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Friday, September 18, 2026

September 12, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Ontario

LCBO Wine Picks: September 12, 2026 VINTAGES New Release Collection

Here are my top wine picks from the September 12, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (digital edition here), where local wines from Ontario are the focus of the feature story. While the release is quite good overall, with a number of high-quality wines, the first word that comes to mind when I think about this release is "disappointment."

My first disappointment with this release is that it contains only 83 products, including 14 Online & Flagship Exclusives, leaving just 69 products broadly available across the province. I’ve heard that smaller releases will be the norm for the next couple of months, and perhaps beyond. Second, while there are 20 wines from Ontario, plus one from Nova Scotia and two from British Columbia, there are also 26 wines from Italy. This means that 49 of the 83 wines, or 59%, come from just two countries. I love my Ontario and Italian wines, but diversity is lacking, in my opinion.

The last disappointment took place on Release Day (September 12), when I visited one LCBO store and discovered that it had received only one Ontario wine from the entire release. I then visited a second LCBO store, only to find that all six wines being poured for the Saturday tasting were from the previous release (August 29, which is apparently what they do at this location). Furthermore, their policy was to only place wines from this release, which they had already received, on the shelves the following Monday. Nevertheless, by now, everything should be available for purchase both online and at physical LCBO stores across Ontario.

Moving past my disappointments, let’s have a look at my top wine picks from the feature story, which focuses on great local wines from Ontario. Of the twenty Ontario wines featured, eleven are among my recommended buys. Ontario produces many fine sparkling wines, with Kew Vineyards being a specialist in this category. Kew’s Blanc de Blanc is crafted with Chardonnay, while its Blanc de Noir is made from Pinot Noir. Also featured in this release is a new category of sparkling wine called Fracette—a uniquely Canadian style in which an Icewine liqueur de tirage is used to initiate the secondary fermentation. The Kew Fracette is a blend of 41% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay, 16% Pinot Meuiner, and 10% Vidal Icewine, while the Inniskillin Fracette is a Cabernet Franc sparkling rosé with Cabernet Franc Icewine used to initiate the second fermentation. White wines from Ontario include a pair of lovely Chardonnays, as well as a fine, gently off-dry Riesling. My top red wine picks from Ontario are a trio of Pinot Noirs, followed by a Cabernet Franc.

Inniskillin Fracette Rosé Sparkling 2025

Domaine Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay 2023

Domaine Le Clos Jordanne Jordan Village Chardonnay 2023

Domaine Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Pinot Noir 2023

Bachelder Les Villages Bench Pinot Noir 2024 (91+ pts)

Westcott Estate Pinot Noir 2023 (91 pts)

My top red wine picks from the main release begin with a pair of excellent Riojas from Spain. First is the 2014 Rioja, a blend of 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, and 10% Graciano & Mazuelo, followed by the 2015 Rioja, made with 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, and 5% Mazuelo & Graciano. From Italy, the Valpolicella is composed of 85% Corvina Veronese, 10% Rondinella, and 5% Corvinone, while the Toscana Rosso is a blend of 40% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 10% Syrah. Staying in Italy, both the Chianti Classico and Rosso di Montalcino are crafted with 100% Sangiovese, while the wine from Basilicata is made with Aglianico. Lastly, the other mono-varietal reds are a Malbec from Argentina and a Shiraz from Western Australia.

Zenato Valpolicella Superiore 2022 (89 pts)

Viticcio Sospetti Toscana Rosso 2022 (88 pts)

Among my white wine recommendations from the main release, the only blend is a white wine from the Douro in Portugal, crafted with three indigenous varieties—Códega de Larinho, Rabigato, and Viosinho. Among the mono-varietal wines, at the top of the list is the outstanding Verdicchio from 50+-year-old vines, followed by the Pecorino, with both wines coming from the same producer in Italy. Other mono-varietal wines include a Sauvignon Blanc from Chile, a Pinot Grigio from northern Italy, an old-vine Chardonnay from Australia, and a Pinot Gris from New Zealand.

