March 1, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Women in Wine

Here are my top wine picks from the March 1, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, which features Women in Wine as the theme of the release. There are 85 wines in this release, with nearly 70% of the wines red, and save for a dozen wines, nearly everything comes in at under $40. All the wines should be available for purchase by Saturday, if not already on shelves by now.

We'll begin with the theme focusing on Women in Wine that includes twenty-four wines in the feature story, of which ten are recommended buys among my top wine picks. The lone bubbly is a Blanquette de Limoux that is crafted using 100% Mauzac. White wine recommendations from the Women in Wine feature are the Sauvignon Blanc from Niagara, a Chardonnay from South Africa, and the Pecorino from Marche. There are two blends from the feature story that are highly recommended buys - the Riserva Chianti Classico that is composed of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot, and the Rioja that is a blend of 96% Tempranillo and 4% Mazuelo. The mono-varietal reds are a Xinomavro from Greece, a Cabernet Franc from Niagara, a Malbec from Uco Valley in Argentina, and a fine Syrah from Chile.

Most of my red wine recommendations from the main release are blends. From Bordeaux, the Lalande de Pomerol is composed of 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, while the Montagne-Saint-Émilion is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Also from France, the Rhône red is a Grenache-based blend, while the Spanish red from Jumilla is a blend of Monastrell, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. And last, but not least, the excellent Brunello di Montalcino is made with 100% Sangiovese Grosso.

Among my top white wine picks from the main release, all are mono-varietal wines from two varieties - Riesling and Chardonnay. The Riesling from Niagara is crafted in a medium-sweet style, while the Riesling from Germany is essentially dry. Of the Chardonnay wines, one is from Chile, while the other is from Beaujolais!

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• KIR-YIANNI CUVÉE VILLAGES XINOMAVRO 2021 - Vegan, PDO Naoussa, Greece (#14151) (XD) - $18.00  90+ pts  updated review soon...
• LE GRAVILLAS SÉGURET CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2021 - AC, France (#309260) (XD) - $18.95
• EL GORU GOLD MAD HAIRY FELLA MONASTRELL / SYRAH / CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Vegan, DOP Jumilla, Spain (#13621) (XD) - $18.95  review coming soon...
• LEYDA COASTAL VINEYARD CANELO SYRAH 2020 - DO Valle de Leyda, Chile (#42109) (XD) - $18.95
• CHÂTEAU GUILLOU 2022 - AC Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France (#140483) (XD) - $23.95
• CATENA PARAJE ALTAMIRA MALBEC 2022 - Sustainable, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#492413) (XD) - $23.95
• THIRTY BENCH WINEMAKER'S BLEND CABERNET FRANC 2021 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#30073) (XD) - $26.95
• CHÂTEAU VIEUX CHEVROL 2020 - AC Lalande de Pomerol, Bordeaux, France (#525931) (XD) - $34.95
• LAN GRAN RESERVA 2017 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#928622) (XD) - $36.95
• BRANCAIA RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#260802) (XD) - $50.95
• VILLA POGGIO SALVI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2019 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#363028) (XD) - $56.95  92 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• CASA FÈVRE ESPINO RESERVA ESPECIAL CHARDONNAY 2023 - DO Valle del Maipo, Chile (#350058) (XD) - $16.95
• VELENOSI PECORINO 2023 - DOCG Offida, Marche, Italy (#173252) (XD) - $17.95  88+ pts  wine review
• NEDERBURG THE WINEMASTERS CHARDONNAY 2022 - Vegan, WO Western Cape, South Africa (#41444) (XD) - $18.95
• MEGALOMANIAC NARCISSIST RIESLING 2023 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#67587) (M) - $19.95
• DOMDECHANT WERNER HOCHHEIM ORTSWEIN RIESLING TROCKEN 2022 - VDP, Rheingau, Germany (#25710) (D) - $19.95
• VIGNERONS DES PIERRES DORÉES LA ROSE BLANCHE BEAUJOLAIS 2022 - AP, France (#42794) (XD) - $22.95  89 pts  wine review
• PELLER PRIVATE RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - Sustainable, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#692632) (XD) - $23.95

Sparkling Wine:

• ANTECH RÉSERVE M LE MAUZAC EXTRA BRUT BLANQUETTE DE LIMOUX 2022 - Traditional method, AP, Languedoc, France (#656470) (D) - $21.95
• THIRTY BENCH SPARKLING RIESLING - Traditional method, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#469478) (XD) - $40.00

Fortified Wine:

• GONZÁLEZ BYASS NUTTY SOLERA MEDIUM OLOROSO SHERRY - DO, Spain (#35204) (MS) - $21.95

Dessert Wine:

• INNISKILLIN NIAGARA ESTATE RIESLING ICEWINE 2022 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#558288, 375 mL) (S) - $89.95