October 25, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: France

Here are my top wine picks from the October 25, 2025, LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (digital edition here), where Fine French Wines are the feature story of the release. With the holidays creeping up, this is a big release with nearly 155 SKUs offered — nearly 40 of which are Gift and Sampler Packs. There are many fine wines in this release that are worthy gift-giving options or adding to your cellar, and everything should be available for purchase in-store and online.

We'll begin with the feature on Fine French Wines, and of the twenty-two wines included as part of the thematic, nine are included among my top wine picks. Champagne is synonymous with fine French wines, and there are a couple of fine bubblies from Champagne in this release - with the 2016 Champagne composed of 43% Pinot Noir (13% red wine), 42% Chardonnay, and 15% Meunier, while the non-vintage Champagne is crafted with Pinot Noir. The lone French white recommendation is the Muscadet from Loire that is crafted with Melon de Bourgogne, while the lone rosé is a blend of Cinsault, Grenache, Caladoc, and Syrah. From the Rhône Valley, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 40% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre, and 5% Cinsault, while the Crozes-Hermitage is 100% Syrah. The red wine from Saint-Chinian in Languedoc is crafted with 60% Syrah, 20% Grenache, and 20% Mourvèdre, while the Bordeaux red is 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The last wine from France is the Madiran, which is primarily Tannat with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon in support.

Red wine recommendations from the main release begins in Italy with a Bolgheri from Tuscany that is crafted with 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc, and 25% Merlot, followed by the Sicilian red that is a blend of 50% Nero d'Avola, 25% Merlot, 20% Syrah, and 5% Cabernet Franc. The Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon is actually blended with 10% Syrah and 5% Carmenere, while the Rioja is made with 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacho, and the rest is Mazuelo and Graciano. Among the single varietal wines, there are a couple of fine Pinot Noirs - one each from Niagara and New Zealand, as well as a pair of Malbecs from Argentina. There's also a lovely Pinotage from South Africa, and a Garnacha from Spain.

All of my top white wine picks are mono-varietal wines. There are a trio of Chardonnays worth your attention, with versions from New Zealand, Argentina, and an unoaked Chardonnay from Niagara. Also recommended buys are the Chenin Blanc from South Africa, and the Grüner Veltliner from Austria. If you enjoy off-dry (i.e. mildly sweet) Riesling, there are a pair of fine Rieslings from the Niagara Escarpment appellation. Lastly, and staying on the local front, there is a delicious, dry Gewürztraminer from Niagara-on-the-Lake, followed by a lovely Gewürztraminer Icewine.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Salud!

Red Wine:

• FORTANT GRANDS TERROIRS SAINT-CHINIAN 2022 - AOC, Languedoc, France (#43564) (XD) - $19.95
• PLANETA LA SEGRETA ROSSO SICILIA 2022 - Sustainable, DOC, Sicily, Italy (#477950) (XD) - $19.95
• SALENTEIN RESERVE MALBEC 2023 - Vegan, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#640854) (XD) - $19.95  90 pts  wine review
• RADFORD DALE VINUM PINOTAGE 2022 - Vegan, WO Coastal Region, South Africa (#45165) (XD) - $19.95  90+ pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU BOUSCASSÉ 2019 - AOP Madiran, Southwest, France (#743385) (XD) - $23.95  90+ pts  wine review

• CLOS BALTASAR GARNACHA 2021 - Vegan, DO Calatayud, Spain (#22444) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• MONTES ALPHA SPECIAL CUVÉE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 - DO Valle de Colchagua, Chile (#649160) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• ERADUS PINOT NOIR 2023 - Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#41809) (XD) - $24.95  review coming soon...
• VERSADO CENTENARY VINES MALBEC 2019 - Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina (#46352) (XD) - $29.95
• DOMAINE DU GRAND ORMEAU 2020 - Sustainable, AOC Lalande de Pomerol, Bordeaux, France (#33040) (XD) - $33.95

• CLOUDSLEY TWENTY MILE BENCH PINOT NOIR 2020 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#11665) (XD) - $36.95  92 pts  wine review
• XAVIER VIGNON CROZES-HERMITAGE 2021 - AOP, Rhône, France (#43809) (XD) - $48.95
• R. LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA BOSCONIA RESERVA 2014 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#529586) (XD) - $59.95
• CHÂTEAU LA NERTHE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2022 - AOC, Rhône, France (#735407) (XD) - $74.95
• ANTINORI GUADO AL TASSO 2022 - DOC Bolgheri Superiore, Tuscany, Italy (#986380) (XD) - $203.95

White Wine:

• 2027 CELLARS WISMER VINEYARD FOXCROFT BLOCK RIESLING 2023 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#47642) (D) - $18.95
• REIF RESERVE GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2023 - Sustainable, VQA Niagara River, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#360255) (XD) - $19.95
• RADFORD DALE VINUM CHENIN BLANC 2023 - Vegan, WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#13338) (XD) - $19.95
• CATENA HIGH MOUNTAIN VINES CHARDONNAY 2023 - Sustainable, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#918805) (XD) - $20.95
• LAURENZ V. FRIENDLY GRÜNER VELTLINER 2023 - DAC Kamptal, Austria (#66225) (XD) - $22.95  89 pts  wine review
• HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE RIESLING 2021 - Sustainable, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#183491) (D) - $24.95
• DOMAINE POIRON DABIN CHÂTEAU-THÉBAUD MUSCADET SÈVRE ET MAINE 2019 - AOP, Loire, France (#42743) (XD) - $28.95
• AUNTSFIELD SINGLE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2023 - Sustainable, Southern Valleys, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#12623) (XD) - $32.95
• TWO SISTERS UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2021 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#423103) (XD) - $39.00

Rosé Wine:

• LE BIJOU DE SOPHIE VALROSE ROSÉ 2024 - IGP Coteaux de Béziers, Languedoc, France (#20012) (XD) - $17.95

Sparkling Wine:

• DRAPPIER ZERO DOSAGE BRUT NATURE PINOT NOIR CHAMPAGNE - AOC, France (#179275) (XD) - $74.95
• MOËT & CHANDON GRAND VINTAGE EXTRA BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE 2016 - AOC, France (#69831) (XD) - $131.95

Dessert Wine:

• LAKEVIEW GEWÜRZTRAMINER ICEWINE 2019 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#547703, 200 mL) (S) - $34.95  92+ pts  wine review