December 6, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Finest Festive Wines + Ribera del Duero

Here are my top wine picks from the December 6, 2025 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (digital edition here), which follows the massive Nov. 22nd VINTAGES Release, with a bigger selection of fine wines for your pleasure. There are 162 products offered in this release, of which 47 are among my recommended buys, and there are many more that I could've added to my list, but it was already quite lengthy and difficult to whittle down. The theme of the release is titled "Finest Festive Wines", which simply translates to more premium wines for festive gatherings, while the mini-feature looks at wines from Ribera del Duero. Also included in this fantastic release are a new batch of Online & Flagship Exclusive (OFE) wines. All the wines should be readily available for purchase both online and in-stores across Ontario.

Of the twenty-five wines included in the thematic on Finest Festive Wines, six are included among my top wine picks. We'll start with bubbles, beginning with a limited edition Dom Pérignon Champagne that is crafted with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, followed by a non-vintage Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne that is made exclusively with Chardonnay. The last bubbly recommendation from the thematic is the Prosecco DOCG from Veneto that is at least 85% Glera blended with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The lone white wine from the feature story is an excellent, locally crafted Chardonnay from Niagara. Among the red wines, there is the Super Tuscan that is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot, followed by the Riserva Amarone, which is a blend of 80% Corvina and Corvinone, and the balance Rondinella.

The mini-thematic shines a spotlight on the Ribera del Duero wine region of Spain. Primarily known for its red wines, all four wines featured in the mini-thematic are red wines, and my lone recommendation from the Ribera del Duero is a blend of 93% Tempranillo, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Merlot.

There are many recommended red wines from the main release. We'll start in Italy with the Pieropan Amarone, which is a blend of 60% Corvina Veronese, 30% Corvinone, 5% Rondinella, and 5% Croatina Veronese, followed by a pair of Riserva Chianti Classicos, with the 2018 primarily Sangiovese with Merlot in support, while the 2019 is a blend of 92% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Merlot. The Valpolicella Ripasso is composed of 75% Corvina, 15% Corvinone, and 10% Rondinella. From Sicily, there is a wine crafted with Perricone, while the Etna Rosso is made with Nerello Mascalese. Chile shows strongly, especially in the under-$25 category with five recommended buys. The 2023 Cab Sauv is actually a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon with 5% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc, while the 2021 Cab Sauv is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot. Other wines from Chile include a Pinot Noir, and a consistently delicious Carmenère. Other blends include the lovely Rasteau from the Southern Rhône Valley, which is a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 5% Mouvèdre, and 5% Carignan, while the GSM from Australia is composed of 52% Grenache, 38% Shiraz, and 10% Mataro.

Among my top white wine picks from the main release, the only blend is the white from Portugal, which is composed of Rabigato and Viosinho. Chile also stands out among other white wines in this release with a trio of recommendations - a Chardonnay from Leyda Valley, a Sauvignon Blanc from Atacama Valley, and an Albariño from the Aconcagua Coast.

Other sparkling wines not part of the theme include a pair of fine local wines from Niagara - the Blanc de Noirs is 90% Pinot Noir and the rest Meunier, while the 2017 Natural Brut Sparkling is crafted with 100% Chardonnay. The last bubbly is the Friuli Prosecco DOCG that is made with Glera.

Sweet wine enthusiasts have several fine options in this release. The Hattyús Tokaji from Hungary is composed of 77% Furmint and 23% Zéta, while the Passito from Sicily is 100% Zibibbo (aka Muscat of Alexandria). Last, but definitely not the least, the Sauternes is a blend of 93% Sémillon, 6% Sauvignon Blanc, and 1% Muscadelle.

Happy holidays and enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release!

Red Wine:

• TARAPACÁ GRAN RESERVA CARMENÈRE 2023 - Sustainable, DO Valle del Maipo, Chile (#57513) (XD) - $18.95  90+ pts  wine review
• KILIKANOON KILLERMAN'S RUN GRENACHE/ SHIRAZ/ MATARO 2023 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#412189) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review
• GARAGE OLD VINES CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 - Valle del Maule, Chile (#47671) (XD) - $19.95
• COLOMBA BIANCA RESILIENCE PERRICONE 2023 - DOC Sicilia, Italy (#32685) (XD) - $22.95  89 pts  wine review
• PEREZ CRUZ PIEDRA SECA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2023 - Sustainable, DO Maipo Andes, Chile (#36167) (XD) - $22.95  91 pts  wine review

• MONTGRAS INTRIGA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 - Vegan, Sustainable, DO Valle del Maipo, Chile (#57901) (XD) - $23.95  90+ pts  wine review
• SANTA MARIA VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2021 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#47033) (XD) - $23.95
• LA CHEVALIÈRE RASTEAU 2023 - AOP, Rhône, France (#18502) (XD) - $23.95  review coming soon...
• SAN PEDRO 1865 TAYÚ PINOT NOIR 2024 - DO Valle del Malleco, Chile (#16628) (XD) - $23.95  91+ pts  wine review
• VILLACRECES PRUNO 2022 - Vegan, DO Ribera del Duero, Spain (#312140) (XD) - $24.95  90 pts  updated review soon...
• TRASQUA FANATICO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2019 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#283861) (XD) - $24.95

• ESTATE PAPAIOANNOU SAINT GEORGE AGIORGITIKO 2019 - Vegan, PDO Nemea, Greece (#27217) (XD) - $29.95  90 pts  updated review soon...
• TRAPICHE GRAN MEDALLA MALBEC 2021 - Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#467977) (XD) - $29.95  91+ pts  wine review
• DONNAFUGATA DEA VULCANO 2022 - Sustainable, DOC Etna Rosso, Sicily, Italy (#32533) (XD) - $34.95  OFE  91 pts  wine review
• FRESCOBALDI TENUTA PERANO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2018 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#13496) (XD) - $34.95  92+ pts  wine review
• REDSTONE REDSTONE VINEYARD MERLOT 2020 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#48247) (XD) - $40.95  92 pts  wine review
• VIETTI PERBACCO NEBBIOLO 2022 - DOC Langhe, Piedmont, Italy (#15087) (XD) - $42.95  review coming soon...

