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Thursday, December 12, 2024

December 14, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Bubbles

LCBO Wine Picks: December 14, 2024 VINTAGES New Release Collection

Happy holidays! Here are my top wine picks from the December 14, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, which is the last release of the year. The feature story in this release focuses on - what else? - Sparkling Wines for holiday and end-of-year celebrations. There are 135 wines on offer in this release, and it includes a selection of Online & Flagship Exclusive (OFE) wines. All the wines should be available for purchase by Saturday. The prices noted below include HST, which will be removed when purchasing.

We'll begin with the feature story that focuses on sparkling wines from around the world. Of the seventeen bubblies included as part of the theme, six are included among my top sparkling wine picks. Most of my sparkling wine picks from the theme are relatively wallet-friendly at under $33, with the exception being the 2017 vintage Champagne ($136) that is crafted with 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. On the local front, there are a couple of fine vintage sparkling wines from Niagara's Kew Vineyards - the Blanc de Blancs, which is crafted with Chardonnay, and the Blanc de Noirs, which is made with Pinot Noir. The sparkling wine from Loire is a blend of 80% Chenin Blanc and 20% Chardonnay, while the bubbles from Provence is composed of Syrah and Grenache. And lastly, the vintage Cava is a blend of 50% Xarel·lo, 35% Macabeu, and 15% Perallada.

Rivarose Brut Prestige Rosé Sparkling (89 pts)

There are two other sparkling wines not part of the feature story but also worth a look. From Champagne, the Bollinger Brut Rosé is crafted with 62% Pinot Noir, 24% Chardonnay, and 14% Meunier, while the Palmer Brut Réserve is approximately 50% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, and 20% Meunier. Lastly, the Hidden Bench sparkling wine from Niagara is made using 57% Pinot Noir and 43% Chardonnay.

My top red wine picks begin in Napa Valley, with the iconic Silver Oak Cab Sauv that is actually a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec. Tuscany has five wine recommendations among my picks, with Brunello di Montalcino made with 100% Sangiovese, while the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is 70% Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile) with Canaiolo making up most of the remaining blend. The Riserva Chianti Classico is composed of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo + other varieties, while the Isole e Olena Chianti Classico is of a similar blend, and the Vallepicciola Chianti Classico is 100% Sangiovese. Also from Italy, the red wine from Sicily is crafted with Nero d'Avola, while the Barolo is made with, of course, Nebbiolo. The Côtes du Rhône red is a blend of 85% Grenache, 10% Shiraz, and 5% Mourvèdre, while the Australian GSM red is an unspecified blend of Grenache, Shiraz, and Mataro. From Chile, the Cabernet Franc includes 5% Petit Verdot, while the Argentine red is an 80/20 blend of Malbec and Touriga Nacional. Lastly, the red wine from Spain is composed of 40% Grenache, 40% Tempranillo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cariñena.

Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (94 pts)

Isole e Olena Chianti Classico 2021 (93 pts)

Carpineto Riserva Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2019 (91+ pts)

Carpineto Riserva Chianti Classico 2019 (90+ pts)

Pérez Cruz Limited Edition Cabernet Franc 2022 (90+ pts)

Halos de Jupiter Côtes du Rhône 2022 (89 pts)

Among my white wine picks, the only blend is the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, which is crafted with nearly half Grenache Blanc, plus Roussanne, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Piquepoul, and Picardin rounding out the blend. Other white wines include a Chardonnay from South Africa, and a couple of Sauvignon Blancs - one each from New Zealand and Friuli, and a pair of dry Rieslings - one each from Alsace and Austria. The sweet wine among the lot is the lovely Gewürztraminer from Alsace.

E. Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2021 (93 pts)

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release and have a safe and happy holiday season! Cheers!

Red Wine:

MONTES LIMITED SELECTION PINOT NOIR 2022 - DO Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#37937) (XD) - $15.95 90 pts wine review
MONASTERIO DE LAS VIÑAS RESERVA 2019 - DO Cariñena, Spain (#166579) (XD) - $16.95
HALOS DE JUPITER CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2022 - AC, France (#276956) (XD) - $19.95 89 pts wine review
KABILE RESERVE SYRAH 2016 - PGI Thracian Valley, Bulgaria (#41369) (XD) - $19.95
VIÑALBA RESERVA MALBEC / TOURIGA NACIONAL 2022 - Vegan, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#442459) (XD) - $19.95
VALLEPICCIOLA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2021 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#39690) (XD) - $19.95 review coming soon...

