LCBO VINTAGES September 30, 2017: Family Matters + Sangiovese + Thanksgiving

The next release into LCBO VINTAGES on September 30, 2017 features 6 top wineries where "Family Matters" as its main theme. The mini-themes in this release focus on the Sangiovese grape varietal and fine wines for Thanksgiving. New wines will be on shelves this coming Saturday.

We'll begin with the feature titled "Family Matters", where the focus is on six winemaking families that uphold traditions and have a commitment to the land from generation to generation. Of the twelve wines listed, just two are included among my top wine picks. The Pennachetti family began forming roots in Niagara region in the 1920s and founded Cave Spring Cellars in 1986 and is currently owned by the third generation of the family. Their Chardonnay Musqué is among my wine recommendations below. The other family featured among my wine picks is the Torres Family from Spain that has been associated with winemaking for over 300 years, and their Cabernet Sauvignon is the 40th vintage of this wine.

From the Thanksgiving theme that listed eight wines, only the Ontario Riesling made the cut. Amazingly, none of the six wines featured in the Sangiovese theme made it on my list of wine picks.

In red wines from the rest of the release, many of which would go great with a rich Thanksgiving meal, include a Tinta de Toro (a.k.a. Tempranillo) and the Cúmaro that is made with Montepulciano. The Strapper GSM is a blend of Grenache/Shiraz/Mataro, while the 2010 Bordeaux (from an excellent vintage) is a blend of the Cabernets and Merlot.

Among my white wine picks, the Custoza is a ripe, slightly sweet blend of Garganega, Cortese, and Riesling. The Fumé Blanc is a barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, while the Pouilly-Fuissé is made with Chardonnay.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• G7 RESERVA SYRAH 2015 - Estate bottled, Loncomilla Valley, Maule Valley, Chile (#514067) (XD) - $15.95
• THYMIOPOULOS YOUNG VINES XINOMAVRO 2015 - Unfiltered, PDO Naoussa, Greece (#466474) (XD) - $17.95
• TESSELLAE VIEILLES VIGNES CARIGNAN 2015 - IGP Cotes Catalanes, Roussillon, France (#343509) (D) - $17.95
• TERRA D’URO FINCA LA RANA TORO 2012 - DO Toro, Spain (#424135) (D) - $18.95
• YALUMBA THE STRAPPER GSM 2014 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#295873) (D) - $19.95
• 2027 CELLARS QUEENSTON ROAD VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2013 - VQA St. David’s Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#421370) (XD) - $28.25  reviewed here
• UMANI RONCHI CÚMARO RISERVA CONERO 2011 - DOCG, Marche, Italy (#699587) (XD) - $29.95  reviewed here
• SEGHESIO BAROLO 2011 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#496877) (XD) - $49.95
• TORRES MAS LA PLANA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 - 40th vintage, DO Penedès, Spain (#129676) (XD) - $59.95
• CHÂTEAU MARSAC-SEGUINEAU 2010 - AC Margaux, Bordeaux, France (#512350) (XD) - $59.95
• MASI SEREGO ALIGHIERI VAIO ARMARON AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2012 - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#462812) (D) - $84.95

White Wine:

• BODEGA EL PORVENIR DE CAFAYATE AMAUTA ABSOLUTO TORRONTÉS 2016 - Cafayate Valley, Salta, Argentina (#489179) (XD) - $14.95
• GORGO SAN MICHELIN CUSTOZA 2015 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#428045) (D) - $15.95
• CAVE SPRING ESTATE BOTTLED CHARDONNAY MUSQUÉ 2015 - Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#246579) (XD) - $16.95  reviewed here
• TE PA PINOT GRIS 2015 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#519884) (XD) - $17.95  reviewed here
• 2027 FALLS VINEYARD RIESLING 2016 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#294041) (D) - $18.95  reviewed here
• AUNTSFIELD SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Southern Valleys, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#663286) (XD) - $20.95
• HIDDEN BENCH FUMÉ BLANC 2015 - Rosomel Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#068825) (XD) - $29.45  reviewed here
• ROBERT MONDAVI NAPA VALLEY CHARDONNAY 2014 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#310409) (XD) - $29.95
• TRIMBACH RÉSERVE RIESLING 2013 - AC Alsace, France (#247023) (XD) - $30.95  FSE
• DEUX ROCHES VIEILLES VIGNES POUILLY-FUISSÉ 2014 - AP, Burgundy, France (#488825) (XD) - $31.95
• HAMILTON RUSSELL CHARDONNAY 2016 - WO Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay, South Africa (#931006) (XD) - $43.95

