LCBO VINTAGES Wine Picks & Reviews : Index

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

October 26, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: France vs. Italy + Wine & Cheese

LCBO Wine Picks: October 26, 2019 VINTAGES Release

The October 26, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release compares and contrasts France and Italy in its main theme, while the mini-theme looks at wine and cheese pairings. All of the wines featured as part of themes, as well everything else from the Main Release will arrive on shelves by Saturday. This is another Release where you'll want to stock up for the holidays or pick up special bottles for holiday gift-giving.

We'll begin with the main theme that compares wines from the two titans of the wine world - France and Italy. There are twenty-two wines featured as part of this theme, eleven from each country, and seven are included among my top wine picks. From the first category on Traditional Method sparkling wines, we have a lovely Bollinger Champagne that consists of 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, and 15% Pinot Meunier. From the Classic Premium Grape category, there is a fine Barolo that is made with the Nebbiolo grape. The Southern Values category features a nice Côtes du Rhône that consists of equal parts Syrah and Grenache, plus some Mourvèdre. Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio wines are actually made using the same grape, but often in different styles, hence the distinction in name. In this Release, there is a fine, dry, quality Pinot Grigio from a place it calls home in northern Italy. The last category focuses on the Revered Regions of Bordeaux and Tuscany. From Bordeaux, we have a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru that is a blend of roughly 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tuscany also makes some fine Bordeaux blends, such as the baby Ornellaia that consists of 54% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot. Lastly, the Chianti Classico, which is also from Tuscany, is made with 100% Sangiovese and reminds me a little bit of a wine from Montalcino.

Le Serre Nuove Dell'Ornellaia 2017 (92 pts)

Castello di Bossi C. Berardenga Chianti Classico 2015 (91 pts)

Xavier Vignon Côtes du Rhône 2017 (89 pts)

From the feature on wine and cheese pairings, which can be done year-round but becomes especially popular during the holidays. Of the nine wines featured, just one is included among my top wine picks - a lightly oaked Chardonnay from Niagara's Thirty Bench. There is also an excellent Masi Amarone (#548677) included as part of this theme, but I didn't include it in my list below because you would have probably bought it when it came out in VINTAGES last year. You can read more about wine and cheese pairings in the magazine.

My red wine picks include an unoaked blend of 75% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 5% Carignan from Languedoc, while the Spanish red is a blend of Garnacha, Cariñena (Samsó), Syrah, and Merlot. From France, the Beaujolais is made with Gamay, while the Roussillon red is a blend of mainly Syrah with Grenache and Carignan in support. Lastly, the iconic Sassicaia is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc.

Most of my white wine recommendations happen to be minimally oaked Chardonnays. However, Flat Rock's Unplugged Chardonnay is actually an unoaked Chardonnay, while the Umbrian white is a blend of mostly Chardonnay and some Grechetto. There is also a white blend of Loureiro and Alvarinho from Portugal.

Maria Papoila Loureiro/Alvarinho 2018 (88 pts)

Among my sparkling wine picks, the Tasmanian Brut Rosé is primarily Pinot Noir, with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier completing the blend, while the Cava is a blend of indigenous varietals Macabeo (67%) and Parellada (33%). Lastly, the Dom Perignon is a traditional blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Segura Viudas Heredad Reserva Brut Cava (90 pts)

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

LES DARONS 2017 - AP Languedoc, France (#448464) (XD) - $16.95
XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2017 - AP, France (#297317) (XD) - $16.95 89 pts wine review
VAUCHER PÈRE & FILS FLEURIE 2016 - AC, Beaujolais, France (#534339) (XD) - $16.95
CHÂTEAU LAMARTINE PRESTIGE DU MALBEC 2015 - AP Cahors, Southwest, France (#010315) (XD) - $17.95
POTENTE 2016 - DO Montsant, Spain (#010682) (XD) - $18.95
PETER LEHMANN THE BAROSSAN SHIRAZ 2017 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#522235) (XD) - $21.95 89 pts wine review
CASTELLO DI BOSSI C. BERARDENGA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#994608) (XD) - $22.95 91 pts wine review