PÉREZ CRUZ LIMITED EDITION CABERNET FRANC 2022 - DO Valle del Maipo, Chile (#10591) (XD) - $19.95 90+ pts wine review
TASCA D'ALMERITA REGALEALI LAMÙRI 2020 - DOC Sicily, Italy (#36750) (XD) - $23.95
TORBRECK OLD VINES GRENACHE / MOURVÈDRE / SHIRAZ 2022 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#10223) (XD) - $24.95
CARPINETO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2019 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#47118) (XD) - $31.95 90+ pts wine review
CARPINETO RISERVA VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO 2019 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#368910) (XD) - $34.95 91+ pts wine review

ISOLE E OLENA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2021 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#704346) (XD) - $45.95 93 pts wine review
FLOWERS PINOT NOIR 2022 - Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California, USA (#215202) (XD) - $69.95
RENATO RATTI MARCENASCO BAROLO 2020 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#713479) (XD) - $78.95 93 pts wine review
LA FIORITA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2019 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#998195) (XD) - $103.95 OFE 93 pts wine review
SILVER OAK NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#936039) (XD) - $325.95 94 pts wine review

Renato Ratti Marcenasco Barolo 2020 (93 pts)

La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino 2019 (93 pts)

Montes Limited Selection Pinot Noir 2022 (90 pts)

White Wine:

PITARS BRAIDA SANTA CECILIA SAUVIGNON 2022 - DOC Friuli, Italy (#30119) (XD) - $16.95
BABICH SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 - Sustainable, Vegan, Wairau Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#36903) (XD) - $23.95
DE WETSHOF BON VALLON CHARDONNAY 2023 - WO Robertson, South Africa (#403675) (XD) - $24.95
TRIMBACH RIESLING 2022 - AC Alsace, France (#734517) (XD) - $29.95
BRÜNDLMAYER TERRASSEN RIESLING 2023 - DAC Kamptal, Austria (#40885) (XD) - $34.95 OFE
DOMAINES SCHLUMBERGER KESSLER GEWURZTRAMINER 2021 - AC Alsace Grand Cru, France (#307694) (MS) - $37.95 OFE
E. GUIGAL CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE BLANC 2021 - AC, Rhône, France (#28618) (XD) - $71.95 OFE 93 pts wine review

Sparkling Wine:

RIVAROSE BRUT PRESTIGE ROSÉ SPARKLING - IGP Méditerranée, Salon de Provence, France (#515288) (D) - $19.95 89 pts wine review
BOUVET LADUBAY BOUVET BRUT DE LOIRE SAUMUR BRUT SPARKLING - Traditional method, AC, Loire, France (#40866) (XD) - $19.95
JUVE & CAMPS BRUT NATURE GRAN RESERVA RESERVA DE FAMILIA CAVA 2019 - Traditional method, Spain (#39815) (XD) - $27.95
KEW BLANC DE NOIRS 2020 - Traditional method, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#380030) (D) - $32.95 90+ pts wine review
KEW BLANC DE BLANCS 2017 - Traditional method, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#438994) (D) - $32.95 91+ pts wine review
HIDDEN BENCH NATUR ZÉRO DOSAGE SPARKLING 2017 - Traditional method, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#42220) (XD) - $47.20
PALMER BRUT RÉSERVE CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#39865) (XD) - $85.95 review coming soon...
LOUIS ROEDERER ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE 2017 - AC, France (#368415) (XD) - $135.95
BOLLINGER BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#100503) (XD) - $149.95 OFE

Fortified Wine:

HIDALGO LA GITANA TRIANA PEDRO XIMENEZ SHERRY - DO, Spain (#39467, 500 mL) (S) - $25.95

November 30, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Enjoyful Gifts

LCBO Wine Picks: November 30, 2024 VINTAGES New Release Collection

Happy Holidays! Here are my top wine picks from the November 30, 2024 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, which is yet again titled "Enjoyful Gifts". As one of the final releases of the year, this release has just over 125 products offered, and includes many, many fine options for gift-giving, your cellar, or immediate pleasure. All the wines should be available for purchase across Ontario by this Saturday, if not earlier.