Dessert Wine:

• CHÂTEAU RIEUSSEC 2010 - 1er Cru, AC Sauternes, Bordeaux, France (#263012) (S) (375 mL) $87.95  FSE

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VINTAGES Release October 1: Tuscany + Rioja + Thanksgiving Wines

New wines from the VINTAGES Release on October 1st on will be on LCBO shelves this coming Saturday and features wines from Tuscany for elegant dining, as well as a mini-feature on Rioja, and wines for Thanksgiving celebrations. As we approach the holiday season, now would be a good time to start collecting those fine wines for holiday gift giving, as there are quite a few very nice wines in this release.

The Tuscany thematic features only 8 wines, but 2 are included among my wine picks and both are top tier wines. The Gran Selezione Chianti Classico is a blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Malvasia Nera and Merlot, while the Brunello di Montalcino is from the excellent 2010 vintage and made with 100% Sangiovese.

From Rioja, Spain, there are 7 wines listed and 2 made my list of wine recommendations. The Crianza is a light-weighted red blend consisting of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Garnacha Tinta and Mazuelo. The other Rioja is also a blend made mostly with Tempranillo, but offers a more substantial mouthfeel in a refined, elegant package.

Wines for Thanksgiving include a barely off-dry (i.e. just slightly sweet) and ever versatile Riesling from Alsace, and a Pinot Noir from Ontario from the 6 wines that were highlighted in the Thanksgiving wines feature.

From the rest of the release in red wines, there is a Portuguese red blend (Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz) that is dry and firmly structured that should be bought and placed in your cellar for at least a couple of years to allow the tannins to soften. The Malbec comes from vines that are more than 80 years old and located 1,150 metres above sea-level. From Washington, the red blend consists of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 8% Syrah, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Malbec, while the lovely Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the usual blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and 5% Cinsault.

In white wines, there is a surprising selection of fine Italian white wines, none of which are named Pinot Grigio. Instead, they are Soave (100% Garganega), Falanghina, and Arneis. There's also an aromatic white from Lebanon that is a blend of Chardonnay, Viognier, and Muscat d'Alexandrie. And lastly, the Loire white is 100% Chenin Blanc made in a semi-sweet style.

The sparkling wines among my wine picks include a Blanc de Blanc vintage sparkler from South Africa that's 100% Chardonnay, while the vintage Champagne is a blend of 54% Chardonnay and 46% Pinot Noir.

Enjoy my wine recommendations with your Thanksgiving feast. Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CUNE RIOJA CRIANZA 2012 - DO Rioja, Spain (#039925) (XD) - $17.95
• QUINTA DA REDE RESERVA 2012 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#431742) (XD) - $17.95
• CONCHA Y TORO SERIE RIBERAS GRAN RESERVA CARMENÈRE 2014 - DO Peumo, Chile (#274043) (XD) - $17.95
• CREEKSIDE ESTATE QUEENSTON ROAD PINOT NOIR 2014 - VQA St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#415877) (D) - $18.95
• ATAMISQUE CATALPA OLD VINES MALBEC 2013 - Tupungato, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#194126) (XD) - $19.95
• WATERKLOOF CIRCUMSTANCE SYRAH 2012 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#455782) (XD) - $22.95
• BARÓN DE LEY GRAN RESERVA 2010 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#642496) (XD) - $29.95