Umani Ronchi Casal di Serra Vecchie Vigne Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore 2023 (93+ pts)

There are two sparkling wine picks outside Ontario. First up is a Prosecco from Italy crafted with Glera, while the second bubbly is a Cava from Spain composed of 55% Xarel·lo, 30% Macabeo, and 15% Parellada.

Alessandro Berselli Signature Collection Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore 2025 (89 pts)

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

FRANKLAND ROCKY GULLY SHIRAZ 2022 - Frankland River, Western Australia (#33371) (XD) - $17.95
VITICCIO SOSPETTI TOSCANA ROSSO 2022 - IGT, Tuscany, Italy (#50775) (XD) - $18.00 88 pts wine review
ZENATO VALPOLICELLA SUPERIORE 2022 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#995704) (XD) - $18.95 89 pts wine review
FABRE MONTMAYOU RESERVA MALBEC 2024 - Vegan, Sustainable, Mendoza, Argentina (#261867) (XD) - $19.95
PATERNOSTER SYNTHESI AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE 2021 - DOC, Campania, Italy (#51672) (XD) - $19.95
TAWSE GROWERS BLEND CABERNET FRANC 2021 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#284570) (XD) - $29.95

WESTCOTT ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2023 - Sustainable, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#427500) (XD) - $33.95 91 pts wine review
BACHELDER LES VILLAGES BENCH PINOT NOIR 2024 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#11582) (XD) - $34.95 91+ pts wine review
POGGIO SAN POLO ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2022 - Sustainable, DOC, Tuscany, Italy (#60863) (XD) - $36.95
FONTODI CHIANTI CLASSICO 2022 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#933317) (XD) - $49.95
DOMAINE LE CLOS JORDANNE LE GRAND CLOS PINOT NOIR 2023 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#184564) (XD) - $55.00 review coming soon...
R. LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA BOSCONIA RESERVA 2015 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#529586) (XD) - $59.95
R. LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA TONDONIA RESERVA 2014 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#356337) (XD) - $82.95

White Wine:

MATAHIWI ESTATE PINOT GRIS 2024 - Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand (#12679) (XD) - $17.95
LEYDA GARUMA COASTAL VINEYARDS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - DO Valle de Leyda, Chile (#99309) (XD) - $18.95
QUADRUS WHITE 2024 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#667162) (XD) - $23.95
SCHILD OLD VINE BAROSSA CHARDONNAY 2025 - Barossa, South Australia (#50189) (XD) - $23.95
NALS MARGREID HILL PINOT GRIGIO 2025 - DOC Südtirol-Alto Adige, Italy (#17365) (XD) - $24.95
HIDDEN BENCH RIESLING 2023 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#183491) (D) - $26.95
UMANI RONCHI CENTOVIE PECORINO 2024 - IGT Colli Aprutini, Abruzzo, Italy (#11108) (XD) - $28.95
UMANI RONCHI CASAL DI SERRA VECCHIE VIGNE VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2023 - DOC, Marche, Italy (#98111) (XD) - $28.95 93+ pts wine review
DOMAINE LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE CHARDONNAY 2023 - VQA West Niagara, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20455) (XD) - $30.00 review coming soon...
DOMAINE LE CLOS JORDANNE LE GRAND CLOS CHARDONNAY 2023 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#184549) (XD) - $55.00 review coming soon...

