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South Central Italy & Flagship In Store Discoveries (LCBO speak: ISD) as well as California are a prominent features in this LCBO Vintages release. Where to start?
Frankly, the ISD’s are a little rich for my $100 budget for this blog, yet there are some pretty enticing looking wines. Worth saving your pennies (or I guess it is now nickles!)
With the weather changing, I’m in a white wine mood so that’s what will be focused on finding the best to put in my shopping basket. You can’t go wrong with any of these great wines but remember when buying wines in the Vintages section, if you find something you like – grab a few bottles since they won’t be here again until next year and even that’s not a rule of thumb either!
Enjoy,
Julie
If I only had $100, I would buy . . .
LCBO Vintages Release for Saturday May 27, 2017
Santa Barbara Winery Chardonnay 2015
Santa Barbara County, California
$24.95 (Vintages # 989152) 13.7% alcohol
Talk about typicity! It doesn’t get much richer or better for a classic California Chardonnay. If you can imagine putting your nose in a creamy rich butter bar, or creme caramel, you’d probably not be far off when smelling the aromas in this wine. Lots of ripe pineapple and baked apple flavours, a full-bodied white wine, balanced, lots of fruity layers, creamy smooth with a citrusy finish. Rich, fragrant and delicious. Enjoy with seafood or chicken alfredo pasta, sounds like a dinner party to me.
Beauvignac Picpoul De Pinet 2016
AP, Les Costières Pomerols, France
$14.95 (Vintages #350124) 12.5% alcohol
This light, crisp perfect summer wine called “Picpoul” is a direct reference to the vibrant natural acidity of this grape. A loose translation of Picpoul means “stings the lip” which refers to the high acidity level in this varietal. It’s super fresh and floral, white blossoms and lemon-lime flavours are too easy on the palate.
There’s a bounty of green Granny Smith apple flavours in this white wine which also offer natural acidity that makes it so refreshing. Serve well chilled with a seafood salad, or cold poached salmon and you’ll have rave reviews.
Vesevo Beneventano Falaghina 2015
IGT Beneventano, South Central Italy
$16.95 (Vintages #289538) 13% alcohol
One sip reminded me of sitting in an piazza in Rome, starring at busts of bronze and a nearby coliseum. Fresh, lots of minerality and tastes of wet stone (this is a good thing), especially if you are prone to liking some earthy wine with loads of lemon flavours. A light white wine and delicate and a perfect afternoon sipper. If you happen to have a few shrimps handy – serve chilled or grill em up to have an awesome afternoon snack.
Frescobaldi Castelo Di Pomino Bianco 2015
DOC, Tuscany, Italy
$19.95 (Vintages #65086) 12.5% alcohol
The history books state that in 1855, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc were planted in Tuscany for the first time. Pomino (meaning little apple in Italian) is a small DOC located in central Italy that includes vineyards within the Chianti Rufina sub-zone in the province of Florence. It earned it’s DOC status in 1983.
Softly floral, ripe apricots and gentle peach flavours coat the palate with a lemony finish. A Fresh white wine that is delicate and delicious.
Feudo Maccari Grillo 2015
IGP Terre Siciliane, Italy
$14.95 (Vintages #477877) 12.5% alcohol
If I wrote in a sommelier exam that the wine tastes like fresh green grapes, I probably wouldn’t have passed the course but it is what it is (keeping in mind all our taste buds are different). This pale golden nectar is aromatically floral with some minerality on the palate and a pinch of effervescence, perhaps from the citrusy fruit flavours. It’s crisp and dreamy and a very easy white wine sipper especially at this price point. Salads, soft cheese, fish tacos or on its own.
Bottom line…I’m stocking up, this wine is too good to be true!
