Apologies for the delay! Here are my top wine picks from the August 13, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release. The theme of the release focuses on summery white wines. Also included in this release are many other lovely wines not part of the theme, as well as a sneak preview of the August 27th LCBO VINTAGES Release. By now, all of the wines from this release should be available in LCBO outlets across Ontario.

We begin with the theme on summery white wines and of the eighteen wines featured as part of the theme, six are included among my top white wine picks. The only blend among the half dozen is from Portugal and it consists of 70% Loureiro and 30% Alvarinho. There are also a pair of lovely white wines from Italy - a Pecorino from Abruzzo and a Falanghina from Salento. From Spain there is a Godello, and from New Zealand is a $20 Sauvignon Blanc. For sweet wine lovers, the consistently delicious Riesling from Niagara is your best bet.


Among my red wine picks, the Gran Selezione Chianti Classico is a blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot / Colorino, while the Brunello is 100% Sangiovese. From Rhône, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 60% Grenache, 31% Syrah, 8% Mourvèdre, and the balance other permitted varieties, while the Gigondas is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah. Also from France, the lovely red wine from Bordeaux consists of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. The red wine from South Africa is a blend 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Cabernet Franc, 13% Cinsault, 10% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec, while on the local front the red wine from Niagara is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and 11% Cabernet Franc.


White wine picks from the rest of the release are led by the excellent $26 Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough and followed by a trio of Chardonnay wines - two from Burgundy and one from the high altitude region of Tupungato in Argentina.


Among my dry rosé wine picks, the Prestige Rosé from Provence is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, and Rolle, while the M de Minuty consists of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Tibouren. My third rosé recommendation is from Rhône and it is a blend of Syrah and Grenache.

My last wine picks is a lovely sparkling wine from Limoux, the birthplace of Champagne, and it is a blend of 70% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin Blanc, and 10% Mauzac.


Enjoy my wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• 13TH STREET EXPRESSION SERIES CABERNET / MERLOT 2020 - Sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#18880) (XD) - $17.95
• TERRAZAS DE LOS ANDES RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - Sustainable, Mendoza, Argentina (#77776) (XD) - $19.95
• WARWICK PROFESSOR BLACK PITCH BLACK 2017 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#24250) (XD) - $19.95
• ZUCCARDI Q MALBEC 2020 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#723478) (XD) - $20.95  89 pts  wine review
• PIRRAMIMMA WHITE LABEL SHIRAZ 2019 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#987784) (XD) - $29.95
• DOMAINE DU GRAPILLON D'OR 1806 GIGONDAS 2018 - AC, Rhône, France (#981787) (XD) - $36.95
• RUFFINO RISERVA DUCALE ORO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2017 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#353201) (XD) - $49.95  92 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU CLARKE 2016 - AC Listrac-Médoc, Bordeaux, France (#503904) (XD) - $49.95  92+ pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU MONT-REDON CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2018 - AC, Rhône, France (#959627) (XD) - $54.95
• SAN GIORGIO UGOLFORTE BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2016 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#372953) (XD) - $59.95

White Wine:

• MARIA PAPOILA LOUREIRO / ALVARINHO 2021 - DOC Vinho Verde, Portugal (#408146) (XD) - $17.95
• MARTIN CODAX MARA MARTIN GODELLO 2020 - Vegan, DO Monterrei, Spain (#25613) (XD) - $17.95
• FERZO ABRUZZO PECORINO SUPERIORE 2021 - DOP, Abruzzo, Italy (#573683) (XD) - $17.95
• TERRES SECRÈTES LES PRÉLUDES MÂCON-VILLAGES 2019 - Sustainable, AC, Burgundy, France (#23988) (XD) - $18.95
• MUD HOUSE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#190454) (XD) - $19.95  88 pts  wine review
• CATENA APPELLATION CHARDONNAY 2020 - Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina (#10964) (XD) - $19.95
• HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE RIESLING 2020 - Sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#557165) (M) - $19.95
• MASSERIA ALTEMURA FALANGHINA 2020 - IGT Salento, Puglia, Italy (#23867) (XD) - $21.95
• GREYWACKE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#164228) (XD) - $25.95  92+ pts  wine review
• DOMAINE SÈVE TERROIR POUILLY-FUISSÉ 2020 - AC, Burgundy, France (#681056) (XD) - $32.95

Rosé Wine:

• CHÂTEAU VAL-JOANIS TRADITION ROSÉ 2021 - AP Luberon, Rhône, France (#707281) (XD) - $19.95
• M DE MINUTY ROSÉ 2021 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#575316) (XD) - $27.95
• CHÂTEAU MINUTY PRESTIGE ROSÉ 2021 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#19849) (XD) - $39.95

Sparkling Wine:

• ANTECH CUVÉE EUGÉNIE BRUT CRÉMANT DE LIMOUX 2018 - Traditional method, sustainable, AP, Languedoc, France (#25367) (XD) - $23.95  91 pts  wine review