TINTO NEGRO FINCA LA ESCUELA LA PIEDRA MALBEC 2016 - Mendoza, Argentina (#010443) (XD) - $24.95 90 pts wine review
DOMAINE DE BILA-HAUT L’ESQUERDA 2017 - AC Côtes du Roussillon-Villages Lesquerde, Midi, France (#381020) (XD) - $27.95
CHÂTEAU DE SAINT-PEY 2016 - AC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France (#011834) (XD) - $34.95
BENI DI BATASIOLO RISERVA BAROLO 2010 - DOCG, Piedmont, Italy (#330704) (XD) - $39.95
ANTINORI BADIA A PASSIGNANO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#384552) (XD) - $49.95 92 pts wine review
LE SERRE NUOVE DELL'ORNELLAIA 2017 - DOC Bolgheri Rosso, Tuscany, Italy (#606194) (XD) - $69.95 92 pts wine review
SASSICAIA 2016 - DOC Bolgheri-Sassicaia, Tuscany, Italy (#480533) (XD) - $229.95

Antinori Badia A Passignano Gran Selezione Chianti Classico 2015 (92 pts)

Tinto Negro Finca La Escuela La Piedra Malbec 2016 (90 pts)

Peter Lehmann The Barossan Shiraz 2017 (89 pts)

White Wine:

MARIA PAPOILA LOUREIRO/ALVARINHO 2018 - DOC Vinho Verde, Portugal (#408146) (XD) - $16.95 88 pts wine review
FLAT ROCK UNPLUGGED CHARDONNAY 2018 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#68015) (XD) - $17.95
ZUCCARDI Q CHARDONNAY 2017 - Tupungato, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#232702) (XD) - $19.95
THIRTY BENCH WINEMAKER’S BLEND CHARDONNAY 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#547877) (XD) - $19.95
NALS MARGREID PINOT GRIGIO 2017 - DOC Südtirol-Alto Adige, Italy (#290924) (XD) - $19.95
CAMPBELL KIND WINE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#010556) (XD) - $19.95
HENRI BOURGEOIS LA CHAPELLE DES AUGUSTINS SANCERRE 2016 - AC, Loire, France (#322628) (XD) - $39.95
BACHELDER WISMER VINEYARD #1 WINGFIELD BLOCK CHARDONNAY 2015 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#520403) (XD) - $47.95 FE
HAMILTON RUSSELL CHARDONNAY 2018 - WO Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Walker Bay, South Africa (#931006) (XD) - $47.95 FE
CASTELLO DELLA SALA CERVARO DELLA SALA 2017 - IGT Umbria, Italy (#512376) (XD) - $74.95

Sparkling Wine:

JANSZ PREMIUM SPARKLING ROSÉ - Traditional method, Tasmania, Australia (#037499) (D) - $28.95 90+ pts wine review
SEGURA VIUDAS HEREDAD RESERVA BRUT CAVA - Traditional method, DO, Spain (#558825) (D) - $32.95 90 pts wine review
BOLLINGER SPECIAL CUVÉE BRUT CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#384529) (XD) - $87.95
DOM PÉRIGNON LUMINOUS BRUT CHAMPAGNE 2008 - AC, France (#422584) (D) - $285.95 FE

TintoNegro Finca La Escuela La Piedra Malbec 2016 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this lovely red wine from Argentina that will be coming to LCBO VINTAGES on October 26th. It is also featured as the Wine of the Month in this Release and will be widely available across Ontario.

It is produced by TintoNegro, meaning black wine in Spanish meant to celebrate the essence of the Malbec grape - which is known for its dark, blackish colour. TintoNegro was born out of a long-time friendship and professional collaboration between Alejandro Sejanovich and Jeff Mausbach, colleagues at Bodega Catena Zapata for almost 15 years. In 2013, Jorge Crotta, who was also at Catena Zapata for several years, joined the partnership and is involved with the management and winemaking team.

