Valentine's Day Wine Picks (2025)

Celebrating Valentine's Day, Galentine's Day, or cozying up for a quiet evening alone at home on February 14th? Here are a few wine recommendations to treat yourself or that special someone in your life. All three wines are versatile enough that they can be enjoyed on their own, or paired with food at the dinner table, and will provide immense pleasure.Sparkling wine is always...

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Tezza Valpolicella Ripasso Valpantena Superiore 2020 (Veneto) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely organic Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore from the Valpantena Valley in Veneto that arrived at the LCBO today in the August 24th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.It is produced by Azienda Agricola Tezza, a winery that was established by the Tezza family in 1960. Since the beginning, the family has been immersed in the winemaking traditions...

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Bertani Catullo Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore 2019 (Veneto) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore from Veneto that arrived at the LCBO as the Wine of the Month in last weekend's February 17 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.Like the excellent 2020 Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Valpantena that I loved last month, this red wine is produced by Cantine Bertani. Situated in the heart of...

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Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Valpantena 2020 (Veneto) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent Amarone della Valpolicella that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the January 6th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.It is produced by Cantine Bertani, an Italian winery situated in the heart of Veneto with a long and storied history that began in the mid-19th century. It was established in Valpantena in 1857 by the Bertani...

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Josh Cellars Prosecco (Italy) - Wine Review

Tonight's sparkling wine review is a delicious and relatively new Prosecco from Italy that is available not only at the LCBO, but also should be available at grocery stores across Ontario. Although I haven't checked the latest pricing at grocery stores, it is on clearance at the LCBO right now with a savings of $4.50.It is produced by Josh Cellars, a wine brand that was established...

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Tedeschi Capitel Nicalò Valpolicella Superiore 2020 (Veneto) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is the latest vintage of a lovely Valpolicella Superiore that arrived at the LCBO last month as part of the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection on June 24th.It is produced by Azienda Agricola Tedeschi, also known as Tedeschi Wines, a prominent family-owned winery situated in the Valpolicella region, within Veneto in northeastern Italy. Founded in...

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April 29, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES Release Wine Picks: Classic European Regions

Here are my top wine picks from the April 29, 2023 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection which is titled "Fine Wines from Classic European Regions". Also included in the printed magazine is a sneak preview of the next release which will be the return of the monthly "Online & Flagship Exclusives" only release, with no associated in-store release. All of the wines from the...

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Montresor Capitel della Crosara Valpolicella Ripasso 2018 (Veneto) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this lovely Valpolicella from Veneto that comes to the LCBO this weekend as part of the January 8 LCBO VINTAGES Release.It is produced by Vini Montresor, a family with a long history that boasts illustrious ancestors such as the Count Claude de Montresor, a trusted advisor to the Duke of Orleans in France in the 17th century. A branch of the Montresor...

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Trio of LCBO General List Wines (Dec. 2021)

Happy Holidays! Tonight's wine reviews are a trio of General List wines I received several months ago and finally got around to tasting. Both red wines are new arrivals to the LCBO and available in standard 750 mL bottles, while the white wine from Abruzzo comes in a 1.5 L large format magnum bottle. All of the wines are readily available at LCBO outlets across Ontario.Tasting...

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Tedeschi Capitel Nicalò Valpolicella Superiore 2019 (Veneto) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is the latest vintage of a consistently well-made, and delicious red wine from the famous Valpolicella region within Veneto. It arrived at the LCBO over the weekend, as part of the December 11 LCBO VINTAGES Release.It is crafted by Tedeschi Wines, a winemaking family with over four centuries of history and tradition, including cru wine pioneers in Valpolicella....

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Great Italian Wines - Understanding Indigenous Grape Varieties - Nebbiolo & Valpolicella

On Thursday, I had the pleasure of attending a masterclass titled "Great Italian Wines" that focused on understanding the indigenous varietals of Italy. This class was the first in a series being held by the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Ontario Canada (ICCO Canada) and focused on Nebbiolo and the varieties of Valpolicella.Italy is the world's largest producer of wine by...

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Villa Sandi Pinot Grigio delle Venezie 2018 (Veneto) - Wine Review

Following up on the delicious Villa Sandi Prosecco Il Fresco that I enjoyed recently, tonight's wine review is a Pinot Grigio from the same producer. Like the Prosecco, this is a General List wine and widely available at LCBO outlets across Ontario. It can be purchased in-store or online for pick-up or delivery. Villa Sandi is a family-owned and operated winery situated in...

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Bottega Sparkling Wines (May 2020)

With in-person wine tastings cancelled since the lockdown in March, virtual wine tastings have grown in popularity and will likely continue for some time. As such, I recently participated in my first ever Zoom virtual wine tasting. It was hosted by Sandro Bottega of Bottega S.p.A. as we tasted through their charming bubbly's as well as a lovely grappa and enjoyed an organic...

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Villa Sandi Prosecco Il Fresco (Veneto) - Wine Review

To celebrate Cinco de Mayo a couple of days early with Chicken Fajitas, for tonight's wine review I opened this delightful Prosecco sparkling wine from Italy. This bubbly is a General List wine at the LCBO and widely available across Ontario. Villa Sandi is located within the commune of Crocetta del Montello in the Province of Treviso in the Italian region of Veneto in a...

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