fathers-day | VINTAGES Wine Picks & Reviews

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Monday, June 5, 2017

June 10, 2017 VINTAGES Release: Australia + France + Father's Day + Canada 150

LCBO Wine Picks from June 10, 2017 VINTAGES Magazine

The June 10, 2017 VINTAGES Release will be on shelves at LCBO outlets across Ontario this coming Saturday and has four themes featured. In this Release, the main themes are warm-weather wines from Australia, French wines under $20, Father's Day gifts, and many Canadian wines to celebrate Canada 150. There could also easily be a fifth theme with all of the fine Rosé wines listed.

We'll begin with main theme which lists twelve wines for summer fare from Australia. Just two of the twelve wines made my list of wine picks, and includes a nice Aussie Shiraz from Margaret River in Western Australia. The other wine from Australia is a Viognier from Tahbilk - a family-owned winery since 1860 that was named 2016 Winery of the Year by James Halliday.

As part of the Australian thematic, there's a neat side note about wine serving temperatures. As a general rule, you should chill your white wines for 2 hours in the fridge (or 20 minutes in an ice bucket), rose wines for 1.5 hours in the fridge (or 15 minutes in an ice bucket), and red wines for 1 hour in the fridge (or 10 minutes in an ice bucket).

The second theme of the release is titled "French Lessons" and lists seven wines from France, all under $20, two of which are included among my top wine recommendations. From Beaujolais, there is a Gamay from Vieilles Vignes (i.e. Old Vines) that are more than 40 years old. The second wine from this mini-theme is a mature Malbec from Cahors, the native home of the Malbec grape.

From the Father's Day thematic which listed five wines plus a Cognac, and being a Father myself, I would love to have either the Châteauneuf-du-Pape (which is a blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, and 10% Mourvèdre) or the Amarone that is a blend of 70% Corvina/Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, and 10% Croatina/Oseleta.

For Canada 150 celebrations, there are sixteen wines listed and many good choices among them. Viognier is not grown much in Ontario, but there's a good one from Creekside, a producer that's been making quality Viognier for quite a few years now. A pair of dry rosés are also worth your attention, one is made by Creekside using Cabernet Sauvignon, while the Malivoire Rosé is made with Pinot Noir.

This leads us into the fine selection of rosé wines that are being released, most of which are from France. The rosé wine from Rhône is a blend of Syrah and Grenache, while the La Riviera is a blend of Grenache and Cinsault, and the Leoube Rosé consists of Grenache, Cinsault with touches of Syrah and Mourvèdre.

In red wines from the rest of the release, from Midi, the M. Chapoutier is a blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Carignan, while the Bugadelles is a blend of Syrah and Grenache. From Spain, the Crianza is 100% Tempranillo, while the Rioja is actually a blend of 77% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, 8% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo. From Chile, the Intriga Cabernet Sauvignon contains 8% Cabernet Franc, and last but not least, the Barbaresco from Piedmont is made with Nebbiolo.

Intriga Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 (90+ pts)

Among my white wine picks, the white Bordeaux is mostly Sauvignon Blanc, with Semillon added to complete the blend. For sweet wine lovers, the mature Riesling Kabinett should be on your list, as well as the Tokaji from Hungary.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

M. CHAPOUTIER LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON VILLAGES 2015 - AC, Midi, France (#168716) (XD) - $15.95
LIONEL OSMIN & CIE CAHORS MALBEC 2012 - AC Cahors, Southwest, France (#247544) (XD) - $16.95
OVIDIO GARCÍA ESENCIA CRIANZA 2009 - DO Cigales, Spain (#489757) (XD) - $18.95
STÉPHANE AVIRON VIEILLES VIGNES MOULIN-À-VENT 2013 - AC, Beaujolais, France (#368134) (XD) - $19.95
FRANKLIN TATE ESTATES SHIRAZ 2015 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#489948) (XD) - $19.95
INTRIGA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 - Maipo Valley, Chile (#057901) (XD) - $22.95 reviewed here
DOMAINE LES BUGADELLES 2014 - IGP Pays d’Oc, Midi, France (#493536) (XD) - $25.95 FSE
MARQUÉS DE MURRIETA FINCA YGAY RESERVA 2012 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#209148) (D) - $29.95
PASQUALE PELISSERO BRICCO SAN GIULIANO BARBARESCO 2012 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#214551) (XD) - $38.95
CHÂTEAU FORTIA CUVÉE DU BARON CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2013 - AC, Rhône, France (#959999) (D) - $44.95
LATIUM MORINI CAMPO LEÒN AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA 2011 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#334300) (D) - $46.95