• HEDGES FAMILY ESTATE RED 2012 - Red Mountain, Washington, USA (#001594) (XD) - $39.95  FSE
• CASTELLO DI AMA SAN LORENZO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2011 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#418897) (XD) - $48.95
• RENATO RATTI MARCENASCO BAROLO 2011 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#713479) (XD) - $53.95
• HAMILTON RUSSELL PINOT NOIR 2015 - WO Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay, South Africa (#999516) (XD) - $57.95
• FLOWERS PINOT NOIR 2014 - Sonoma Coast, California, USA (#215202) (XD) - $68.95  FSE
• POGGIO SAN POLO BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2010 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#650812) (XD) - $74.95
• CHÂTEAU DE BEAUCASTEL CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2014 - AC, Rhone, France (#711317) (XD) - $89.95

White Wine:

• SAN RAFFAELE MONTE TABOR SOAVE 2015 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#277392) (XD) - $14.95
• TEANUM ALTA FALANGHINA 2014 - IGT Puglia, Italy (#161653) (XD) - $15.95
• KUHLMANN-PLATZ RIESLING 2014 - AC Alsace, France (#196741) (D) - $16.95
• HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE RIESLING 2013 - VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#557165) (D) - $17.95
• DOMAINE DES TOURELLES WHITE 2015 - Bekaa Valley, Lebanon (#447169) (XD) - $19.95
• CORDERO DI MONTEZEMOLO ARNEIS LANGHE 2015 - DOC, Piedmont, Italy (#455162) (XD) - $21.95
• SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE CHARDONNAY 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#172338) (XD) - $22.95  reviewed here
• DOMAINE LOEW VÉRITÉ SYLVANER 2013 - AC Alsace, France (#462598) - $25.95  FSE
• DOMAINE DES CHESNAIES CÔTEAUX DU LAYON 2014 - AC, Loire, France (#456129) (MS) - $27.95
• DOMAINE LATOUR-GIRAUD LES NARVAUX MEURSAULT 2013 - AC, Burgundy, France (#012369) (XD) - $74.00  FSE

Sparkling Wine:

• AVONDALE ARMILLA BLANC DE BLANC 2009 - Méthode Cap Classique, WO Paarl, South Africa (#451930) (XD) - $29.95
• DUMANGIN LE VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE 2004 - AC, France (#439232) (XD) - $61.95

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VINTAGES Release October 3: Bordeaux + Spain + Thanksgiving

The main theme from the October 3, 2015 VINTAGES Release is on wines from Bordeaux, while mini-themes feature premium-priced wines from Spain, and wines for Thanksgiving Day celebrations. All of these wines will be on LCBO shelves across Ontario this coming Saturday.

Generally speaking, the wines from the Bordeaux feature were all quite good, however, it was difficult to find really good values. Having said that, the Château Guiraud Sauternes (65% Sémillon / 35% Sauvignon Blanc) dessert wine is an excellent buy. The other Bordeaux wine is a fruit-forward red blend consisting of Merlot and Cabernet Franc and a very good value from the excellent 2010 vintage.

The Spanish feature with 7 wines revealed an exemplary white wine blend from Rías Baixas DO that consists of 70% Albariño, 18% Loureiro and 12% Caíño Blanco. This was the only white wine among the featured Spanish wines. While many of the red wines were also good, they were priced a little bit too high in my opinion.

For Thanksgiving, the Alsatian Riesling is a food-friendly, off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) that will surely delight with your turkey or served with appetizers. Having said that, many of the white wines recommended below will pair nicely with turkey, such as the wine from Gorgo that is new to our market and consists of Cortese, Tocai, Trebbiano Toscano, and Garganega, and the 100% Fiano; both of these wines are from Italy.

Among red wines, from Greece is a 100% Agiorgitiko, while the red wine from Argentina is a Malbec-led blend. There is also a trifecta of Chianti Classico's available: the Fonterutoli is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Malvasia Nera / Colorino / Merlot, the Riserva (aged 2 years in oak) is 100% Sangiovese, and the Gran Selezione is a blend of 85% Sangiovese and 15% Merlot. Another wine from Italy is made with 100% Grignolino, a single varietal wine from a grape we don't see too often.

