August 2, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Canadian Wines

Here are my top wine picks from the August 2, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (click here for digital edition), which features Canadian Wines from Coast to Coast as the theme of the release, while the mini-feature has a trio of wines from an Australian producer, and in Local Talent there's a look at wines from Lake Erie North Shore (aka LENS). The release is a bit on the small side with only 86 products offered, but there are quite a few nice wines, and everything should be readily available for purchase across the province.

We'll begin with the feature story about Canadian Wines from Coast to Coast. There are thirteen wines included as part of the feature, with half a dozen wines each from British Columbia and Ontario, plus one wine from Nova Scotia. Two of these wines are among my top wine picks - a Pinot Gris from British Columbia, and a Riesling from Niagara - and both have some natural sweetness to them.

My top red wine picks from the main release begin in the Rhône with a trio of fantastic wines, all blends. At the top of the list is the Châteauneuf-du-Pape that is composed of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre. The Vinsobres is an unspecified blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, while the Luberon is an unoaked blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache that was vinified without adding sulfites. From Spain, the 2020 Rioja is 100% Tempranillo, while the 2015 Rioja is 95% Tempranillo with the balance made up of Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo. From Italy, the Chianti Classico is crafted with mainly Sangiovese and a splash of Colorino, while the Cannonau di Sardegna is Grenache from Sardinia. On the local front, the wine from Niagara-on-the-Lake is a kitchen sink type of blend consisting of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Semillon, Syrah, and Sangiovese.

The only blend among my white wine recommendations from the main release is a Sicilian white crafted with 90% Catarratto and 10% Chardonnay. Other notable white wines include a Pecorino from Abruzzo, an Alvarinho from Portugal, and a Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough. There's also an Assyrtiko from Greece, a Grüner Veltliner from Austria, and a Chenin Blanc from South Africa. And lastly, the Pinot Gris from New Zealand is a touch off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet).

Among my top rosé wine picks, the rosés from Niagara and Sancerre (Loire) are both crafted with Pinot Noir, while the Tavel is a blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, Clairette, Picpoul, and Syrah. Lastly, the Champagne is composed of 60% Pinot Meunier and 40% Pinot Noir.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• AMÉDÉE SANS SOUFRE AJOUTÉ LUBERON 2023 - AP, Rhône, France (#43529) (XD) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• ASKOS CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA 2023 - DOC, Sardinia, Italy (#36810) (XD) - $18.95
• VENTISQUERO GREY SINGLE BLOCK CARMENÈRE 2022 - Trinidad Vineyard, DO Valle del Maipo, Chile (#325415) (XD) - $19.95
• VILLA CERNA PRIMOCOLLE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2021 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#573501) (XD) - $19.95  90+ pts  wine review
• RHONÉA LES CONFLUENCES VINSOBRES 2022 - AC, Rhône, France (#43748) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  wine review
• BERONIA VIÑAS VIEJAS 2020 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#16587) (XD) - $24.95
• PUELLES GRAN RESERVA 2015 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#30222) (XD) - $27.95
• STRATUS ALTO 2023 - Sustainable, Vegan, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#40108) (XD) - $28.95  90+ pts  wine review
• LAKEVIEW SYRAH 2020 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#49999) (XD) - $40.00
• REMY FERBRAS CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2021 - AP, Rhône, France (#15184) (XD) - $50.95  review coming soon...

White Wine:

• MAN FREE-RUN STEEN CHENIN BLANC 2024 - WO Cape Coast, South Africa (#126847) (XD) - $14.95
• MARKUS WALDSCHÜTZ KAMPTAL GRÜNER VELTLINER 2023 - Sustainable, DAC, Austria (#34245) (XD) - $17.95
• MATAHIWI ESTATE PINOT GRIS 2023 - Sustainable, Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand (#12679) (D) - $18.95
• TENUTE ORESTIADI RISERVA IL BIANCO DI LUDOVICO 2021 - DOC Sicilia, Italy (#36478) (XD) - $18.95  90 pts  wine review
• LYRARAKIS VOILA ASSYRTIKO 2023 - Vegan, PGI Crete, Greece (#40446) (XD) - $19.95
• RIVER FARM SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#32547) (XD) - $21.95
• REDSTONE LIMESTONE VINEYARD SOUTH RIESLING 2023 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#381251) (M) - $22.95  90+ pts  wine review
• AVELEDA SOLOS DE XISTO ALVARINHO 2022 - Vegan, Vinho Verde, Portugal (#35465) (XD) - $24.95  91 pts  wine review
• MISSION HILL FAMILY RESERVE PINOT GRIS 2023 - BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#537076) (XD) - $25.95
• UMANI RONCHI CENTOVIE PECORINO 2023 - IGT Colli Aprutini, Abruzzo, Italy (#11108) (XD) - $27.95

Rosé Wine:

• DOMAINE DES CARTERESSES TAVEL 2024 - AC, Rhône, France (#739474) (XD) - $20.95
• MALIVOIRE VIVANT ROSÉ 2024 - Sustainable, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#498535) (XD) - $21.95  90+ pts  wine review
• JEAN-MAX ROGER LA GRANGE DÎMIÈRE SANCERRE ROSÉ 2024 - AC, Loire, France (#490813) (XD) - $30.95

Sparkling Wine:

• JEAN-NOËL HATON BRUT CLASSIC BLANC DE NOIRS CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#45411) (XD) - $59.95

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