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Sunday, May 10, 2026

May 9, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Good Vibes & Sustainable Wines

LCBO Wine Picks: May 9, 2026 VINTAGES New Release Collection

Happy Mother's Day! Here are my top wine picks from the May 9, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (digital edition here), which is titled "Good Vibes & Sustainable Wines". There are 92 products included in this release, and while this is not an expensive release, the number of wines priced below $20 continues to dwindle with less than one-third below this mark. Overall, it is a good release with the sweet spot of quality-to-price ratio falling between $20 and $30. All the wines are readily available for purchase at LCBO outlets both in-store and online.

We'll begin with the feature story of the release that includes thirteen wines that offer good vibes with a nod to sustainability. There are four recommended buys from the thematic, beginning with a 2024 Chardonnay from Niagara, along with a Pecorino from Abruzzo. The lone red wine recommendation from the feature story is made with Cariñena (Carignan) from Spain, while the dry rosé is crafted with Pinot Noir from Chile.

Torre Zambra Poggio Salaia Terre d'Abruzzo Pecorino 2025 (89 pts)

My top red wine picks from the main release begins with the Purple Angel from Chile that is a blend of 92% Carmenère and 8% Petit Verdot, followed by a Pinot Noir from New Zealand. Among the blends, the Cab Sauv from South Africa is actually composed of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Malbec, while the Valpolicella is a blend of 45% Corvina, 40% Corvinone, and 15% Rondinella. Among the mono-varietal red wines, the Chénas from Beaujolais is made with Gamay, while the Rioja is Tempranillo. There are also a couple of Barossa Shiraz wines from Australia, as well as a fine Malbec from Argentina.

Whitehaven Greg Southern Valleys Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 (91+ pts)

Tapiz Alta Collection San Pablo Vineyard Malbec 2023 (90+ pts)

Among my white wine recommendations, there are a trio of gently off-dry Riesling wines - one from British Columbia, one from Prince Edward County, and one from Alsace. Other white wines include a 2021 Chardonnay from Niagara, a Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige in northern Italy, and an off-dry Pinot Gris from New Zealand. And lastly, there is a fine Alvarinho from Portugal.

Wending Home Estate Vineyard Chardonnay 2021 (91 pts)

Other rosé wine recommendations in this release include a rosé from Provence that is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, and 5% Tibouren, along with a McLaren Vale rosé that is crafted with Grenache. Among the sparkling wines, the Grand Cru Champagne is 80/20 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, while the bubbly from South Africa is composed of 52% Pinot Noir and 48% Chardonnay.

Pierre Paillard Les Parcelles Bouzy Extra Brut Grand Cru Champagne XX (93+ pts)

Graham Beck Méthode Cap Classique Brut Pinot Noir / Chardonnay Rosé Sparkling (90+ pts)

Dandelion Fairytale of McLaren Vale Rosé 2025 (88+ pts)

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

PALACIO DEL BURGO CRIANZA 2022 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#18939) (XD) - $15.95
MAXWELL THE ORCHARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2023 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#49388) (XD) - $19.95
NEIL ELLIS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#41448) (XD) - $19.95
TAPIZ ALTA COLLECTION SAN PABLO VINEYARD MALBEC 2023 - Sustainable, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#450155) (XD) - $20.95 90+ pts wine review
VAUCHER PÈRE & FILS CHÉNAS 2024 - AOC, Beaujolais, France (#48376) (XD) - $21.95
YALUMBA SAMUEL'S COLLECTION SHIRAZ 2023 - Vegan, Sustainable, Barossa, South Australia (#12907) (XD) - $21.95 review coming soon...
BRIGALDARA VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO SUPERIORE 2023 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#16090) (XD) - $22.95
LIBRE Y SALVAJE VINO DE PARAJE CARIÑENA 2021 - DOP, Spain (#50357) (XD) - $24.95
SEPPELTSFIELD VILLAGE SERIES BAROSSA SHIRAZ 2023 - Barossa, South Australia (#49385) (XD) - $27.95
WHITEHAVEN GREG SOUTHERN VALLEYS SINGLE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2021 - Vegan, Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#48068) (XD) - $39.95 91+ pts wine review
MONTES PURPLE ANGEL 2021 - DO Valle de Colchagua, Chile (#62364) (XD) - $105.95 94+ pts wine review

White Wine:

