August 1, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Sicily & Sardinia

Happy long weekend!

Here are my top wine picks from the August 1, 2026 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection (digital edition here), where the spotlight is on the wines of Italy's two largest islands—Sicily and Sardinia. This is a relatively small and less-expensive release, featuring 93 products with an average bottle price of just under $26. As always, the wines should be available both online and at LCBO outlets across Ontario.

We'll begin with the feature on Sicily and Sardinia. Winemaking on these Mediterranean islands dates back more than 3,000 years. Today, Sicily ranks as Italy's fourth-largest wine-producing region by volume, while Sardinia is considerably smaller, ranking 14th. Although the feature includes just 10 wines—seven from Sicily and three from Sardinia—fully half are among my top recommendations. Highlights from Sicily include an excellent Frappato red and a refreshing rosé made from the same varietal. The only Sicilian blend comes from Tenute Orestiadi, combining 90% Nero d'Avola with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, while the lone white wine is made from Grillo. Representing Sardinia is a delicious Cannonau, the island's renowned expression of Grenache (Garnacha).

Continuing with my top red wine picks, Italy remains well represented, with the Chianti Classico predominantly Sangiovese with a touch of Merlot, while the Riserva Chianti Classico is composed of 90% Sangiovese and the balance split evenly between Merlot and Syrah. Also recommended are an impressive Cabernet Sauvignon from Tuscany and a classic Nebbiolo from Piedmont. Beyond Italy, Portugal offers a Douro red made from a traditional field blend of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Sousão, and old-vine fruit, while the Côtes du Rhône blends 70% Grenache with 30% Syrah. Rounding out the reds are an excellent Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia and a Jumilla red from Spain crafted with approximately 80% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Among my white wine recommendations, Italy once again takes centre stage with three single-varietal wines: a Timorasso from Piedmont, a Garganega from Soave in Veneto, and a Pecorino from Abruzzo. The only blend is a Côtes du Rhône Blanc featuring Viognier, Marsanne, and Grenache Blanc. Other lovely whites include a Grüner Veltliner from Austria, a Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa, and a dry Pinot Gris from Australia. Closer to home, there are two lovely Chardonnays—one from Niagara's Twenty Mile Bench and another from British Columbia's Okanagan Valley.

My rosé recommendations begin with a Loire Valley rosé crafted from Pinot Noir. Two rosé blends also earned a place among my picks: a Niagara wine made from equal parts Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir, and a Luberon rosé from the Rhône composed of Syrah, Grenache, and Rolle. Rounding out my picks is a distinctive Blanc de Noir sparkling wine crafted exclusively from Gamay Noir.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• EL GORU GOLD MAD HAIRY FELLA MONASTRELL/ SYRAH/ CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022 - Vegan, DOP Jumilla, Spain (#13621) (XD) - $19.95  review coming soon...
• JERZU ANTICHI BANTU CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA 2023 - DOC, Sardinia, Italy (#51716) (XD) - $19.95  review coming soon...
• XAVIER VIGNON CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2023 - AOP, France (#297317) (XD) - $19.95  review coming soon...
• QUINTA DO VALLADO VINHO TINTO 2023 - DOC Douro, Portugal (#41900) (XD) - $19.95
• TENUTE ORESTIADI RISERVA IL ROSSO DI LUDOVICO 2020 - DOC Sicilia, Italy (#388645) (D) - $21.95  91 pts  wine review
• BYRON & HAROLD RAGS TO RICHES CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2023 - Vegan, Margaret River, Western Australia (#50142) (XD) - $23.95  review coming soon...
• PLANETA FRAPPATO 2024 - DOC Sicilia Vittoria, Italy (#508655) (XD) - $23.95  review coming soon...
• RÉVA NEBBIOLO D'ALBA 2023 - DOC Langhe, Piedmont, Italy (#38310) (XD) - $29.95
• CARPINETO FARNITO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 - IGT Toscana Rosso, Italy (#996553) (XD) - $34.95  91 pts  wine review
• VOLPAIA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2023 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#953828) (XD) - $37.95
• VITICCIO RISERVA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2019 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#599308) (XD) - $47.95  91 pts  wine review

White Wine:

• ALVI'S DRIFT SIGNATURE SELECTION SAUVIGNON BLANC 2025 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#41453) (XD) - $14.95
• LES DAUPHINS RÉSERVE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2024 - Sustainable, AOC, France (#18600) (XD) - $14.95
• BRIGALDARA SOAVE 2024 - Sustainable, DOC, Veneto, Italy (#23030) (XD) - $16.95
• ANGOVE PINOT GRIS 2025 - Sustainable, South Australia (#50150) (XD) - $17.95  88+ pts  wine review
• UMANI RONCHI VELLODORO PECORINO 2025 - IGT Terre d'Abruzzo, Italy (#289553) (XD) - $17.95  review coming soon...
• COLOMBA BIANCA RESILIENCE GRILLO 2024 - DOC Sicilia, Italy (#49369) (XD) - $21.95  89 pts  wine review
• ZULL GRÜNER VELTLINER 2024 - DAC Weinviertel, Austria (#17497) (XD) - $24.95  91 pts  wine review
• MISSION HILL RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2023 - BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#545004) (XD) - $27.95
• FONTANAFREDDA DERTHONA COLLI TORTONESI TIMORASSO 2024 - Vegan, Sustainable, DOC, Piedmont, Italy (#36416) (XD) - $29.95
• BACHELDER CUESTA SINGLE VINEYARD FAR EAST, MAN! CRU NIAGARA CHARDONNAY 2023 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#52011) (XD) - $45.00

Rosé Wine:

• ORGANIZED CRIME ROSÉ 2025 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#16296) (XD) - $19.95
• CHÂTEAU VAL-JOANIS ROSÉ 2025 - AOP Luberon, Rhône, France (#707281) (XD) - $19.95
• CARUSO & MININI FRAPPO FRAPPATO ROSÉ 2025 - IGP Terre Siciliane, Italy (#43979) (XD) - $19.95
• JEAN-MAX ROGER LA GRANGE DÎMIÈRE SANCERRE ROSÉ 2025 - AOC, Loire, France (#490813) (XD) - $31.95

Sparkling Wine:

• 13TH STREET GAMAY BLANC DE NOIR SPARKLING 2023 - Sustainable, VQA Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#39728) (XD) - $34.95