The theme of the upcoming July 16, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release is titled "Sun, Sea & Sips" and focuses on wines from the Mediterranean. Also included in the magazine is a list of the next Online Exclusives collection that will be available starting July 28. Wines from this Release will be available at LCBO outlets across Ontario by this Saturday.

We begin with the theme on wines from sunny vineyards along the Mediterranean coast that are synonymous with summertime sipping. Of the eighteen wines featured in the theme, six are included among my top wine picks. Starting on the eastern side in Greece is an Assyrtiko from the Florina appellation in the hills of Amyndeon. Moving westward into Italy are a pair of lovely single varietal red wines from the island of Sicily made with Nero d'Avola and Frappato. From France, there are a pair of fine dry rosé wines - the one from Provence is a blend of 60% Grenache, 35% Cinsault, and 5% Syrah, while the Tavel from Rhône consists of 39% Grenache Noir, 25% Cinsault, 10% Grenache Blanc, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, and other varieties.

Among my red wine recommendations from the rest of the Release, the lovely GSM blend from Australia consists of 59% Grenache, 22% Mourvèdre, and 19% Syrah, while the Roussillon red is primarily Grenache with Syrah and Carignan in support. The rest of the reds are all single varietal wines. The Morgon from Beaujolais is made with Gamay, while the Beaune from Burgundy is Pinot Noir. There's also a pair of lovely Malbec wines from Argentina, and from Australia there is a Shiraz and a Cabernet Sauvignon.


My white wine picks from the rest of the Release are all single varietal wines. From France, there is a lovely Muscadet from Loire that is made with the Melon de Bourgogne grape, while the white wine from Burgundy is made with Aligoté. For Sauvignon Blanc wine lovers, there is a Sancerre from Loire, as well as a Sauvignon Blanc from the Awatere Valley in Marlborough. Other dry white wines include an excellent Assyrtiko from Santorini, a Chenin Blanc from South Africa, as well as a pair of Chardonnay wines from Niagara. If you enjoy sweeter wines, grab the Riesling from Mosel.


Among my pink wine recommendations, the rosé from Niagara is a blend of 46% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinot Gris, and 19% Gamay, while the version from Tuscany consists of Sangiovese and Merlot. Among my pink sparkling wine picks, the wine from Provence is crafted with Syrah and Grenache, while the bubbly from South Africa is a blend of 66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay.


Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• SALENTEIN RESERVE MALBEC 2019 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#640854) (XD) - $17.95  90+ pts  wine review
• COLAB AND BLOOM SHIRAZ 2019 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#16043) (XD) - $19.95
• LAURENT GAUTHIER GRAND CRAS VIEILLES VIGNES MORGON 2019 - AC, Beaujolais, France (#279059) (XD) - $19.95
• CHÂTEAU SAINT-ROCH CHIMÈRES GRENACHE / SYRAH / CARIGNAN 2019 - AP Côtes du Roussillon-Villages, Midi, France (#119354) (D) - $19.95
• DANDELION PRIDE OF THE FLEURIEU CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Fleurieu, South Australia (#23778) (XD) - $21.95
• PLANETA FRAPPATO VITTORIA 2019 - DOC, Sicily, Italy (#508655) (XD) - $22.95
• TORBRECK OLD VINES GRENACHE / SHIRAZ / MOURVÈDRE 2018 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#10223) (XD) - $24.95  91 pts  wine review
• FEUDO MONTONI LAGNUSA NERO D'AVOLA 2019 - DOC Sicilia, Italy (#523738) (XD) - $24.95
• CATENA LUNLUNTA OLD VINES APPELLATION MALBEC 2019 - Mendoza, Argentina (#11769) (XD) - $24.95
• ARNOUX PÈRE & FILS LES BEAUMONTS CHOREY-LÈS-BEAUNE 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#557785) (XD) - $39.95

White Wine:

• DOMAINE LA HAUTE FÉVRIE SUR LIE MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE 2020 - AC, Loire, France (#390625) (XD) - $15.95  review coming soon...
• PROSPER MAUFOUX BOURGOGNE ALIGOTÉ 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#23984) (XD) - $17.95
• KIR-YIANNI LE NORD ASSYRTIKO 2020 - Vegan, IGP Florina, Greece (#25707) (XD) - $18.95
• ERADUS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 - Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#225557) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• MULLINEUX KLOOF STREET CHENIN BLANC 2021 - WO Swartland, South Africa (#21111) (XD) - $19.95
• BACHELDER L'ARDOISE NIAGARA CHARDONNAY 2019 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#302083) (XD) - $24.95
• CLOSSON CHASE THE BROCK CHARDONNAY 2019 - VQA Niagara River, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#20899) (XD) - $25.00
• CHÂTEAU DE SANCERRE SANCERRE 2020 - Sustainable, AC, Loire, France (#340893) (XD) - $29.95
  
• MAX FERD. RICHTER ELISENBERGER RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2019 - Qualitätswein, Mosel, Germany (#25712) (S) - $29.95
• ARGYROS ASSYRTIKO 2020 - PDO Santorini, Greece (#387365) (XD) - $44.95

Rosé Wine:

• FIELDING ROSÉ 2021 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#53421) (XD) - $17.95
• RICASOLI ALBIA ROSÉ 2021 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#556266) (XD) - $18.95
• VILLA AIX EN PROVENCE ROSÉ 2021 - AP Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, France (#668426) (XD) - $20.95
• DOMAINE MABY LA FORCADIÈRE TAVEL ROSÉ 2021 - AC, Rhône, France (#701318) (XD) - $20.95

Sparkling Wine:

• RIVAROSE BRUT PRESTIGE SPARKLING ROSÉ - Salon de Provence, IGP Mediterranean, Provence, France (#515288) (D) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• GRAHAM BECK MÉTHODE CAP CLASSIQUE BRUT SPARKLING ROSÉ PINOT NOIR / CHARDONNAY - Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa (#175588) (XD) - $22.95