From this weekend’s LCBO Release, the Toronto Star highlighted the following budget pics:

• Stoney Ridge Dim Vineyard 2008 Riesling $14 (Ontario)
• D’Arenberg The Stump Jump Lightly Wooded 2008 Chardonnay $14.95 (Australia)
• Mitolo Jester 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon $19.95 (Australia)
• Terre Del Barolo Valdisera 2007 Barbera D’Alba $16.95 (Italy)
• Chapel Hill 2007 Shiraz $22.95 (Australia)
• Cathedral Cellar 2008 Sauvignon Blanc $11.95 (South Africa)
• Jean Geiler Reserve 2008 Chasselas $12.95 (France)
• Santa Carolina 2006 Petit Verdot $14.95 (Chile)
• Château De Vaugelas Le Prieuré 2007 Corbières $12.95 (France)

The LCBO has highlighted the following selections as their Wines of the Month for January 2010:

• Grove Street  Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
• Gerard Bertrand Grand Terroir 2007
• Fielding Estate Pinot Gris 2008

The latest LCBO email came out today and they listed the following highlights. As always, the full list of each week are on the LCBO website. The Cotes du Rehone-Villages looks like a wine that I would like.

• Garcés Silva Amayna Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Leyda Valley, Chile $29.00 WS 91
• Rudi Pichler Smaragd Terrassen Grüner Veltliner 2007, Wachau, Austria $39.00 WS 92
• Domaine Marcel Deiss Beblenheim Pinot Gris 2005, Alsace, France $39.00 RP 90
• Kurtz Family Vineyards Boundary Row Shiraz 2006, Barossa, Australia $27.00 RP 91
• Domaine Les Aphillanthes Cuvée 3 Cépages Côtes du Rhône-Villages 2006, Rhône, France $25.00 RP 91
• Petrolo Torrione 2006, Tuscany, Italy $39.00 WS 92
• Heras Cordon Reserva 2004, Rioja, Spain $35.00 RP 92

Today the LCBO highlights the following wines from it’s October 28th release. The full release is on their website.

• Testarossa Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay 2007, Santa Rita Hills, California $39.00
• Camelot Highlands Chardonnay 2007, Santa Maria Valley, California $44.00
• Domaine Servin Montée De Tonnerre Chablis Premier Cru 2007, Burgundy, France $35.00
• Pond Paddock Hawk’s Flight Pinot Noir 2006, Martinborough, New Zealand $29.00
• Chateau Ste. Michelle Canoe Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington $39.00
• Pelissero Long Now 2005, Piedmont, Italy $45.00
• Santbru Carinyenes Velles 2006, Monsant, Spain $44.00

The new LCBO Vintages Release is here. These are the highlights taken from the full list:

• Fortress Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Lake County, California $20.00
• De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon 2006, Australia, $29.00 (375 mL)
• Poderi Colla Bussia Dardi Le Rose Barolo 2004, Piedmont, Italy $55.00
• Firriato Harmonium Nero D’Avola 2006, Sicily, Italy $39.00
• Capanna Brunello Di Montalcino 2004, Tuscany, Italy $45.00
• Luis Cañas Gran Reserva 2001, Spain $39.00

Two wines were featured in the LCBO release today:

• Pelissero Augenta Dolcetto D’Alba 2007, Piedmont, Italy $20.00
• Quinta Do Portal Grande Reserva 2006, Douro, Portugal $49.00

Today is another LCBO Vintages Release. While the LCBO did not highlight any wines from the release, they did create a special report on wines from Rhone, my favorite wine region. Here are the wines they featured:

• CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE 2006 DOMAINE PAUL HENRY, $14,95
• VISAN 2007 DOMAINE MONTMARTEL, $16,95
• SABLET LE GRAVILLAS 2007, $17,95
• RASTEAU 2007 OGIER, $19,95
• CAIRANNE LES BUISSONS 2003 SANTA DUC, $17,95
• LES GALETS ROUGES CHÂTEAU MOURGUES DU GRÈS 2007, $14,95
• ROSÉ MILLE X 2008, $13,95
• CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE HAUTE PIERRE 2007 DELAS,  $35,95
• CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2006 DOMAINE DE CRISTIA, $39,95
• VACQUEYRAS DOMAINE SAINT-PIERRE 2005, $24,95
• TAVEL CUVÉE TABLEAU 2008, $18,95
• MUSCAT DE BEAUMES-DE-VENISE 2007 DOMAINE DES BERNARDINS, $17,95
• CROZES-HERMITAGE BLANC LA MATINIÈRE 2007 FERRATON PÈRE & FILS, $21,95
• CROZES-HERMITAGE LA MATINIÈRE 2006 FERRATON PÈRE & FILS, $21,95
• CORNAS CUVÉE CHARLEMAGNE CAVES DUMAZET 2005, $44,95
• SAINT-JOSEPH LES CABOLES DOMAINE DE PIERRE BLANCHE 2007, $24,95

On the 8th, the LCBO has highlighted the following wines in the release. Don’t forget you can always see many wines of each release on their website.

• Ferraton Père & Fils La Source St-Joseph 2007, Rhône, France $25.00
• La Vigne Di Zamó Vigne Cinquant’Anni Friuliano 2006, Friuli, Italy $39.00
• Marco & Vittorio Adriano Basarin Barbaresco 2005, Piedmont, Italy $39.00
• Puelles Reserva 2001, Rioja, Spain $29.00
• Falset-Marca Castell de Falset 2004, Tarragona, Spain $29.00

The Toronto Star ran an article today about the use of additives in wine. Clearly it is hard for a consumer to distinguish which wines have additives and which wines do not – we are going to have to rely on our retailers like the LCBO to do effective screening. However, one solution is to mandate the labeling of additives. I’m not sure if this will ever happen, but it would be a good thing.

With the threat of the strike now over, we can resume our normal alcohol-binging habits. This weekend the following wines were highlighted from the June 24 release. Remember all the wines in the release can be found on the LCBO website.

• Weingut Bründlmayer Alte Reben Grüner Veltliner 2006, Kamptal, Austria $44.00
• Jermann Chardonnay 2007, Friuli, Italy $29.00
• Achaval-Ferrer Quimera 2006, Mendoza, Argentina $55.00
• Domaine De Pallus Les Pensées De Pallus Chinon 2006, Loire, France $29.00
• Brancaia Chianti Classico 2006, Tuscany, Italy $39.00
• Hermanos Peciña Vendimia Seleccionada Reserva 2001, Rioja, Spain $54.00