Sparkling Wine:

ALESSANDRO BERSELLI SIGNATURE COLLECTION VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO SUPERIORE 2025 - DOCG, Italy (#51608) (D) - $19.95 89 pts wine review
CYGNUS SADOR ORGANIC RESERVA BRUT NATURE CAVA - Vegan, Sustainable, Traditional Method, DO Penedès, Spain (#352856) (XD) - $19.95
KEW FRACETTE SPARKLING 2025 - Charmat Method, VQA Ontario, Canada (#53239) (XD) - $26.95 review coming soon...
KEW BLANC DE BLANC 2019 - Traditional Method, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#438994) (XD) - $32.95 review coming soon...
KEW BLANC DE NOIR 2021 - Traditional Method, VQA West Niagara, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#380030) (XD) - $32.95 review coming soon...
INNISKILLIN FRACETTE ROSÉ SPARKLING 2025 - Charmat Method, VQA Ontario, Canada (#53240) (XD) - $34.95 review coming soon...

August 29, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Book Club Wines

LCBO Wine Picks: August 29, 2026 VINTAGES New Release Collection

Here are my top wine picks from the August 29, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (digital edition here), where “Book Club” is the title and main theme of the release. With 92 products offered, this is on the smaller side of the spectrum. There are 40 red wines in the release, along with just 26 white wines, while sparkling wines and rosé make up much of the remainder. The average price per bottle comes in at just under $25. Overall, it is a good release, with all but one of my recommendations priced below $40, and everything should be readily available for purchase both online and in stores at LCBO outlets across Ontario.

We’ll begin with the feature story titled “Book Club – Thoughtful Wine and Literary Pairings,” which includes seventeen wines that are perfect pairings for book lovers. Since my picks are focused on the wines themselves, only a couple of wines from the feature are included among my recommendations. One is a blend of 65% Tempranillo and 35% Grenache from Australia, while the other is a Malbec from Argentina.

Among my top red wine picks, we’ll go local first with a pair of blends from Niagara. The wine from Niagara-on-the-Lake is composed of 53% Cabernet Franc and 47% Merlot, while the wine from Leaning Post is 47% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Franc, and 14% Syrah. Other blends include the Roussillon red, which is composed of approximately 70% Syrah, 20% Grenache, and 10% Carignan, as well as the Chianti Classico, which is composed primarily of Sangiovese (90%), with Canaiolo and Colorino completing the blend. Among the mono-varietal reds, there is a Barolo crafted with Nebbiolo, while the Riserva Chianti Classico is 100% Sangiovese. The remaining mono-varietal reds are a Gamay from Beaujolais, a Pinot Noir from South Africa, and a pair of Cabernet Sauvignons—one each from Argentina and South Africa.

San Silvestro Patres Barolo 2021 (91+ pts)

Borgo Scopeto Vigna Misciano Riserva Chianti Classico 2021 (91 pts)

Château Saint-Roch Chimères Côtes du Roussillon-Villages 2022 (90+ pts)

Tapiz Alta Collection San Pablo Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 (90 pts)

Carpineto Chianti Classico 2023 (89 pts)

The only blend among my top white wine recommendations is the Rhône wine, which is crafted with 70% Grenache Blanc, 15% Clairette, 10% Viognier, and 5% Roussanne. Chardonnay is particularly well represented in this release, with four recommendations—one each from Niagara, Prince Edward County, Chile, and New Zealand. There are also a pair of Sauvignon Blancs, one each from the Loire and New Zealand. Rounding out the selection are a fine Malagouzia from Greece, a Chenin Blanc from South Africa, and a Graševina from Croatia.

Huff Catharine's Chardonnay 2023 (91 pts)

Alpha Estate Turtles Single Vineyard Malagouzia 2025 (91 pts)

Bisquertt La Joya Gran Reserva Chardonnay 2024 (89 pts)

Bord Elegance Laudun Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Blanc 2024 (89 pts)

The remaining recommendations are in other styles, rather than red or white wines, and are all blends. At the top of the list is a Champagne crafted with 60% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Pinot Noir, while the Cava is approximately 40% Xarel·lo, 40% Parellada, and 20% Macabeu. Both of the rosé recommendations are from Provence and are dry in style, with the Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault, while the Côtes de Provence is crafted with 46% Cinsault, 34% Grenache, 12% Mourvèdre, 4% Syrah, 2% Rolle, and 2% Sémillon.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!