Enjoy my wine picks from this VINTAGES Release and Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Red Wine:

• CHÂTEAU LES TOURELLES 2010 - AC Bordeaux, France (#426247) (XD) - $14.95
• TABALI RESERVA SYRAH 2012 - Limarí Valley, Chile (#662692) (D) - $14.95
• CAVINO GRANDE RESERVE 2008 - PDO Nemea, Greece (#295618) (D) - $17.95  reviewed here
• FINCA FLICHMAN PAISAJE DE TUPUNGATO 2012 - Mendoza, Argentina (#415034) (XD) - $17.95
• ACCORNERO BRICCO DEL BOSCO GRIGNOLINO DEL MONFERRATO CASALESE 2013 - DOC, Piedmont, Italy (#426635) (XD) - $19.95
• ROSEWOOD ORIGIN CABERNET FRANC 2013 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#427534) (XD) - $25.95  reviewed here
• FONTERUTOLI CHIANTI CLASSICO 2012 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#977629) (XD) - $25.95
• PENFOLDS BIN 128 SHIRAZ 2013 - Coonawarra, South Australia (#509919) (D) - $34.95
• CASTELLO DI VOLPAIA RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2012 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#705335) (XD) - $41.95  FSE
• TENUTA SAN VINCENTI GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2011 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#414417) (XD) - $54.95
• LE VIEUX DONJON CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2013 - AC, Rhône, France (#700922) (XD) - $58.95

White Wine:

• GORGO SAN MICHELIN CUSTOZA 2014 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#428045) (XD) - $14.95
• PIERRE SPARR LIEU DIT ALTENBOURG RIESLING 2013 - AC Alsace. France (#906016) (D) - $16.95  reviewed here
• DONNACHIARA MONTEFALCIONE FIANO DI AVELLINO 2013 - DOCG, Campania, Italy (#372482) (XD) - $17.95
• SANTA ALICIA GRAN RESERVA DE LOS ANDES CHARDONNAY 2013 - Maipo Valley, Chile (#406991) (XD) - $18.95
• JULES TAYLOR SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#224428) (XD) - $19.95
• SERESIN CHARDONNAY 2012 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#019190) (XD) - $24.95
• TERRAS GAUDA O ROSAL BLANCO 2013 - DO Rías Baixas, Spain (#040238) (XD) - $24.95
• JOH. JOS. CHRISTOFFEL ERBEN ÜRZIGER WÜRZGARTEN RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2013 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#336396) (S) - $28.95  FSE
• HENRI BOURGEOIS LA CHAPELLE DES AUGUSTINS SANCERRE 2012 - AC, Loire, France (#322628) (XD) - $29.95  FSE
• 2027 WISMER VINEYARD FOX CROFT BLOCK CHARDONNAY 2012 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#421362) (XD) - $30.00

Dessert Wine:

• CHÂTEAU GUIRAUD 2011 - 1er Grand Cru Classé en 1855, AC Sauternes, Bordeaux, France (#298943) (S) (375 mL) - $39.85

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Sept. 28 Wine Picks: Tuscany + Chile + Thanksgiving

The upcoming LCBO Vintages release will be on shelves this Saturday, September 28th. The main feature in this release focuses on premium-quality wines from Tuscany, which range in price from $15.95 to $48.95. In all, there are 16 wines featured, and 3 made my list of wine picks below. It just so happens that all three are north of $20.

The Frassinello is an IGT wine that is made using 50% Sangioveto (essentially a localized clone of Sangiovese), 25% Cab Sauv, and 25% Merlot. The Carpineto is also an IGT wine and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The San Felice is made using the more traditional Tuscan grape - Sangiovese.

