August 30, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Big Scores

Here are my top wine picks from the August 30, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (click here for digital edition). Wines with Big Scores is the feature story of the release, while the Styles of Sake is the mini-thematic. It is a small-ish release with 86 products offered, with Greece and Italy notably shining in this release. All the wines should be readily available for purchase across the province.

We'll begin with the feature story that lists nineteen wines that received high scores from critics and wine publications, and seven of which are among my top wine picks. The lone bubbly is a traditional method sparkling wine from Ontario that is crafted with 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir, while the only white wine is the Mount Riley Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Among the red wines, there is the fine Amarone that is a blend of traditional varieties, as well as the Greek red that is composed of 50% Xinomavro, 30% Limniona, and 20% Mavroudi. The Carmenère is also blended with 5% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Mono-varietal reds that received high scores are the Malbec from Argentina, and the Garnacha from Spain.

Red wine recommendations from the main release are mostly centred around Italy and Chile. At the top of the list is the excellent Gran Selezione Chianti Classico that is made with Sangiovese, followed by the Super Tuscan, which is a blend of 34% Sangiovese, 33% Merlot, and 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, while the wine from Abruzzo is crafted with the Montepulciano varietal. From Chile there are two wines - one made with Pinot Noir, while the other is Cabernet Sauvignon. Lastly, the red from Burgundy is made with Pinot Noir.

Among my top white wine picks from the main release, the premium Pinot Grigio from Friuli in Italy is at the top of the list. Also from Italy is a Verdicchio from Marche, and a Falanghina from Campania. For Sauvignon Blanc wine lovers, there are three more worthy buys beyond the Sauvignon Blanc mentioned above, with versions from Niagara, South Africa, and the Astrolabe Sauv Blanc from New Zealand. Greece has a pair of brilliant white wines crafted with the indigenous varieties Assyrtiko and Vidiano, while those that prefer slightly sweeter wines should look to the Pinot Gris from Alsace.

There are also a trio of 2024 vintage French dry rosés worth considering, even as the weather cools down. The rosé from Provence is a blend of 60% Grenache, 35% Cinsault, and 5% Syrah, while the Luberon Rosé is composed of Syrah, Grenache, and Rolle. Lastly, the Tavel is a blend of 7 grapes, including 35% Cinsault, 25% Syrah, 22% Grenache, and 11% Mourvèdre.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• SAN ALEJANDRO EVODIA GARNACHA 2022 - Sustainable, Vegan, Spain (#23914) (XD) - $16.95
• ORAPIENA RISERVA MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2020 - DOC, Abruzzo, Italy (#36526) (D) - $17.95  89 pts  wine review
• ESCUDO ROJO GRAN RESERVA PINOT NOIR 2023 - Sustainable, Valle de Casablanca, Chile (#44588) (XD) - $17.95
• SAN PEDRO 1865 SELECTED VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 - Las Piedras, DO Valle del Maipo, Chile (#37911) (XD) - $19.95  90 pts  wine review
• OENOPS APLA DRY RED BLEND 2022 - PGI Drama, Greece (#27480) (XD) - $19.95
• NUITON-BEAUNOY BOURGOGNE PINOT NOIR 2023 - Sustainable, AOC, Burgundy, France (#556456) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• MONTES ALPHA SPECIAL CUVÉE CARMENÈRE 2022 - DO Valle de Colchagua, Chile (#42098) (XD) - $24.95  91 pts  wine review
• ARGENTO FINCA AGRELO SINGLE VINEYARD ORGANIC MALBEC 2020 - Sustainable, Vegan, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina (#31961) (XD) - $29.95
• TOLAINI AL PASSO 2021 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#164954) (XD) - $30.95
• TENUTA PERANO RIALZI GRAN SELEZIONE CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 - DOCG Gaiole, Tuscany, Italy (#17682) (XD) - $49.95
• MICHELE CASTELLANI CINQUE STELLE AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2020 - Collezione Ca' del Pipa, DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#75127) (D) - $55.95

White Wine:

• MONTE SCHIAVO RUVIANO VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI CLASSICO 2023 - Vegan, DOC, Marche, Italy (#44279) (XD) - $16.95  89 pts  wine review
• FEATHERSTONE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Sustainable, Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#89011) (XD) - $17.95  90 pts  wine review
• MOUNT RILEY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#981670) (XD) - $18.00  89 pts  wine review
• RUSTENBERG WILD FERMENT SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#45167) (XD) - $18.95
• KLADOS WHITE DIVA VIDIANO 2024 - PGI Rethymno, Greece (#38458) (XD) - $19.95
• PIERRE SPARR SOL CALCAIRE PINOT GRIS 2020 - AOC Alsace, France (#19482) (D) - $20.95
• BOUTARI THE AUTHENTIC ASSYRTIKO 2023 - PGI Macedonia, Greece (#44246) (XD) - $21.95  review coming soon...
• MASTROBERARDINO FALANGHINA DEL SANNIO 2023 - DOC, Campania, Italy (#562173) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• ASTROLABE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#10421) (XD) - $24.95
• JERMANN PINOT GRIGIO 2024 - DOC Friuli, Italy (#12812) (XD) - $47.95

Rosé Wine:

• CHÂTEAU VAL-JOANIS ROSÉ 2024 - AOP Luberon, Rhône, France (#707281) (XD) - $19.95
• VILLA AIX EN PROVENCE ROSÉ 2024 - AOP Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence, France (#668426) (XD) - $19.95
• DOMAINE MABY LA FORCADIÈRE TAVEL ROSÉ 2024 - AOP, Rhône, France (#701318) (XD) - $23.95

Sparkling Wine:

• LAKEVIEW SPARKLING BRUT 2020 - Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#46774) (XD) - $34.95  93+ pts  wine review

Dessert Wine:

• MALIVOIRE GEWÜRZTRAMINER ICEWINE 2019 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#542530, 200 mL) (S) - $39.95