PIERRE SPARR SOL CALCAIRE RIESLING 2022 - AOC Alsace, France (#10683) (D) - $19.95
VILLA MARIA CELLAR SELECTION PINOT GRIS 2024 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#447490) (D) - $21.95
QUAILS' GATE DRY RIESLING 2025 - BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#308312) (D) - $21.95 91 pts wine review
ALOIS LAGEDER TERRA ALPINA PINOT GRIGIO 2024 - IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Alto Adige, Italy (#681429) (XD) - $22.95
RAPAURA SPRINGS RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2025 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#388421) (XD) - $23.95
TORRE ZAMBRA POGGIO SALAIA TERRE D'ABRUZZO PECORINO 2025 - IGT, Abruzzo, Italy (#49996) (XD) - $24.95 89 pts wine review
LIGHTHALL RIESLING 2023 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#50360) (D) - $24.95
AVELEDA SOLOS DE GRANITO ALVARINHO 2024 - Vegan, Sustainable, DOC Vinho Verde, Portugal (#17514) (XD) - $24.95
BACHELDER L'ARDOISE NIAGARA CHARDONNAY 2024 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#302083) (XD) - $26.95
WENDING HOME ESTATE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2021 - VQA Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#44853) (XD) - $34.95 91 pts wine review

Rosé Wine:

CASAS DEL BOSQUE BOTANIC SERIES PINOT NOIR ROSÉ 2025 - Las Dichas, Valle de Casablanca, Chile (#15277) (XD) - $17.95
DANDELION FAIRYTALE OF MCLAREN VALE ROSÉ 2025 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#43354) (XD) - $19.95 88+ pts wine review
M DE MINUTY CÔTES DE PROVENCE ROSÉ 2025 - AOP, France (#575316) (XD) - $28.95

Sparkling Wine:

GRAHAM BECK MÉTHODE CAP CLASSIQUE BRUT PINOT NOIR / CHARDONNAY ROSÉ SPARKLING - Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa (#175588) (XD) - $24.95 90+ pts wine review
PIERRE PAILLARD LES PARCELLES BOUZY EXTRA BRUT GRAND CRU CHAMPAGNE - AOC, France (#34607) (XD) - $105.95 93+ pts wine review

April 25, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Fresh Faces + Langhe

LCBO Wine Picks: April 25, 2026 VINTAGES New Release Collection

Here are my top wine picks from the April 25, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (digital edition here), in which "Fresh Faces" is the main feature story of the release, while the mini-thematic highlights a trio of wines from Langhe. While this is a fairly good-sized release with 99 products offered, 22 of these products are included as Online & Flagship Exclusives (OFE), which translates to availability of modest quantities available, and only at select locations in-store. However, quality is high in this release, along with a relatively large number of my picks available as OFEs, everything should be readily available for purchase.

We'll begin with the feature story titled "Fresh Faces", and it consists of seventeen wines that are making their debut at the LCBO. Of the sixteen wines included as part of the thematic, five are among my top recommendations. We'll start with the three white wines - a Grüner Veltliner from Wagram, a Pecorino from Abruzzo, and a Sauvignon Blanc from Chile. There's also a dry rosé crafted with Pinot Noir from Australia, while the only red wine is a blend of 50% Syrah with about equal parts Touriga Franca and Alicante Bouschet from Portugal.

Urbanihof 4U Grüner Veltliner 2024 (89 pts)

Cremaschi Furlotti Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (89 pts)

Ravasqueira Encantado Tinto 2024 (88+ pts)

Most of my top red wine recommendations are mono-varietal wines, with the only blends being a South African wine that is a blend of 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Malbec, while the Rhône red is 50% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, and 10% Cinsault. Among the mono-varietal reds, both Gran Selezione Chianti Classico wines are 100% Sangiovese, a fine Bonarda from Argentina, and a pair of lovely Pinot Noirs, one each from Niagara and Alto Adige.

El Enemigo El Mirador Single Vineyard Bonarda 2022 (91+ pts)

Peter Zemmer Riserva Pinot Noir 2022 (91+ pts)

Among my top white wine picks from the main release, Canada leads the way with a pair of top Chardonnays from the Twenty Mile Bench from Niagara, as well as a dry Riesling from Niagara. From Austria there is a Grüner Veltliner from Leithaberg, along with a dry Riesling from Kamptal. Other wines include a 60/40 blend of Viognier and Marsanne from Australia, a Moschofilero from Arkadia (Greece), and an off-dry Gewurztraminer from Alsace.

Bachelder Wismer-Wingfield Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 (94 pts)

Cloudsley Twenty Mile Bench Chardonnay 2023 (92+ pts)

Cave Spring CSV Cave Spring Vineyard Estate Grown Riesling 2023 (92 pts)

Ktima Tselepos Blanc de Gris 2024 (91+ pts)

Sommer Schiefer Leithaberg Grüner Veltliner 2024 (91 pts)

As the weather warms, we tend to see rosé wines on shelves, and in addition to the rosé mentioned above, there is one more rosé worth your attention - a dry rosé from Niagara-on-the-Lake that is crafted with 55% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon. Among my top sparkling wine picks, both the Cuvée Catharine and the Italian bubbly are made with 100% Chardonnay, while the Kew Sparkling is a blend of 49% Pinot Noir, 23% Chardonnay, 22% Pinot Meunier, and 6% Pinot Blanc.

Rotari Arte Italiana Brut Sparkling (89 pts)

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!