The TintoNegro portfolio explores the terroirs of Mendoza where Malbec thrives, gradually isolating unique vineyard sites and winemaking techniques which can showcase the heights of concentration and complexity to which Malbec can aspire. In order to showcase the unique profile of each soil, TintoNegro has created a line of four single soil wines from Paraje Altamira in the southern part of the Uco Valley. Each harvest is vinified and aged in the exact same method, thus highlighting how a difference of soil (or terroir) can create a completely different wine. This La Piedra Malbec from their La Escuela property is one of the four wines. One day, I hope to have the opportunity to try their entire line.

La Escuela is a small 7.5 hectare estate vineyard located in Paraje Altamira at 4,000 feet above sea level, at the foot of the Andes mountains. It is named after the still active rural school (Escuela) that is located on the property. La Escuela has a diverse soil profile with plots of sandy (arena), silty (limo), rocky (piedra), and gravelly (grava) soils.

This particular wine comes from a small patch of rocky, limestone driven soil that is located in the middle of the vineyard, hence its name La Piedra, which also means stone in Spanish. These white stone soils with limestone deposits produce help produce a complex, spicy Malbec with black fruit flavors and minerality.

Tasting Note:

TINTONEGRO FINCA LA ESCUELA LA PIEDRA MALBEC 2016 - Paraje Altamira, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#010443) (XD) - $24.95
This has a fresh, medium+ intensity nose of blackberry, dark berry, and stony mineral notes with some spicy characters. It is medium+ bodied with ripe blackberry, mulberry, stony mineral flavours with touches of vanillin oak spice and floral. There is fresh, juicy acids, while ripe tannins are supple and smooth. Nice white pepper spice on the mid-palate, while the finish is long with lovely stony mineral, smoky, and dark berry notes. A wonderful wine to enjoy over the next 5-6 years. Score: 90 pts

Castello di Bossi C. Berardenga Chianti Classico 2015 (Tuscany) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is featured as the Wine of the Month from the upcoming October 26th LCBO VINTAGES Release and will be on shelves across Ontario by next weekend.

Bacci Wines is the producer, and they make this fine red at their Castello di Bossi estate which is located in the southern area of the Chianti Classico zone within the commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga, in the province of Siena in Tuscany, approximately 50 kilometres southeast of Florence and 14 kilometres east of Siena. This area tends to produce wines that are fuller and more structured than those from the rest of Chianti Classico, closely resembling those of Montalcino.

The name "Bossi" is apparently linked to a money chest, referred to as boxwood, which was made from a rare and prized type of wood that the Roman army would carry to its encampments to pay its soldiers. Local inscriptions on the site indicate that it was a Roman settlement as far back as the 1st century AD. In the 9th century, a noble family called the dei Berardenghi settled there and enjoyed a lengthy rule over the territories they owned, eventually withdrawing into private life and donating most of their landholdings to a church. However, they kept the property which today surrounds the castle.

At the centre of the estate is Bossi Castle. The first tower was built around the year 1099 and shows the area's early strategic importance. Around 1450, it was expanded into the 4-walled fortress that visitors can see today.

Castello di Bossi has changed hands many times over the years, and was in a slow decline until it was acquired by the Bacci family sometime after World War II. Today, the estate covers 650 hectares, of which 124 hectares are planted with vines. By employing modern viticultural practices, Castello di Bossi aims to harvest the best quality fruit year after year in order to express the best qualities of the terroir and individual grape varieties.

This red wine is made with 100% Sangiovese from soils that contain yellow clay, tufo, gravel and broken rocks, located in a vineyard 350 metres above sea level with southwest exposure. The average age of the vines is 18 years and is manually harvested.

Tasting Note:

CASTELLO DI BOSSI C. BERARDENGA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2015 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#994608) (XD) - $22.95
100% Sangiovese that spent 6 months in oak casks. Fragrant, perfumed nose of spice, red cherry, clove and incense aromas. It is medium-full bodied and quite savoury on the palate with red cherries, chocolate, spice and some stony mineral flavours. Acids are fresh and mouthwatering while textured tannins are a touch on the grippy side. Clean, savoury, stony mineral and red cherry notes linger on the long, succulent finish. Highly recommended wine to enjoy over the next 3-4 years. Score: 91 pts

Cave de Roquebrun Roches Noires 2016 (Languedoc) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely red wine from Languedoc that was featured in the October 12th LCBO VINTAGES Release and should be arriving on shelves across Ontario within a week or so.

