January 24, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Chile

Here are my top wine picks from the January 24, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (digital edition here), with the feature story focusing on must-try wines from Chile. While this is a fairly small release with only 77 products featured, it does pack a punch with many very good wines for your enjoyment. The release favours red wines with nearly 60% of wines red coloured, and everything should be available for purchase by this Saturday, if not earlier.

With it being a small release, the feature story on wines from Chile is also small, with only nine wines included in the thematic. However, six of these wines are among my top wine picks from Chile. The lone white wine from Chile is a Sauvignon Blanc, while the rest are mono-varietal red wines, including, unsurprisingly, a couple of Carmenere wines. Other single varietal red wines are a Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipo Valley, a Pinot Noir from the Aconcagua Coast, and a Syrah from Leyda Valley.

My top red wine recommendations begin on the local front with a pair of fine Pinot Noir wines from the Niagara Escarpment. In terms of blends, the Southern Rhône brings us the Lirac, which is composed of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre, while the Côtes du Rhône is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. The Roussillon is a blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache Noir, while the Portuguese red from Alentejo is crafted with Aragonez, Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet, and Syrah.

Among my top white wine picks in this release, it is Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay that lead the way. There are a trio of 2024 Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand, as well as a barrel-fermented and -aged Sauvignon Blanc from Niagara-on-the-Lake. There are two Chardonnays - one each from Niagara and Mendoza. The only other dry white wine is the Pinot Grigio from Trentino in northern Italy. If you enjoy sweeter wines, the Riesling from Niagara is off-dry, while the Cabernet Franc Icewine will be lusciously sweet.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations in this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• GUARDA RIOS RED 2022 - Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal (#25257) (D) - $11.95  89 pts  wine review
• DOMAINE FOND CROZE CONFIDENCE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2023 - AOC, France (#20951) (XD) - $16.95
• SAINT-ROCH CORBAROL CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON 2023 - AOP, Languedoc, France (#195107) (XD) - $16.95
• LEYDA COASTAL VINEYARDS CANELO SYRAH 2022 - DO Valle de Leyda, Chile (#42109) (XD) - $18.95
• ENCIERRA PUQUILLAY CARMENÈRE 2022 - Valle de Colchagua, Chile (#44679) (XD) - $19.95
• SAN PEDRO 1865 SELECTED VINEYARDS 2026 YEAR OF THE HORSE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2023 - Las Piedras, DO Valle del Maipo, Chile (#37911) (XD) - $19.95
• ERRÁZURIZ ACONCAGUA COSTA PINOT NOIR 2022 - Sustainable, DO Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#541151) (XD) - $23.95
• CLOS DE LUZ MASSAL 1945 CARMENÈRE 2023 - DO Valle de Cachapoal, Chile (#11861) (XD) - $24.95
• XAVIER VIGNON LIRAC 2022 - AOP, Rhone, France (#636183) (XD) - $24.95
• RATTI OCHETTI NEBBIOLO 2023 - DOC Langhe, Piedmont, Italy (#475913) (XD) - $32.95  91 pts  wine review
• BACHELDER LES VILLAGES BENCH PINOT NOIR 2023 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#11582) (XD) - $34.95  92+ pts  wine review
• CLOUDSLEY TWENTY MILE BENCH PINOT NOIR 2021 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#11665) (XD) - $36.95  91+ pts  wine review
• BOLLA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2019 - Sustainable, DOC, Veneto, Italy (#491852) (XD) - $39.95  91 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• VOLCANES DE CHILE RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - DO Valle de Leyda, Chile (#47979) (XD) - $14.95  89 pts  wine review
• ATREVIDA CHARDONNAY 2023 - Vegan, Mendoza, Argentina (#46402) (XD) - $17.95  review coming soon...
• OHAU WOVEN STONE SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Vegan, Sustainable, Ohau, North Island, New Zealand (#17552) (XD) - $17.95
• CA' MONTINI TERRE DI VALFREDDA PINOT GRIGIO 2024 - DOC Trentino, Alto Adige-Trentino, Italy (#46566) (XD) - $18.95
• FALCONHEAD MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#48089) (XD) - $19.95
• GIESEN UNCHARTED SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#26132) (XD) - $22.95
• KACABA RESERVE RIESLING 2023 - Vegan, VQA Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#404087) (D) - $24.15  review coming soon...
• DIVERGENCE CREEK ROAD VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#49231) (XD) - $24.95  90+ pts  wine review
• LEANING POST THE FIFTY CHARDONNAY 2023 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#578864) (XD) - $26.95

Dessert Wine:

• LAKEVIEW CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2022 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#53397, 200 mL) (S) - $34.95