White Wine:

BELLINGHAM HOMESTEAD SERIES THE OLD ORCHARDS CHENIN BLANC 2015 - WO Paarl, South Africa (#484055) (XD) - $15.95
CHÂTEAU ROQUEFORT BLANC 2016 - AC Bordeaux, France (#313346) (XD) - $16.95
TAHBILK VIOGNIER 2016 - Nagambie Lakes, Central Victoria, Australia (#271387) (XD) - $18.95 reviewed here
MARKUS HUBER TERRASSEN GRÜNER VELTLINER 2015 - DAC Traisental, Austria (#484956) (XD) - $19.95 reviewed here
HEDGES H.I.P DIONYSUS VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2013 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#488528) (XD) - $19.95
SCHLOSS SCHÖNBORN HATTENHEIM NUSBRUNNEN RIESLING KABINETT 2008 - Hattenheim, Rheingau, Germany (#496497) (MS) - $19.95
DOMAINE RAOUL GAUTHERIN CHABLIS 2014 - AC, Burgundy, France (#488809) (XD) - $24.95
CREEKSIDE RESERVE VIOGNIER 2014 - Queenston Road Vineyard, VQA St. David’s Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#264168) (D) - $29.95

Markus Huber Terrassen Grüner Veltliner 2015 (89 pts)

Rosé Wine:

CREEKSIDE CABERNET ROSÉ 2016 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#048819) (XD) - $14.95
CHÂTEAU VAL JOANIS TRADITION ROSÉ 2016 - AP Luberon, Rhône, France (#707281) (XD) - $15.95
LA RIVIERA CÔTES DE PROVENCE ROSÉ 2016 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#494120) (XD) - $18.95
MALIVOIRE VIVANT ROSÉ 2016 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#498535) (XD) - $19.95
CHÂTEAU LÉOUBE ROSÉ DE LÉOUBE 2016 - AC Côtes de Provence, France (#491100) (XD) - $25.95

Dessert Wine:

CHÂTEAU DERESZLA 5 PUTTONYOS TOKAJI ASZÚ 2009 - Tokaj-Hegyalja, Hungary (#012203) (S) (500 mL) - $45.95

June 11 VINTAGES Release: Sparkling Wine + California Zin + Father's Day

LCBO Wine Picks: June 11, 2016 VINTAGES Release

The June 11 VINTAGES Release has 3 themes and will be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves this coming Saturday. The first theme is titled "Fizz Fest" and features sparkling wines for all occasions, while the second theme features California Zinfandel. The third and final theme of this release features a small selection of wines (and spirits) for Father's Day gifts.

We'll begin with the main feature on bubbly that has 16 sparkling wines, 5 of which are included among my wine picks. If you prefer your sparklers to be extra dry (i.e. not sweet), look for Chile's first organic sparkling wine that is a 77/23 blend of Chardonnay/Pinot Noir. Also extra dry, and more Pinot (82%) than Chardonnay (18%) is leads us to a rosé sparkling wine from South Africa. Single varietal sparkling wines with a hint sweetness, from less sweet to more sweet, include a Chardonnay from Burgundy, a Sauvignon Blanc, and a Riesling, the latter two which are from Ontario.

The first mini-theme of 6 wines focuses on California Zinfandel. I'm not a big fan of Zinfandel, but if there's one wine I would add to my cellar, it would be the Ridge Lytton Springs from Sonoma County that, in addition to 74% Zinfandel, also includes 16% Petite Sirah, 8% Carignan and 2% Mataro (aka Mourvèdre). This is a wine to put away for at least a couple of years and enjoy into the 2030's.

Only one selection from the Father's Day mini-theme made my list of wine picks. It's a beautiful Brunello di Montalcino (100% Sangiovese) from Tenuta La Fuga, from the great 2010 vintage.

From the rest of the release, the Chinon is made with Cabernet Franc, while the Chianti Classico is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo. Creekside's Laura's Red (45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 3% Syrah, 2% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot) returns to VINTAGES with another year under it's belt. From Rhône, there are two fabulous reds: the Vacqueyras is a blend of Grenache and Syrah, while the Gigondas is mostly Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre adding texture.

Creekside Estate Laura’s Red 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (89 pts)

In white wines, the Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine is an extra dry wine made using the Melon de Bourgogne grape. If you like your wines on the sweet side, take a look at a pair of Ontario Rieslings, or go even sweeter with a Riesling Spätlese from Germany.

Enjoy my wine recommendations for this week. Cheers!