March 29, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Top Old World and New World Grapes

Here are my top wine picks from the March 29, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, which is headlined by "Top Old World and New World Grapes". It is a small-ish release with just 84 wines, surely reduced because U.S. wines are no longer available. On the whole, it is getting more difficult to find quality wines under $20, but there are a few in this release, while there are many options for those able & willing to spend more. All the wines should be available for purchase already, if not by Saturday.

We'll begin with the feature story titled "Double Exposure: Top Old World and New World Grapes", which looks at wines crafted using grapes from the old world and compares and contrasts them with wines crafted in the new world using these same grapes. There are eight grapes (or grape blends), and two wines from each category, for a total of sixteen wines included in the thematic, of which four wines are among my top wine picks. On the local front, from the new world in Niagara, there is a lovely off-dry Riesling, as well as a fine Chardonnay. The other two recommendations are both Cabernet Sauvignon wines, with one version from Venezie in Italy, while the other is from South Africa, which is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Malbec.

There are several blends among my top red wine recommendations. We'll begin with the oldest wine in the release, a 2012 Rioja that is crafted with 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacho, and 10% Graciano / Mazuelo. There are also two red blends from Italy, with the Gran Selezione Chianti Classico crafted using a minimum of 90% Sangiovese, while the red from Sicily is composed of 85% Nero d’Avola and 15% Merlot. From France, the Côtes du Rhône-Villages is a blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 8% Mourvèdre, and 2% other varieties, while the Meritage from a great vintage in Niagara is a Cab-Merlot crafted with 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc, and 22% Merlot.

Among my top white wine picks, there are two blends - the Greek wine is composed of 60% Moschofilero, 25% Assyrtiko, and 15% Malagousia, while the Australian white is a blend of 55% Viognier and 45% Marsanne. Also among my picks are a pair of lovely Chardonnays, one each from New Zealand and Niagara, followed by a premium Sauvignon Blanc from NZ. The lone bubbly is a Prosecco crafted with 100% Glera.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• CA' DI RAJO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2023 - DOC Venezia, Italy (#39484) (XD) - $17.95  review coming soon...
• WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE SHIRAZ 2021 - Coonawarra, South Australia (#433060) (XD) - $18.95
• MATILDA NIEVES MENCÍA 2020 - DO Ribeira Sacra, Galicia, Spain (#26322) (XD) - $21.95  89 pts  wine review
• BENMARCO SIN LÍMITES PEDERNAL MALBEC 2021 - Valle de Pedernal, San Juan, Argentina (#42700) (XD) - $21.95
• NEIL ELLIS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020 - Vegan, WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#41448) (XD) - $22.95
• PLANETA CONTRODANZA 2020 - Sustainable, DOC Sicilia Noto, Italy (#477190) (XD) - $24.95  review coming soon...

 

• LA NERTHE LES CASSAGNES CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2021 - AP, France (#494674) (XD) - $27.95
• SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE GAMAY 2021 - Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#26503) (XD) - $28.95  90 pts  wine review
• BACHELDER LES VILLAGES NIAGARA PINOT NOIR 2022 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#11582) (XD) - $34.95
• TENUTA FIZZANO IL CROCINO GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2021 - Sustainable, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#699454) (XD) - $37.95
• REDSTONE MERITAGE 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#44167) (XD) - $46.95  91 pts  wine review
• R. LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA TONDONIA RESERVA 2012 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#356337) (XD) - $73.95

White Wine:

• NOVUS ALTITUDE ASSYRTIKO/MOSCHOFILERO/MALAGOUSIA 2023 - PGI Peloponnese, Greece (#40537) (XD) - $15.95
• D'ARENBERG THE HERMIT CRAB VIOGNIER/MARSANNE 2023 - McLaren Vale, South Australia (#662775) (XD) - $17.95
• MACULAN PINOT GRIGIO 2023 - DOC Breganze, Veneto, Italy (#734921) (XD) - $19.95  88+ pts  wine review
• CAVE SPRING ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY 2023 - Sustainable, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#256552) (XD) - $21.95
• TWR SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#411603) (XD) - $26.95
• WESTCOTT ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2022 - Sustainable, VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#424507) (XD) - $29.95
• AUNTSFIELD SINGLE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2022 - Sustainable, Southern Valleys, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#12623) (XD) - $31.95
• THIRTY BENCH SMALL LOT WILD CASK RIESLING 2021 - Sustainable, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#44145) (M) - $32.00

Sparkling Wine:

• TENUTA CIVRANETTA BRUT PROSECCO - Vegan, DOC, Italy (#41259) (D) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review