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.
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.
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.
Both of my rosé wine picks from France are blends, with the Tavel a blend of Grenache, Clairette, Cinsault, Bourboulenc, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, while the Languedoc 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.
Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!
Red Wine:
TAPIZ MALBEC 2021 – Sustainable, Mendoza, Argentina (#36315) (XD) – $14.95DOMAINE LA DÉCELLE RÉSERVE CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES VALRÉAS 2020 – AC, France (#14391) (XD) – $15.95CHÂTEAU CLOU DU PIN 2021 – AC Bordeaux Supérieur, France (#28727) (XD) – $18.95 89 pts wine reviewCASTELLI DEL GREVEPESA CASTELGREVE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2021 – Sustainable, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#573485) (XD) – $18.95 90 pts wine reviewCREMASCHI FURLOTTI GRAN RESERVA CARMENÈRE 2019 – Sustainable, Vegan, DO Valle del Loncomilla, Valle del Maule, Chile (#549741) (XD) – $19.95LEALTANZA ÚNICO 12 MESES ROBLE FRANCÉS 2018 – Vegan, DOCa Rioja, Spain (#37475) (XD) – $22.95TEZZA VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO VALPANTENA SUPERIORE 2020 – DOC, Veneto, Italy (#25823) (D) – $24.95 review coming soon…VITE COLTE SOGNI AL CAMPO NEBBIOLO 2021 – DOC Langhe, Piedmont, Italy (#17572) (XD) – $24.95 90+ pts wine reviewPLANETA FRAPPATO 2022 – Sustainable, DOC Sicilia Vittoria, Italy (#508655) (XD) – $24.95RODNEY STRONG ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 – Sustainable, Sonoma County, California, USA (#350454) (XD) – $34.95 91 pts wine review
White Wine:
LAVAU CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2022 – AC, France (#36914) (XD) – $16.95FEATHERSTONE PHOENIX 2023 – Sustainable, Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#519025) (D) – $18.95 90+ pts wine reviewALPHA ESTATE TURTLES SINGLE VINEYARD MALAGOUZIA 2023 – Vegan, PGI Florina, Greece (#32161) (XD) – $18.95 review coming soon…ATTEMS RAMATO PINOT GRIGIO 2023 – DOC Friuli, Italy (#111732) (XD) – $19.95 89 pts wine reviewHIEDLER PHENOMENON GRÜNER VELTLINER 2023 – Qualitätswein, Niederösterreich, Austria (#39119) (XD) – $19.95MEGALOMANIAC NARCISSIST RIESLING 2021 – VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#67587) (M) – $19.95REGALEALI CAVALLO DELLE FATE GRILLO 2022 – Sustainable, DOC Sicilia, Italy (#36662) (XD) – $23.95WINE ART ESTATE IDISMA DRIOS ASSYRTIKO 2022 – PGI Drama, Greece (#36834) (XD) – $28.95 91 pts updated review soon…HIDDEN BENCH ROSOMEL VINEYARD FUMÉ BLANC 2021 – Sustainable, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#68825) (XD) – $29.95ARGYROS ASSYRTIKO 2022 – PDO Santorini, Greece (#387365) (XD) – $45.95 94+ pts wine review
Rosé Wine:
DOMAINE D’ESPEYRAN ELÉGANCE ROSÉ 2021 – IGP Terres du Midi, Languedoc, France (#37825) (XD) – $17.9513TH STREET EXPRESSION SERIES CABERNET FRANC ROSÉ 2023 – Sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20359) (XD) – $17.95DOMAINE TERRE DAVAU TAVEL ROSÉ 2023 – AC, Rhône, France (#37680) (XD) – $19.95 review coming soon…MALIVOIRE VIVANT ROSÉ 2023 – Sustainable, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#498535) (XD) – $21.95 91+ pts wine reviewANGELS & COWBOYS ROSÉ 2023 – Sonoma County, California, USA (#493155) (XD) – $25.95 89 pts wine review
Sparkling Wine:
L’ORMARINS CAP CLASSIQUE BLANC DE BLANCS 2018 – Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa (#15681) (XD) – $28.95
Dessert Wine:
FEATHERSTONE FROSTBITE SELECT LATE HARVEST GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2022 – Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#39276) (S) (375mL) – $29.95 92 pts wine review
