAN RIVER SELECTION PINOT NOIR 2021 - Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#27686) (XD) - $72.95 93 pts wine review
BANFI POGGIO ALLE MURA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2019 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#372250) (XD) - $82.95 94 pts wine review
SEQUOIA GROVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 - Rutherford, Napa Valley, California, USA (#60020) (XD - 2 g/L) - $85.95
GROTH OAKVILLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#27256) (XD) - $128.95 94 pts wine review
TIGNANELLO 2021 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#986786) (XD) - $192.95 93 pts wine review

Planeta Plumbago Nero d'Avola 2021 (91 pts)

Susana Balbo Críos Malbec 2022 (88+ pts)

White Wine:

RUSTENBERG STELLENBOSCH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#456020) (XD) - $15.95
ARBOLEDA CHARDONNAY 2022 - Sustainable, DO Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#606772) (XD) - $18.95 89 pts wine review
SUSANA BALBO SIGNATURE WHITE BLEND 2023 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#558734) (XD) - $22.95
CHARLES BAKER PICONE VINEYARD RIESLING 2021 - Sustainable, VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#241182) (M) - $44.95
FAR NIENTE CHARDONNAY 2022 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#539130) (XD) - $99.95

Sparkling Wine:

STARS BRUT NATURE RESERVA CAVA 2022 - Traditional method, DO, Spain (#515221) (D) - $17.95
TALTARNI TACHÉ BRUT ROSÉ SPARKLING 2016 - Traditional method, Australia (#967398) (D) - $26.95
KEN FORRESTER SPARKLEHORSE CAP CLASSIQUE SPARKLING CHENIN BLANC 2020 - Traditional method, WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#32030) (D) - $29.95 91 pts wine review
DOM PÉRIGNON BRUT ROSÉ VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE 2009 - AC, France (#91777) (D) - $471.95

Fortified Wine:

BURMESTER 10-YEAR-OLD TAWNY PORT - DOP, Portugal (#223958) (S) - $29.95

Dessert Wine:

CAVE SPRING SELECT LATE HARVEST RIESLING 2023 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#415901, 375 mL) (S) - $27.95
LAKEVIEW CELLARS CABERNET SAUVIGNON ICEWINE 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#471813, 200 mL) (S) - $29.95 92 pts wine review

Lakeview Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine 2017 (92 pts)

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

LCBO Wine Picks: August 24, 2024 VINTAGES New Release Collection

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.

Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (91 pts)

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.

Tezza Valpolicella Ripasso Valpantena Superiore 2020 (90+ pts)

Castelli del Grevepesa Castelgreve Chianti Classico 2021 (90 pts)

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.

Wine Art Estate Idisma Drios Assyrtiko 2022 (91+ pts)

Alpha Estate Turtles Single Vineyard Malagouzia 2023 (91 pts)

Attems Ramato Pinot Grigio 2023 (89 pts)

LAVAU Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2022 (88+ pts)

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.

Domaine Terre Davau Tavel Rosé 2023 (90 pts)

Le Bijou de Sophie Valrose Rosé 2023 (89 pts)

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!