Five wines from Chile are in secondary feature, which focuses on premium wines from local pioneers and international influencers. I was fortunate enough to meet the CEO of Lapostolle last June (international influencer) and had the opportunity to taste their Apalta Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, which is made using organic grapes. I am definitely pleased that this wine is among my top picks from this release. Not part of the Chilean feature, but in my list below is a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. At $13.95, the Matetic Corralillo is a steal and a must buy! I'm a big fan of Chilean Savvy!

This issue also contains the annual Thanksgiving feature which highlights 11 wines suitable for your Thanksgiving get-together. The Tawse Riesling, the Reichsgraf Riesling Kabinett, and the Château des Charmes Vidal Icewine are all worthy buys for your holiday gathering.

From the rest of the release, there are a couple of Australian reds worth your attention. The Sister's Run is a blend of 85% Grenache, 10% Shiraz, 5% Mataro, while the D'Arenberg D'Arry's Original is 53% Grenache and 47% Syrah. There are also 2 outstanding reds that I will likely be adding to my collection: The Lacroix-Vanel from Midi is mostly Grenache, and the rest likely Syrah, while the Villacreces from Spain is 90% Tempranillo and 10% Cab Sauv.

Normally, I stay away from the Spirits section of the Vintages release, but I had to make an exception for the G.E. Massenez Vieux Calvados (#271726, $64.95), which is an apple brandy that actually contains an apple inside the bottle! It's quite unique and I'm sure a treat to taste.

That's it for this week. Enjoy!


Red Wine:

• SISTER’S RUN COW’S CORNER GRENACHE/SHIRAZ/MATARO 2011 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#346510) (XD) - $15.95
• TESSELLAE VIEILLES VIGNES CARIGNAN 2011 - IGP Côtes Catalanes, Southwest, France (#343509) (XD) - $16.95
• D’ARENBERG D’ARRY’S ORIGINAL SHIRAZ/GRENACHE 2010 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#942904) (D) - $19.95
• LACROIX-VANEL FINE AMOR PÉZENAS 2008 - AC Coteaux du Languedoc, Midi, France (#343418) (XD) - $19.95
• FINCA VILLACRECES PRUNO 2011 - DO Ribera del Duero, Spain (#312140) (XD) - $19.95
• LAPOSTOLLE CUVÉE ALEXANDRE APALTA VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2011 - Colchagua Valley, Chile (#947929) (XD) - $24.95  reviewed here
• SAN FELICE IL GRIGIO CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2009 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#716266) (XD) - $26.95
• ROCCA DI FRASSINELLO LE SUGHERE DI FRASSINELLO 2010 - IGT Maremma Toscana, Italy (#025700) (XD) - $29.95
• CARPINETO FARNITO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#996553) (XD) - $29.95

White Wine:

• MATETIC CORRALILLO SAUVIGNON BLANC 2012 - San Antonio Valley, Chile (#347740) (XD) - $13.95
• TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA RIESLING 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#089029) (M) - $17.95
• INNISKILLIN RESERVE PINOT GRIS 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#177766) (D) - $19.95
• HENRY OF PELHAM BARREL FERMENTED ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2011 - VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#268342) (XD) - $19.95
• REICHSGRAF VON KESSELSTATT SCHARZHOFBERGER RIESLING KABINETT 2008 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#282343) (M) - $20.95
• NIKOLAIHOF HEFEABZUG GRÜNER VELTLINER 2010 - Qualitätswein, Austria (#328948) (XD) - $24.95

Dessert Wine:

• CHÂTEAU DES CHARMES VIDAL ICEWINE 2009 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#565861) (S) (200 mL) - $25.95
• PUKLUS PINCÉSZET TOKAJI YELLOW MUSCAT 2012 - Tokaj-Hegyalja, Hungary (#046508) (M) - $15.95

Sparkling Wine:

• AIMERY GRAND CUVÉE 1531 CRÉMANT DE LIMOUX - AC Crémant de Limoux, Southwest, France (#350371) (D) - $19.95

The rest of the wines from this release can be found here.

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