It is produced by the co-operative cellar Cave de Roquebrun that was established in 1967 in the regional park of Haut Languedoc, 30 km northwest of Béziers and between the two regional capitals, Montpellier and Toulouse.

In Roquebrun, the mild climate with relatively arid and acidic soils combined with shale/schist allow different varietals to develop in a particular way in the appellation of Saint-Chinian. The winegrowers of Cave de Roquebrun produce mainly Syrah, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Roussanne, Viognier and Grenache Blanc with aim of enhancing the character of their terroir. Through this commitment, the Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun appellation was created in 2004 and subsequently became recognized as a Cru of Languedoc. Cave de Roquebrun manually harvests the grapes for all of their wines by choice. However, according to the decree of 2004, it is noteworthy to know that all Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun appellation wines must be manually harvested.

Cave de Roquebrun Roches Noires 2016 (90+ pts)

Tasting Note:

CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN ROCHES NOIRES 2016 - AC Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun, Languedoc, France (#251637) (XD) - $22.95
A blend of 60% Syrah, 20% Grenache, and 20% Mourvedre that was manually harvested from the schist hills of Roquebrun and raised entirely in stainless steel tanks. The medium-high intensity nose delivers enticing aromas of blackberry, schist mineral, and spice layered on top of black pepper and meaty notes. It is medium-full bodied with nicely balanced wild berry, schist mineral, garrigue, black pepper spice, and meaty flavours. Acids are very fresh, while the juicy finish is long, meaty and peppery. Youthful tannins are chalky and quite tight at the moment. Enjoyable now with protein, but will be even better after 2-3 years of tannin integration. Drink into the mid-20's. Score: 90+ pts

Ringbolt Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Australia) - Wine Review

My wine review for Thanksgiving tonight is this Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia.

This red wine was purchased from an LCBO VINTAGES Release nearly 10 years ago to the day, back in October 2009. Of course, the 2007 vintage of this wine is no longer available for purchase, but since it is listed as a VINTAGES Essential at the LCBO, a newer vintage of the Ringbolt Cabernet Sauvignon is always available in the VINTAGES section at your local LCBO outlet. It is interesting to note that while my 2007 bottling was enclosed by cork, newer vintages of this wine, like many Australian wines these days, are enclosed by screw cap.

Margaret River is known for producing highly acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The region is surrounded by forest, farmland, sea, enjoying the attributes of the mild maritime climate, rich soil, and fresh winds from both the Indian and Southern Oceans. The vineyards of Margaret River are planted primarily on gravel loam soils, which combine with summer sea breezes and temperature conditions during ripening that allow the grapes to develop complex varietal characters, elegance, and strength. At 12 years from vintage, let's see how this Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon is tasting tonight...

Ringbolt Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (89 pts)

Tasting Note:

RINGBOLT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#606624) (XD) - $19.95
Medium intensity nose has olive, green pepper, tobacco, new leather, sandalwood, and whiffs of cassis liqueur characters. It is medium-full bodied with smooth, mature, and fully resolved tannins that offer just a touch of textural grippiness. Composed earthy and savoury flavours with sandalwood spice, forest floor, green pepper, and dark berry notes with hints of tobacco. Acids are still quite juicy, while the mid-palate is a touch warming. Very good length on the long, earthy-savoury finish accented by green pepper notes. Has aged quite well. Drink soon. Score: 89 pts

Rioja Bordón Reserva 2012 (Spain) - Wine Review

The recent parade of Spanish Rioja wine reviews continues with tonight's wine that just arrived at the LCBO as part of this Saturday's October 12 LCBO VINTAGES Release and was also featured as part of the theme on Rioja wines.

It is produced by Bodegas Franco-Españolas and reminds me of the time almost 4 years ago to the day, when I had the pleasure of attending a fine vertical tasting of their Rioja Bordón Gran Reserva wines ranging in vintage from 1982 to 2009. Bodegas Franco-Españolas is one of the oldest and most prestigious wineries in Spain and is celebrating its 129th anniversary in this year.