• MAISON ROCHE DE BELLENE VIEILLES VIGNES SANTENAY VILLAGES 2022 - AOC, Burgundy, France (#45170) (XD) - $52.95
• WINE ART ESTATE IDISMA DRIOS XI DRY RED WINE 2020 - Drama, Greece (#35719) (XD) - $56.95  OFE
• BOLLA LE ORÍGÍNÍ RISERVA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2018 - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#204792) (XD) - $67.95  92 pts  wine review
• PIEROPAN VIGNA GARZON RISERVA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA 2018 - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#16087) (XD) - $79.95  OFE  93 pts  wine review
• TENUTA SAN GUIDO GUIDALBERTO 2023 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#72439) (XD) - $98.95

White Wine:

• ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP EXCALIBUR SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Vegan, Adelaide Hills, South Australia (#311456) (XD) - $19.95
• DOMAINE HATZIMICHALIS ALEPOTRYPA VINEYARD ASSYRTIKO 2024 - Vegan, PGI Atalanti Valley, Greece (#27182) (XD) - $19.95
• VENTISQUERO GREY GLACIER SINGLE BLOCK LONGOMILLA VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - DO Valle de Atacama, Chile (#17461) (XD) - $19.95  91 pts  wine review
• CHURCHILL'S ESTATES GRAFITE BRANCO 2023 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#45408) (XD) - $20.95  91 pts  wine review
• MONTES OUTER LIMITS ALBARIÑO 2024 - DO Zapallar, Chile (#47156) (XD) - $24.95  OFE  90+ pts  wine review
• LEYDA LOT 5 CHARDONNAY 2023 - DO Valle de Leyda, Chile (#47081) (XD) - $26.95  91 pts  wine review

• GREYWACKE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#164228) (XD) - $28.95
• J. MOREAU & FILS GLORIE DE CHABLIS 2024 - AOC, Burgundy, France (#466144) (XD) - $31.95  90+ pts  wine review
• JEAN-MARC BROCARD SAINTE CLAIRE CHABLIS 2024 - AOC, Burgundy, France (#356634) (XD) - $35.95  91 pts  wine review
• TAWSE ROBYN'S BLOCK CHARDONNAY 2022 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#416321) (XD) - $46.95  93 pts  wine review
• LAURENZ V. L5 GRÜNER VELTLINER 2020 - Niederösterreich, Austria (#45356) (XD) - $53.95  OFE  91+ pts  wine review
• DOG POINT CHARDONNAY 2023 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#238568) (XD) - $59.95

Sparkling Wine:

• ALBINO ARMANI EXTRA DRY CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO SUPERIORE - DOCG, Friuli, Italy (#16602) (D) - $22.95  88 pts  wine review
• BOTTEGA IL VINO DEI POETI BRUT VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO SUPERIORE 2024 - Sustainable, DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#46058) (D) - $29.95  review coming soon...
• CAVE SPRING BLANC DE BLANCS CSV ESTATE GROWN NATURAL BRUT SPARKLING 2017 - Sustainable, Traditional Method, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#237198) (XD) - $49.95  OFE  93 pts  wine review
• TRIUS SHOWCASE BLANC DE NOIRS SPARKLING - Traditional Method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#47776) (XD) - $58.00  93 pts  wine review
• GONET SULCOVA CUVÉE GAÏA BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT GRAND CRU CHAMPAGNE - AOC, France (#45903) (XD) - $106.95  OFE
• PHILIPPE GONET TER BLANC DE BLANCS EXTRA BRUT CHAMPAGNE - AOC, France (#45280) (XD) - $123.95
• DOM PÉRIGNON MURAKAMI LIMITED EDITION CHAMPAGNE 2015 - In Gift Box, AOC, France (#46637) (XD) - $382.95

Fortified Wine:

• BARBEITO 5-YEAR-OLD MALVASIA RESERVA MADEIRA - DOP, Portugal (#39480, 500 mL) (S) - $18.95
• BURMESTER 10-YEAR-OLD TAWNY PORT - DOP, Portugal (#223958) (S) - $32.95

Desssert Wine:

• PANNON TOKAJ 5 PUTTONYOS TOKAJI ASZÚ 2017 - Tokaj, Hungary (#278937, 500 mL) (S) - $40.95
• LA CHAPELLE DE LAFAURIE-PEYRAGUEY SAUTERNES 2015 - AOC, second wine of Ch. Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Bordeaux, France (#477588, 375 mL) (S) - $40.95  review coming soon...
• DONNAFUGATA BEN RYÉ PASSITO DI PANTELLERIA 2022 - Sustainable, DOC, Sicily, Italy (#324723, 375 mL) (S) - $54.95  94 pts  wine review
• HATTYÚS 5 PUTTONYOS TOKAJI ASZÚ 2017 - Tokaj, Hungary (#46595, 500 mL) (S) - $59.95