The upcoming July 21, 2018 LCBO VINTAGES Release focuses on BBQ wines as its main theme, while the mini-theme highlights wines from Lodi, California. All of these wines, plus other goodies throughout the Release will be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario this coming Saturday.

We'll begin with the main theme that highlights 18 wines for pairing with grilled items off the BBQ, of which 4 are included among my top wine picks. Red wines include a Carménère from Chile, while the Douro red is a blend of Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. For pairing with finely herbed chicken off the BBQ there is a Bandol Rosé that consists of Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Cinsault, while the Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is also suitable.

None of the 8 Lodi wines made my list of wine picks, so I'll just skip over that section.


Among red wine recommendations from the rest of the Release, the lovely Rhône red from the excellent 2015 vintage is a blend of 60% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre, and 15% Syrah, while the Crianza is a blend of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Garnacha Tinta/Mazuelo. The blend in the organic Emiliana Coyam is led by Syrah and Carménère. Lastly, the Bordeaux blend consists of 57% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot.


From my white wine picks, the Muscadet is made with Melon de Bourgogne, while the wine from Southwest, France, is made using Colombard, a varietal we don't see too often here in Ontario. The Pouilly-Fumé from Loire is made with Sauvignon Blanc. For sweet wine lovers, look for the off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Gewürztraminer from Alsace, or the sweeter Riesling from Ontario.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CUNE CRIANZA 2014 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#039925) (XD) - $16.95
• APALTAGUA ENVERO GRAN RESERVA CARMÉNÈRE 2015 - DO Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile (#481010) (XD) - $18.95
• PORCA DE MURÇA RESERVA TINTO 2014 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#684753) (XD) - $18.95
• ARBOLEDA SINGLE VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 - DO Aconcagua Valley, Chile (#606764) (XD) - $19.95  88 pts  wine review
• PIERRE AMADIEU LES HAUTES RIVES CAIRANNE 2015 - AP, Rhône, France (#539890) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• ERNIE ELS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#278358) (XD) - $24.95
• MOILLARD CUVÉE PRESTIGE RULLY 2015 - AC, Burgundy, France (#556407) (XD) - $28.95
• EMILIANA COYAM 2014 - Los Robles Estate, DO Colchagua Valley, Chile (#063891) (XD) - $29.95  91 pts  wine review
• DENIS PÈRE ET FILS PERNAND-VERGELESSES 2015 - AC, Burgundy, France (#559906) (XD) - $44.95  FE
• CHÂTEAU TRONQUOY-LALANDE 2012 - AC Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France (#553008) (XD) - $57.95  FE

White Wine:

• LE FILS DES GRAS MOUTONS MUSCADET SÈVRE-ET-MAINE SUR LIE 2016 - AC, Loire, France (#363150) (XD) - $14.95  88 pts  wine review
• MONT GRAVET COLOMBARD 2017 - IGP Côtes de Gascogne, Southwest, France (#521930) (XD) - $15.95  87 pts  wine review
• WITHER HILLS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#919514) (XD) - $19.95
• REDSTONE LIMESTONE VINEYARD SOUTH RIESLING 2016 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#381251) (M) - $19.95
• HUNAWIHR KUHLMANN-PLATZ VIEILLES VIGNES GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2016 - AC Alsace, France (#169474) (D) - $19.95
• RAPAURA SPRINGS RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#388421) (XD) - $23.95
• GÉNETIN POUILLY-FUMÉ 2015 - AP, Loire, France (#653154) (XD) - $28.95
• LA CHABLISIENNE MONTMAINS CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2015 - AC, Burgundy, France (#265090) (XD) - $34.95

Rosé Wine:

• KIR-YIANNI AKAKIES XINOMAVRO ROSÉ 2017 - PGI Macedonia, Greece (#071050) (XD) $12.95  87 pts  wine review
• CARTE NOIRE ROSÉ 2017 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#319384) (XD) - $18.95
• HECHT & BANNIER BANDOL ROSÉ 2017 - AC, Provence, France (#450767) (XD) - $27.95
• CHÂTEAU LÉOUBE ROSÉ DE LÉOUBE 2017 - AC Côtes de Provence, France (#491100) (XD) - $28.95