The wine I opened tonight is a Reserva, a class of Spanish red wine that must be aged a minimum of three years with at least one year in oak barrels. The Rioja Bordón Reserva is aged in American (Ohio) and French oak barrels for 18 months and undergoes decanting every 6 months to facilitate a natural filtering process, then stays in bottle for further refinement. The grapes for this wine come from vineyards in Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental which are north-facing in the foothills of the Sierra de la Demanda. According to winemaker Rubén Provedo, 2012 was a tough harvest in Rioja due to the drought which led to lower yields. However, the grapes reached the winery in excellent health and helped produce this wonderful Rioja wine.

Tasting Note:

RIOJA BORDÓN RESERVA 2012 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#194753) (D) - $19.95
This blend of 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha Tinta, and 5% Mazuelo has a medium+ intensity nose that is oak-spiced followed by complex earthy, red cherry, mocha, and touches of grilled herb and licorice notes. It is medium bodied on the palate with gritty tannins and ripe flavours of candied-stewed cherry, oak spice, licorice, and cocoa. Acids are fresh and juicy. Smoky, oak spice and subtle sour cherry characters linger on the finish, with very good length. Score: 88 pts

October 12, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Cabernet Sauvignon + Rioja

LCBO Wine Picks: October 12, 2019 VINTAGES Release

The main theme from the October 12, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release features Cabernet Sauvignon wines from around the globe, while the mini-theme focuses on food-friendly wines from Rioja. All of these wines, plus those from the main release will be available on VINTAGES shelves across Ontario by this Saturday. If you're looking for some great wines for holiday gift-giving, you should definitely consider some of the wines from this Release.

We'll begin with the main theme that focuses on the Red Giant - Cabernet Sauvignon varietal that is grown in many regions from Bordeaux to California. There are quite a few quality wines among the thirteen featured, but only two are included among my top Cabernet Sauvignon wine recommendations from this LCBO VINTAGES Release. First up is the lovely 2010 Ségla from a blockbuster vintage and is a blend based on Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaux on the left bank. The only other Cab Sauv among my wine picks is from Coonawarra in Australia. Lastly, the Château Pierre de Montignac (90 pts) came through VINTAGES in April but is also featured in this Release, so it's not listed below but is nonetheless a worthy buy.

Jim Barry Cover Drive Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 (89 pts)

From the feature on wines from Rioja, five of the eight wines are included among my top wine picks, and all five are blends based on Tempranillo, the King of Spanish red wines, and range in vintage. We'll start with the oldest, a 1998 Reserva that is a blend of 95% Tempranillo and 5% Mazuelo/Graciano, while the 2009 Reserva is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha. There are a pair of 2012 Rioja Gran Reserva's - the Baron de Ley is mainly Tempranillo, while the Cune is a blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo. Lastly, the 2016 Crianza is composed of 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, and 5% Mazuelo.

La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza Reserva 2009 (93 pts)

Red wines from the rest of the Release include a Saint Chinian that is a blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 20% Cinsault, while the Rhône red consists of mainly Grenache and Syrah. From Australia, the GMS consists of 55% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 15% Shiraz, while the icon wine from Chile is a blend of 92% Carmenere and 8% Petit Verdot.

M. Chapoutier Belleruche Côtes du Rhône Grenache/Syrah 2017 (90 pts)

Calmel & Joseph Saint Chinian 2015 (88 pts)

Among my white wine picks, the white from Veneto is a unique blend of 40% Garganega, 35% Cortese/Incrocio Manzoni, 15% Trebbianello, and 10% Trebbiano Toscano, while the Paso Robles wine is composed of 44% Viognier, 24% Marsanne, 20% Grenache Blanc, and 12% Roussanne. Among the single varietal wines, The Saint-Véran is made with Chardonnay, while the Muscadet is made with Melon de Bourgogne. For sweet wine lovers, the Niagara Riesling will be off-dry, while the Riesling Spätlese will be very sweet.

Monte del Frá Ca' del Magro 2016 (89 pts)

Karl Erbes Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese 2016 (90+ pts)

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Salud!