We'll begin with the theme, which features 32 "Enjoyful Gifts" for holiday gift-giving, of which thirteen wines are included among my top wine picks. A couple of these enjoyful wines came through VINTAGES earlier this year, but are worth pursuing if you missed it last time - namely the Chardonnays from Niagara and Argentina. The only other white is the latest vintage of a perennially excellent Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. In the bubbles category, the Vintage Champagne is composed of 48% Chardonnay, 34% Pinot Noir, and 18% Meunier. Premium, high-quality red wines are aplenty in the theme, with Bordeaux blends a focal point. The wine by Niagara's Hidden Bench is a blend of 47% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 23% Malbec (+ other varieties), while the 2016 Haut-Médoc is made with 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot. From Tuscany, the Guidalberto is composed of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, while the Lucente is a blend of Merlot and Sangiovese. The South African red is composed of mainly Syrah with 9% Grenache, 8% Cinsault, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Viognier completing the blend. The last red blend within the theme is the Amarone, which is a blend of 35% Corvina, 40% Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, and 5% Oseleta. Single-varietal wines are the Pinot Noir from Chile, the Crozes-Hermitage Syrah from the northern Rhône, and the Brunello di Montalcino, which is made of Sangiovese.

Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay 2020 (93 pts)

Hidden Bench Terroir Caché 2020 (93+ pts)

Corte Pavone Brunello di Montalcino 2019 (93 pts)

Brotte La Rollande Crozes-Hermitage 2022 (92 pts)

Maycas del Limarí Pinot Noir 2021 (91+ pts)

My top red wine recommendations from the main release begin in Chile with a pair of wines by Montes - the Purple Angel is a blend of 92% Carmenère and 8% Petit Verdot, while their Cabernet Sauvignon includes 10% Merlot. From Tuscany, the Oreno Super Tuscan is composed of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Petit Verdot, while the Chianti Classico is mainly Sangiovese with a small percentage of Merlot. From Rhône, the Costières de Nîmes is made with 85% Syrah, 10% Grenache, and 5% Carignan, while the Côtes du Rhône is a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre. From Greece, the Neméa red is crafted with 100% Agiorgitiko, while the Achaia red is an off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Mavrodaphne, and 20% Agiorgitiko. The last red wine that needs mentioning (because it is crafted using a relatively unknown varietal) is a red from Alto Adige-Trentino in northeastern Italy that is crafted using the indigenous Teroldego grape variety.

Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 (90 pts)

Dauvergne et Ranvier de Natura Rerum Côtes du Rhône 2022 (90 pts)

Estate Papaioannou Agiorgitiko 2019 (90 pts)

Mezzacorona Premium Collection Riserva Teroldego Rotaliano Superiore 2019 (89 pts)

The blends among my top white wine picks are the Côtes du Rhône Blanc, which is a blend of 60% Viognier, 15% Roussanne, 10% Marsanne, 8% Clairette, 5% Bourboulenc, and 2% Grenache Blanc, and the South African white, which is a co-fermented blend of 69% Sauvignon Blanc, 26% Chenin Blanc, and 5% Semillon. If you enjoy white wines with a touch of sweetness, the off-dry Riesling from Germany is your best bet.

Among my sparkling wine recommendations, the Cava from Spain is composed of 75% Macabeo and 25% Chardonnay, while the Non-Vintage Champagne is crafted with 100% Pinot Noir. Lastly, there are two delicious, gently sweet sparkling wines from Ukraine, with the red bubbly a blend of of Cabernet, Merlot, and Saperavi, while the White Brut is composed of Chardonnay, Riesling, and Aligoté.

Segura Viudas Heredad Reserva Brut Cava (91+ pts)

Artemivske Victory Red Semi-Sweet Sparkling (88+ pts)

Artemivske Victory White Brut Sparkling (88 pts)

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!