March 21, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Wines for Easter

Here are my top wine picks from the March 21, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (digital edition here), where Wines & Recipes for Easter is the feature story of the release. In all, there are nearly 100 products offered in this release, with about 60% priced less than $25. While just over half the wines are red, I am a bit surprised that there were no rosés included in this release. Overall, I am satisfied with this release as there are a wide range of wines at various price points. Please also note that the next release is three weeks away on April 11th.

We'll begin with the feature on Excellent Wines & Recipes for Easter, and with twenty-two wines included as part of the thematic — eight are among my top wine recommendations. Among the whites, we go to the Southern Hemisphere with a Chardonnay from Australia, followed by the Auntsfield Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. From the Northern Hemisphere, there's an Assyrtiko from Greece, as well as the Soave from Italy, which is crafted with Garganega. Among the red wines, the only blend is Portuguese wine that is crafted with Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Roriz. The mono-varietal wines for Easter pairings include a Gamay Noir from Niagara, a Malbec from Argentina, and a Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile.

At the top of the list among my red wine recommendations is the Rioja, which is a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, and Mazuelo, followed by the Pauillac from Bordeaux that is 50/50 Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. For Syrah wine lovers, the Syrah from Chile includes a dollop of Viognier, while the Vinsobres is a blend of Syrah and Grenache, while the South African version is 100% Syrah. Other blends include the wine from Greece that is crafted with 40% Mavrodaphne, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Agiorgitiko, and the Cabernet from Australia that is actually a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Tempranillo. And lastly, the Bistro Rouge is crafted with 100% Grenache.

White wine picks from the main release begin in Austria with a fine Grüner Veltliner from Austria, followed by the Bellone from Lazio, Italy. There's also a trio of Sauvignon Blanc wines, with a couple from Marlborough in New Zealand, and one from Margaret River in Australia. White wine blends include the wine from Languedoc, which is a blend of 70% Marsanne and 30% Viognier, while the off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) wine by Featherstone is a blend of 60.1% Riesling, 18.2% Pinot Grigio, 12.6% Chardonnay, and 9.1% Gewurztraminer.

There are also a couple of traditional method sparkling wines that are worth seeking out. The Champagne is crafted with approximately 50% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, and 20% Meunier, while the bubbly from Nova Scotia is made with Chardonnay.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• PRAISE BISTRO ROUGE 2024 - Sustainable, IGP Pays d'Oc, Languedoc, France (#46339) (D) - $18.95  review coming soon...
• GLENELLY GLASS COLLECTION CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#13316) (XD) - $18.95  89 pts  wine review
• EMILIANA SIGNOS DE ORIGEN ORGANIC PINOT NOIR 2022 - Vegan, Sustainable, Valle de Casablanca, Chile (#325670) (XD) - $18.95
• EMILIANA SIGNOS DE ORIGEN ORGANIC SYRAH 2022 - Vegan, Sustainable, Valle de Casablanca, Chile (#212407) (XD) - $18.95
• ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP BLACKBERRY PATCH CABERNET 2021 - Vegan, Fleurieu, South Australia (#353193) (XD) - $19.95  89 pts  wine review

 

• CREMASCHI FURLOTTI GRAN RESERVA CARMENÈRE 2021 - Vegan, Sustainable, DO Valle del Loncomilla, Valle del Maule, Chile (#549741) (XD) - $19.95
• BENGUELA COVE ESTATE SYRAH 2021 - Sustainable, WO Walker Bay, South Africa (#48604) (XD) - $19.95
• MEGA SPILEO CUVÉE III RED 2023 - PGI Achaia, Greece (#25708) (D) - $21.95  review coming soon...
• CHURCHILL'S GRAFITE DOURO RED 2021 - DOP, Portugal (#45407) (XD) - $21.95
• FAMILLE PERRIN LES CORNUDS VINSOBRES 2022 - AOC, Rhône, France (#566844) (XD) - $21.95

 

• CATENA PARAJE ALTAMIRA MALBEC 2023 - Sustainable, Paraje Altamira, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#492413) (XD) - $25.95
• BACHELDER WISMER-FOXCROFT SINGLE VINEYARD 32% WHOLE-CLUSTER GAMAY NOIR 2023 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#33994) (XD) - $33.00
• WESTCOTT ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2021 - Sustainable, VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#427500) (XD) - $33.95  91+ pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU PLANTEY PAUILLAC 2020 - Sustainable, AOC, Bordeaux, France (#38192) (XD) - $34.95
• MUGA SELECCIÓN ESPECIAL 2020 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#472902) (XD) - $56.95

White Wine:

• FEATHERSTONE FOUR FEATHERS 2024 - Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#341586) (D) - $15.95  review coming soon...
• PRAISE BISTRO BLANC 2024 - Sustainable, IGP Pays d'Oc, Languedoc, France (#46876) (XD) - $18.95  review coming soon...
• CASALE DEL GIGLIO BELLONE 2023 - IGT Lazio Bianco, Italy (#45845) (XD) - $19.95  review coming soon...
• MOUNT RILEY LIMITED RELEASE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2025 - Sustainable, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#447425) (XD) - $19.95
• EVANS & TATE WILD CAPE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - Margaret River, Western Australia (#41435) (XD) - $21.95
• AUNTSFIELD SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2025 - Sustainable, Southern Valleys, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#663286) (XD) - $21.95
• INAMA VIN SOAVE CLASSICO 2024 - DOC, Veneto, Italy (#949768) (XD) - $23.95
• URBANIHOF CLASSIC GRÜNER VELTLINER 2024 - DAC Wagram, Austria (#49425) (XD) - $24.95  review coming soon...
• WHITEHAVEN GREG SINGLE VINEYARD RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 - Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#325944) (XD) - $24.95
• CHÂTEAU JULIA ASSYRTIKO 2024 - Vegan, PGI Drama, Greece (#30608) (XD) - $29.95
• GIANT STEPS YARRA VALLEY CHARDONNAY 2024 - Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia (#243154) (XD) - $39.95

Sparkling Wine:

• LIGHTFOOT AND WOLFVILLE BRUT BLANC DE BLANCS SPARKLING 2019 - Traditional Method, Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada (#16075) (D) - $51.95
• PALMER LA RÉSERVE BRUT CHAMPAGNE - AOC, France (#39865) (XD) - $87.95  93 pts  wine review